Robby started telling us over the weekend that he wanted to play a game with us. We checked it out and figured out that the only game we really had for children is Elefun, which we played and Robby loves. But, it gets tedious after a while for the grownups because you have to keep reloading the elephant every couple of minutes.
So, when we went to Target last night, we checked out the game section and found three classics for $7 bucks each--Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and Memory. Of course, such a deal could not be resisted. We talked up Memory the whole way home, and then we got home and started teaching Robby how to play.
We were surprised at how well he picked up on the concept and how well he could remember where cards were. But, I had not really thought before about all the other elements that we need to teach Robby about playing games, like...waiting your turn, only turning over the set number of cards, being patient, . . . trying to beat the competition.
We were surprised at how well he picked up on the concept and how well he could remember where cards were. But, I had not really thought before about all the other elements that we need to teach Robby about playing games, like...waiting your turn, only turning over the set number of cards, being patient, . . . trying to beat the competition.
Bryan and I consider the instruction of our children to be one of the most greatest roles in our lives, and we know that modeling behavior is one of the best ways to teach our children. So, it was in the spirit of instruction that we played three straight games, only one of which had Robby as a participant.
The other two fiercely competitve matches (what? Robby wanted to watch and not play so he could better learn. He takes learning very seriously!) were played solely to provide some teachable moments. For example, when I stomped off after getting soundly beaten and pouted downstairs about the loss, I was teaching Robby what a poor loser does and why it should be avoided. When Bryan and I respectively gloated and lorded our superior memory skills over the other, we were teaching Robby why it is so much more fun to play with a gracious winner. The match that was played after Robby went to bed was a strategy session. Eh? You think that Bryan and I would continue to play a game aimed at preschoolers simply for the opportunity to best one another? Definitely not. I wouldn't even describe us as competitive, really.
The other two fiercely competitve matches (what? Robby wanted to watch and not play so he could better learn. He takes learning very seriously!) were played solely to provide some teachable moments. For example, when I stomped off after getting soundly beaten and pouted downstairs about the loss, I was teaching Robby what a poor loser does and why it should be avoided. When Bryan and I respectively gloated and lorded our superior memory skills over the other, we were teaching Robby why it is so much more fun to play with a gracious winner. The match that was played after Robby went to bed was a strategy session. Eh? You think that Bryan and I would continue to play a game aimed at preschoolers simply for the opportunity to best one another? Definitely not. I wouldn't even describe us as competitive, really.
These are hard lessons to teach a kid, but someone's gotta do it.
1 comment:
Competitiveness definitely runs in the family. Glad to see that you are teaching Robby the finer points. Can't wait until he is teaching them to you!!
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