With Wesley and Zach back in school and therapy for Wesley after school three times a week, I am finding that my time with Zach is somewhat limited. In order to make sure we get some special time each day, I have committed to giving up "mommy time" during nap time/room time each afternoon. Now, instead of having room time while his brothers nap, Zach stays downstairs with me. While this has seriously cut down on the amount of time I have to accomplish things during the day, it has been well worth it.
Along with reading books together, working through math books (yes, this is fun for some people), picking up around the house, and talking about our mornings, we also make sure to save some time to play games. Now that Zach is learning about game strategies, game playing at our house is so much fun. He has become quite a competitive player, understanding how to place pieces or play cards strategically and beginning to consider the long-term outcomes in a game rather than just playing for the moment.
We begin our friendly banter on the way to school as I inform him that although it's all luck, I am going to win! His eyes twinkle as he grins and emphatically states that no, actually, he is going to beat me. This playful exchange continues as I pick him up, we get brothers in bed, and we get the house picked up. Then, once the game is pulled out, it's on!
It has been such a blessing to see him able to both compete and also enjoy the playing of the games no matter who wins. Of course, it helps that we have been explaining to him since he was two that it is all luck. By this point, most of the games that we play are a mix of luck and skill, but luck still plays a big enough piece that the statement still applies.
Some of our favorite games right now are Phase 10, Sequence Letters, Cranium Zooreka, Chess (actually, this would be one of Zach's favorites - not mine!), Guess Who, Quirkle, Uno Attack and Don't Let the Pidgeon Drive the Bus.
I'm off now to get the boys, but you can be sure that in a few hours, Zach and I will be laughing together as I am attacked by an onslaught of Uno cards flying at me!
3 comments:
YAY for you. Always a hard choice to give up your own personal time of the day but, what a blessing for Zach to be able to spend quality one on one time with you!
Great post! :) I'm so glad you included the list of games you are both enjoying at the end because I was going to ask so I could throw in a couple new ones in our game time rotation. Caleb and I currently are enjoying checkers, Yahtzee, dominoes, Crazy 8s, War (he likes this one much more than I!), hangman, the dot game, and Sorry! I loved your suggestions--we are lacking for this stage of board games (there's a big gap between Candyland and Scatergories).
It is so hard to get that quality time once they are not around AND you have 3 children (and a husband/marriage). This sounds excellent and times you will always remember.
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