I am not much of a player!

I have never been much of a player…and by that I mean that I was never one to be really in to playing games.  Sure as a kid I played board games (Candyland, Monopoly, Battleship, Chutes and Ladders, Scrabble, etc.) and card games with my family and friends, but as I got older I just wasn’t that in to it.  I enjoy game night once in awhile as a way to bond with my family or friends, but games are not my go-to activities of choice. And when I do play a game I choose the simple, quick, uncomplicated, fast-paced games (cue slapjack, Uno, Crazy 8, Operation, Pictionary, Cranium, and Jenga).  No chess, Settlers of Catan, Pandemic, Dungeons and Dragons for me. I have tried, I have really tried...but my attention span starts to wane after a few minutes if I don’t feel instant satisfaction! I feel really embarrassed that I am not into games, especially the really intellectual, strategic games.  I think I am in the minority.

Recently my husband bought Uno for the kids to play (one of my favs).  My 8 year old taught himself how to play the first day he got it, and I was happy that he had a game he could amuse himself with.  Well, today, unexpectedly my son asked me if I would play Uno with him. I turn down my kids all the time. Unfortunately, being at home with them all day and trying to get things done, I don’t always stop to play with them.  I had a list of things to get done, but I felt a tinge of guilt and told my son sure, one game. My son was surprised because it’s rare for me to do this, and this made me feel even guiltier. I started shuffling and my son said he was so surprised I could shuffle so well.  I laughed. And then we began the game and played till he won, which was about 20 minutes. I was touched my son wanted to play with me, and I had fun. It was a really good reminder for me that I just have to stop everything to play with my kids while they still want me to.  And a reminder that playing games can be fun!