The Games We Play

A lot of parents look upon their babies with ambition.

He'll play some sport.
She'll go to some school. 

This is all natural enough.  It gets weird when the parents hang on too tightly to that as the kids grow, though, doesn't it? 

My Mom once knew a woman who wanted her child to be a famous actress and so this woman, Mrs. Clear, named her daughter, "Crystal."  I'm not sure how the fame thing tur--oh, wait.  We do know how that turned out. . .

I confess to having an ambition for my kids that I have pursued relentlessly:  that they would love to play games.  Board games.  Card games.  Party games.  Strategy games.  Any of them.  All of them.

***

This is something I had failed to vet in Bryan before marrying him.  Come to find out a few months after the wedding that he believes in a final word to the world of gaming:

The Platonic form of 'Game' is already known fully in these shadowlands.  And it is called RISK.


(Those aren't my capital letters. The game has always fancied its own title this way.  And Bryan has two original boxed editions from 50 years ago to prove it.)


I played a lot of RISK in my youth because my brother--6 years my senior-- used to get stuck babysitting me and sister #4 and this is how he chose to pass his time. 

Invariably, this:  Janice would back up into Australia.  I would get holed up in South America.  Brother would amass his hoards at our gates, and then he would swarm.

Now, I hate RISK.  Dumb game.  World domination?  Puh-lease.  

The last time I played, it was against Sister #4, her now-husband, then boyfriend, and our then brother-in-law. 

Sister and I made a pact to work against the men.  They did not make such a pact and so we wiped them out.  Then, with the map shared roughly half and half, we declared world peace and the end to atrocities such as forced famines and FGM. 

There is no reason for me ever to play RISK again. 

***

I found myself married to a not-so-much-gamer and resolved to bring up our children--however many came our way--to want to play with me. 

And now they do.  One 8, one 5.  Challenged early and often to play above the recommended ages.  We play.  After dinner, as a family, many nights a week.  During the day, as a break from homeschool work, almost every day.

My master plan is coming together.

***

About the games we play:

Josh's current favorite--KerPlunk!

You take plastic straws out, one player at a time, trying not to dislodge the marbles that are resting one them. 

Bryan and I are glad to play it on the nights when we're tired because it is practically brainless and yet 99% pure thrill for the kids.

***

Gemma's favorite--Zooleretto

You get to collect animals to build your own zoo.  I'm currently hooked on it because I haven't figured out the best strategy for it, yet.

That is, Joshua keeps winning. . . 

***

Candy Land.  

Hate this game.  So stupid.  By the time your kids are developmentally ready to sit still and wait to take their turn, they already know their colors. 

I won't play it and I mention it here only to give you permission not to play it either.

***

Sorry!

Love this classic.  We've developed "Sorry Fantastic" which is the same rules, only you start with one piece in each of the home bases.  Great twist.

And this is what really annoys Bryan.  My predilection to change the rules of games to make them better.  He thinks there should be no adjustments.  None! 

My brother does this, too.  It might even be what we like best about gaming.  The tweaking.

This is why Bryan will not play games with me and my brother when we get together.

***

Clarification:  Bryan is willing to play games after dinner with me and the kids because it's what a good Daddy does.

***

Scotland Yard's Mr. X

A new game for us.   One player is a criminal.  The others work together as detectives chasing him around a map of London using various modes of transportation.  The catch is that Mr. X moves in secrecy and only reveals his location now and then.

The rules are a little complicated to read and then put into action.

The first time we played, the kids and I were trying to catch Bryan and he heard us make a very obvious mis-calculation based on a mis-understanding of a rule. 

And he didn't correct us.  Or clarify.  Or demonstrate any charity whatsoever.

I asked, "What is wrong with you?"

Is anyone with me on this?  I get wanting to win.  But in this case, how could he not say, "Such and such doesn't necessarily mean such and such. . ."

He won that game soon after.  And was ready to move on with his evening when the kids asked to play again and I said, "Sure!  Let's play again!"

That'll teach him to be uncharitable.

And then, of course, we tweaked some of the rules. 

***

Dominoes.

Bryan's choice, if he can't play RISK.  (And, hey, if he wants to teach the kids, thereby raising up his own minions to pay with him, he totally can.)

I really like Dominoes, too.  Great example of a game that G and J can play 100% with no help, and have a good chance at winning, and that we find very engaging as well.   Hard to find games like that.

***

And many others.  Maybe I'll get to them in future posts.  Maybe you'll mention the games you like best.

Speaking of games, though, here's a preview of Wednesday's post:  Bryan and I were delegates to the El Paso County Republican Assembly this past weekend.

As I said, speaking of games. . . .