Game Night

We were a big game playing family when I was growing up. My parents had friends over, or were going over to friends’ houses, on a very regular basis and usually playing a game of some sort was part of that routine. It was Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly for board games and Gin Rummy, UNO and Bridge for the cards. Although I never got into Bridge I have to admit, it just never really held my interest. H tells me that was just because I haven’t yet properly applied myself.

I got really into Hearts in high school; it was a huge youth group game. And then I got introduced to Cribbage in college by dear SH and we went on to play it every day when were in Germany at the same time.

In the quest to find fun things to do with my mom that can be done from bed (or at least the couch) and don’t take a lot of energy, we’ve picked card games back up. My mom, my husband and I have been playing Gin the past couple of days. And we introduced the kids to UNO today. The Girl isn’t quite able to play it without help yet, but she’s still doing great. The Boy is totally obsessed with UNO and Go Fish; he would have played them both all day if we’d have let him. But mom and The Girl needed to take a break for a nap so we chased him outside to play with his friends.

Even though I scoff a bit at the silly “Family Game Night” commercials you see because they truly are just dripping with cheese, it really is a great way to bring the whole family together around something fun that doesn’t cost anything and doesn’t require a ton of clean up. It’s always fun to teach the kiddos something new and watch them love it and it’s a great way for all of us to get some good, quality time in with each other.

It’s one of those things you take for granted as a kid, but then are so grateful to have to pull out of your parenting tool box.