With my husband’s Saturday morning pancake-making tradition now replaced by his work schedule, I’ve lost my precious “sleep-in” day. Sure, I wasn’t getting much sleep anyway, but a girl can dream, right?
Last Friday night, my husband reminded the kids he wouldn’t be around in the morning, and I overheard my daughter whine, “But Daddy always plays with us! Mommy just sits on her computer!” Cue the mom-guilt. I promised them a board game session after my first cup of coffee. But, despite my hopes that they’d forget, they bombarded me with a stack of games. And just like that, I was reminded why I usually steer clear of game nights…
- The Sore Loser: Whether it’s losing a game or just getting a bad card, my kids transform into dramatic sore losers. Their cries, complaints of unfairness, and general misery are hard to overlook.
- The Overzealous Winner: You know the type—“I won! I won! You lost!” This enthusiastic victory dance continues until someone inevitably bursts into tears.
- The Cheater: From peeking at cards to sneaky moves that would make a poker player proud, the kids have a talent for bending the rules to their advantage.
- The Alliance: Instead of accepting that any non-self person can win, my kids rank the objectionable contenders. They band together to ensure that I’m always the least favorable winner.
- The Endless Game: Games like Chutes and Ladders should come with a warning label. Seriously, they just go on and on!
- The Backtracking Game: Any game that sends you backward is a recipe for disaster. It triggers tears, inspires cheating, and feels like it’ll never reach the finish line.
- The Mind-Numbing Simplicity: Let’s face it, kids’ games can be painfully dull.
- The Messy Aftermath: Board games come with an array of pieces—cards, dice, and little tokens—that somehow end up scattered everywhere. I’ve lost a Memory card or two, and let me tell you, stepping on a Sorry piece? Ouch!
- The Reluctant Exit: I once read that playing with kids can charge them up like batteries, making them more independent after some quality time. Maybe my kids need a refresher course on that concept because there’s no graceful way to end game time without tears.
- The Nonstop Begging: If we do something fun once, it’s like opening the floodgates. My kids will beg for fairs, parades, and every activity under the sun. If they haven’t experienced it, they won’t know to ask!
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In summary, while playing board games with your kids might seem like a fun idea, it often leads to tears, messes, and a battle of wills. The chaos often outweighs the fun, making it a tricky endeavor for any parent.