Games and Activities

This day and age there are far too many electronic distractions that keep us from interacting. I personally have gotten caught up on the computer, I love to research. Trying to gain a foot hold in the time spent by my children playing video games, watching TV and being on the computer I have gotten some games. If you have heard of it already one of their favorites is Sequence (do a search for Sequence card game). My youngest usually manages to beat me, I'm not sure how that happens as I don't let either of them win by playing badly. As a side tangent. Kids will know if you don't try and let them win, which takes the fun out of it for them. Helping them and giving them tips is different than loosing on purpose. Yahtzee is an old classic and nothing excites a child more than seeing all the dice come up all the same number. This game I do give some suggestions and explain why I believe that a certain decision should be made, explain odds etc. Even then sometimes they do what they feel is the right move because it is dice after all and you just never know. They both enjoy playing ball, baseball and soccer mostly. My oldest has played both since he was 5, my youngest did play one season of soccer, but like me just doesn't like the team sports aspect of the games. While I would do the play ground sports, basketball and baseball, I never had a desire to play on a team (organized ball). My oldest however does like the organized ball. In him I can see the quiet competitiveness that I have. Sometimes I think I have been divided in half and each boy got a half. My youngest does have athletic ability so I hope someday he will play organized ball of some kind, I'd never force either one to play though. My oldest and I have never missed a game or practice in the last 4 years of baseball and soccer. I have been so blessed to never miss one and to have coached or assist coach some of his teams. Even at these times I still tried to give my youngest attention as well. He would rather play with the brothers of team mates who would be in the same situation he was in. One of my all time favorite thing is rock and mineral collecting. We have gone to many shows and purchased some really interesting specimens. They remember the names of the minerals better than I do. The last couple of summers we have taken a trip to a local mine which for a fee, let's you dig in a spot where they will dump stuff from the mine. We rarely miss our nightly Nerf gun war. Pillows and blankets make great bunkers. Safety glasses are a must. Currently I get them every weekend and we manage to squeeze a lot of activities in that time depending on the whether. Just talking is an activity.......I really wish they had come with instructions.