Children generally need encouragement to eat their recommended amounts of vegetables. So can parents strategize by offering their child a choice of vegetables, to increase the amount their children eat? According to the theory of self-determination, the provision of choice should increase a child's feelings of autonomy and intrinsic motivation.

We all know the choices we make impact ourselves for good or bad. If we choose to ignore the importance of exercise for our health we will suffer the consequences of inactivity--lower our quality of life and probably shorten it as well.

But what about the impact our choices have on others? Texting on a cell phone while driving is a good example. We easily point our fingers at those who do and cause accidents that injure or kill others. Driving while intoxicated is another example. We shake our heads when an inebriated driver causes a serious accident, and are quick to blame the driver. (My parents and baby daughter were miraculously saved from death a number of years ago when a drunk driver going the wrong way on the freeway hit their vehicle head-on.)

The other day while putting on my headphones for my daily bout of exercise, the head band snapped in two. They were less than a month old, and I had not used any undue exertion on them. When my exercise was finished, I went to the file and found my receipt so I could return them to the store.