Eleven-year-old Jamie loved playing football on his games console. In fact, he loved it so much he would spend hours and hours without stopping. When the teachers set homework at school, he would lock himself away in his room to do it, or so his parents thought…

But one day, the school called Jamie’s mother to go and speak to his teacher, as Jamie hadn’t handed in any homework for a month – ever since his birthday when his parents had given him the games console.

“What’s Jamie done this time?” asked Jamie’s mother.

“Well, it’s been a month since Jamie has done any homework and lately I’ve noticed that he’s very distracted in class. Do you know what could be wrong?”

Then Jamie’s mother realised that he had been telling lies all this time, for instead of going to his room to do homework, he was playing football on his games console.

“Yes, I know what the problem is. Don’t worry, I’ll talk to Jamie,” she told the teacher.

At home, Jamie’s mum waited until he went upstairs to do his homework, then suddenly burst into the room without knocking. It gave Jamie such a fright he dropped the console into the bin.

“May I ask what you’re doing on that machine when you’re supposed to be doing homework?” Jamie’s angry mother asked.

“Errr… well… I was just having a rest so I started playing for a bit…” he answered timidly.

“Jamie, we gave you the console because you were getting very good grades at school, and because you were a responsible boy. But now I see that you aren’t, and on top of that you weren’t honest with us. You are not allowed to play on the console any more until you are a responsible boy again.”

That was the moment Jamie understood the message his mother was trying to give him. And he understood that if he remained a responsible boy, not only would he be rewarded with prizes or presents from his parents, but he would be able to distinguish between what’s important in life and what’s not.

THE END