Game Day

My kids love to play games!  It doesn't even really matter what the game is; as long as you play it with them they are happy.  A few favorites in the last two years (they are 5 and nearly 8 now) have been Blokus, Uno, SkipBo, Sorry, Trouble, Slamwich, Chess, and CandyLand.  Out of those, I think Blokus and Slamwich are my two faves.  But mostly I just enjoy watching how they think and work their way through the games ... and how they enjoy playing with us.  I also cherish knowing that they know I am enjoying them.

I used to be this uber productive mom who was so busy doing things for her family that sometimes I forgot to be with them.  I'd cook, clean, pay bills, shop, fix things around the house ... and be too tired to answer correctly when I was asked to play.  Then God gave me a clue.  He showed me just how loaded of a question it is when our children say, "Mommy, will you play with me?"  Thank goodness I've learned a lot more about the importance of being a mom and what it really is.  I'm so thankful that I now take time to play cards, roll dice, or move around a board game with my children; some day we will have these memories to look back on.  But more importantly, we will be walking firmly on the foundation laid during those times.

Do your kids enjoy games?  If not, do you think they might if you did?  I have found (at least in our family) that children (younger ones especially) just want to be with Mommy and Daddy and be enjoyed by them.  They are so eager to please!  And they love it when you take time out of your routine to play with them.  My family came all the way to Dixie from New York to visit.  They offered to take us places and do some pretty awesome things with us.  My kids very favorite part of their visit?  The day they came to the house and played games with them. 

We are starting a weekly game night, but I am also trying to play games randomly throughout the week.  I am declaring today to be game day.  Why?  Because I can!  Really, it's that simple.  I am choosing to step out of our routine and play games with my kids today during the time they would normally play on their own so I can clean.  I'm setting my house in order by putting first things first.  What are you playing with your kids?

Linking up with Titus2sdays