Our Office Ninja walked through the house today around 14:15. She was getting ready to leave for the day and go to her bi-weekly (or is that bi-weakly?) elective torture: a.k.a. “Davin the personal trainer.” She came through while the 11 year old and I were playing a rousing game of Set. And I was getting absolutely spanked. I’m sure I was moaning and groaning and pounding my fists on the table or something like that by the time he doubled my score for like, the eighth time in a row. And Ninja said, “this is something I love about you Morrisons. When your kids win, they know they’ve actually won.”
Well, yes. Because I never, ever, ever let them win. I think I said, “That’s what luck games are for, like dice,” (unless you’re my mom, but more on that another day), “or collaborative games like Orchard . . . then everybody can win!”
No no, there are no certificates or trophies for participation in this house. No pats on the back, no going easy on ’em. No consolation prizes or lovely parting gifts. Do the losers occasionally cry? Well, yes. Are those losers sometimes the actual, losing adults? Affirmative. So we play this one game called “jailbreak” where my husband locks down a stuffed animal on his person somewhere and the children gang up and try to break said animal out of daddy jail and get it onto the couch. They have 1 minute to do so. No holds barred, people. This is a full contact jailbreak. And they win, sometimes. We even keep little high score cards in many of our games, so we can stroll down memory lane and reminisce about the good old days when mommy and daddy used to win everything.
So that’s how it is around here. Winners and losers. Legitimate winners and losers. Okay, okay, we have added a handicap element to a few games like Nertz. But that doesn’t keep the winners from dancing their victory jigs or the losers from gnashing their teeth.
I love that you are playing Set, one of my favorites! I love teaching it to my students and getting to foster the many complex skills it reinforces in the guise of just playing a fun, competitive game.
Yes! It’s a great quick game (at least when your 11 year old is trouncing you). We recently bought the travel edition of Quirkle and have been enjoying that too. Do you have any other game recommendations?
I will attest that in the Morrison household, all is fair game and aside from a handicap system in Nertz which evens out the playing ground, you have to EARN your win fair and square. But what impresses me the most is that when you win, it is a real victory in the Morrison household and it’s celebration galore with whooping it up! And to set the record straight, dice was a random game when I was playing with them much to their chagrin. Poor losers…LOL.
That’s great. We are similar here. I’m afraid Brad is somewhat nice, unless you’re breaking a rule…In which case, you WILL hear about it. I am totally playing my best, but we do make house rules when a rule is truly above comprehension for the youngest player, but we are almost past that here. I do make them partner up sometimes so they can play all out. Older teaching the younger. We have small kids over a lot, so I do try to put some grace in there, but if you’re the minimum age to play and know the rules, you are on your own. I see it building confidence, and lots of opportunities to learn how to win and lose well.
I just had this conversation with one of my kids the other day! One, oh so sad child, completely upset because they never win, had to come to the same realization! There are winners and losers. This is when I get the great opportunity to teach about losing with dignity, humility…and joy and also winning with dignity, humility…..and joy.
Yes Jenn! So many lessons learned from games, winning and losing. We have a built in desire to win which is also tainted by a curse and can be redeemed!