“Roll those Dice!”

By

Gerry Niskern

Did your family have a chance to play any new board games this summer while the kids were on vacation? I’m sure just about every family has new video and computer games to enjoy, but I’m talking about good old-fashioned games that the whole family can play together. You know, the games the family used to play before they started sending the kids off into the other room with their  electronic games.

Yes, there are always a few quarrels and fights among siblings, let alone their competitive dads, but that’s part of the fun. The camaraderie that develops as the family members confront and challenge each other verbally can’t be achieved any other way.

There’s a variety of new games out each year. These amusements help the kids develop skills and knowledge. They learn about planning strategy and how to reason. They learn to compete by using their own creativity. There is a family favorite of ours that is called Gestures, really just another form of Charades. Everyone has fun acting out words. They get a chance to perform in front of others, which most kids don’t get a chance to do enough in school these days. Even the youngest family member can try to guess the words mimed by the other participants.

When you think about it, it’s really all about competition. How does your family compete? It’s easy to be a gracious winner, but sometimes the art of being a good loser needs a little cultivation. Where better than within the family circle?

My sly grandmother knew about competition. She used our competitiveness to her advantage as my cousins and I gathered in her kitchen on winter evenings. She dumped a stack of dry corncobs on the rug. Each child was given a cooking pot and told to see who could shuck the most corn. The only prize was just the bragging rights of being the one who had the most corn in his pot, but there was one thing for sure. Grandma always had plenty of corn for her chickens throughout the winter.

Any intellectual amusement helps develop skills and knowledge that can be used many times in life.  Early child development educators are coming out with more books touting the value of free, creative play for children before the age of five. Many old favorites that families play fall in the creative category.

When the eight-year-old and the eighty-eight year old are both playing on the same team, something neat happens. The child learns that Grandpa really knows a lot! By the same token the Grandpa gets to communicate on a level playing field with the child. When grandpa shares his knowledge of finances  they will realize their mutual dreams of becoming real estate tycoons in Monopoly. One positive result is a young person who is able to communicate with Seniors easily throughout his life.

When new boyfriends or girlfriends are invited for a family gathering, the important question to ask them is, “Would you like to join our game?” If they are willing to try something new, work as a team player or be a gracious loser, they’re a “keeper”.

We are heading into the holiday season and lots of family gatherings. What a great opportunity to play some games that bridge the generations.

I once read a saying that stated: “You can learn more about a person’s character after an hour of game playing than you can in a lifetime of conversation.”