Games Aren’t Just for Fun

For days, my youngest son, Jeffrey, had been bugging me to pay a board game with him called Solar Quest. It is pretty similar to Monopoly but in space, specifically, our solar system. Instead of hotels and property to buy, you purchase planets and moons and fuel stations. Finally, we were able to sit at the table and engage in a contest that would test our mettle, our cunning, our concentration, and ruthless determination to win at all costs, a quest to rule the solar system.

I will admit that I really didn’t want to play this game at the time. Like Monopoloy, this game has a long play time which usually ended before it was actually completed. I was being selfish. Something I hate myself for. But, I saw how much it meant to my son and told him to set up the game. I could see the excitement in his eyes and how happy he was knowing that he would get to play a game with me. Growing up, rarely did my mom play a game with us, and in my best recollection, I can’t remember a time when my dad did. I don’t think we ever asked him either.

Well, after my son quickly set up the game, his older brother (by 11 months) let it be known that he also would like to play with us. Jeff would have none of it. He just wanted it to be him and his dad. With much fussing, he finally accepted that his older brother Zachary would be playing with us. It did not make him happy in the least but he relented.

We started off in good spirits, navigating the board, buying moons and planets, laughing at my inability to get out of the gravitational pull of Jupiter, Zachary getting stuck on earth for an hour, unable to take off because of low fuel. Intermixed in our game, were moments where one or the other of my sons wanted to quit for various reasons. Each time I convinced them to return to the table to finish, despite the thought that they were losing.

Looking at my watch, I discovered that it was already time for me to make dinner. Neither of my sons wanted to quit at that time because in their words, “things were just getting interesting”. But seeing as how it there was school the next day and they had to take showers, I called an end to the festivities. My son Zachary and I didn’t weren’t too interested in who the victor was, but Jeffrey sure was. He stayed behind with a calculated and added up all our properties, fuel stations, and cash. He tried to convince me that he had beat me by only 5 Federons (space dollars for those of you in Rio Linda). I could see the smile on his face and knew he was not being truthful. He knew the jig was and revealed the true figures. I had come out on top, he was second and then Zachary was third.

Usually when I play games with my kids, I don’t hold back so that they can win. They have win on their own accord. I want them to do their best. Some times this philosophy causes them to want to quit, causes them to fuss or cry that they didn’t win. But they have to know how to lose. It is almost as important as being able to win, which they did also. These aren’t just games, but learning opportunities of lessons that they need to learn in life. Take this Solar Quest game. They have to learn how to monitor their cash, properties and fuel level which can be used in the real world, especially knowing how to keep track of their money and giving back change. Also, planning their next move and how to survive on limited resources. I believe that kids who regularly play games that require the child to use their brain like counting, managing resources, planning, teamwork, striving to win and knowing how to lose and learn from mistakes, give them a distinct advantage in life over kids who don't.

Games aren’t just for fun. They are opportunities, for learning, bonding  for father and son, brother and brother, and...also fun.

Note to Self

Yesterday, my wife did a double shift at the care center so she didn't get home until 11:30 pm. By then, the kids were in bed and, from their snoring, sleeping soundly. I was on my way to enjoying a potentially good dream when she came in the door. After working a double shift, she wasn't in the mood for chit chat and went straight to bed. I lingered downstairs for a bit longer before deciding I should get myself to bed also.

While making my way up the stairs in the silent darkness, I suddenly heard the dreaded chirp. You know that really annoying noise that smoke detectors make when they want you to change their batteries? Since it only beeps every minute or so, it took me a few minutes to find the offender, and of course it turned out to be in my girls bedroom which is directly across the hallway from my bedroom where my wife was now trying to sleep.

I was sure that the chirping noise was annoying her because it sure was annoying me. Of course I was also worried that it would wake up my daughters. So, I decided on a plan of action. First, I needed to find a nine volt battery. I don't know why they make things that use those. I seem to recall back in the 80s having some handheld games or other electronic devices that required one, but not since. Everything pretty much uses double 'A' batteries.

I searched in the drawers in the kitchen and the pantry and came up empty. Next, I tried raiding my kids' games and other electronic devices. Nothing. I decided to look in the kitchen because I have been known to overlook things sometimes. I opened one of the drawers for the second time and to my surprise, on top of all the other crap, staring back at me was a nine volt battery. It was one of those cheap ones, but still one that I hoped would satisfy the annoying smoke detector.

I drug a kitchen chair upstairs and carefully placed it underneath the offender, trying to avoid the myriad of papers, toys and clothes strewn about my daughters' floor. Now, to open this bad boy up and change batteries. Boom, done. So I thought.

Opening the battery tray on the side of the detector, I was unable to remove the battery while the device was connected to the ceiling. I disconnected it and with great effort, was able to swap batteries and sure enough, the incessant chirping continued. Thinking that I may have gotten the battery the wrong direction, I reached up to again remove the detector from the ceiling. Unfortunately, I accidentally pressed the test button. Apparently in our house all the smoke detectors are connected because all of them in the house went off at the same time, blasting their ear piercing alarm throughout all the bedrooms and other areas. This went on for what seemed like hours then went silent. I had almost fallen off the chair from trying to pound the buttons to get it to stop but was probably making it worse. 

I was stricken with fear and embarrassment. How could I have done that? Stupidity. But God showed some mercy. None of my kids or my wife woke up. How that was possible with the amount of decibels that were pouring out of the smoke detectors, I haven't the slightest idea except for divine intervention.

Still in fear of my family, I quickly removed the detector and carted it along with the chair back down stairs where I could properly put the battery in.

After reinserting the battery, the chirp continued. Giving up the fight for tonight seemed like my best option, so I put the evil smoke detector in the garage hoping that it would not be heard. 

By the time I climbed into bed, I was exhausted from my losing fight and faded off to sleep listening to the never-ending chirp coming from the garage. Tomorrow I would re-group and win the war with a new battery and having learned my lesson. 

Note to self: Do not change batteries in the smoke detector in the middle of the night.

Losing My Marbles

I thought I lost all my marble yesterday but it turned out I just lost a few. It is a little troubling because I don't have many left at my age and I still have quite a few years left to go before my kids fly the coop.

For some reason the kids decided to annoy the crap out of my. As soon as they got home the started in. Since it was Tuesday, I had to get my daughter ready for her Girl Scout meeting. They were supposed to wear their Halloween costumes. Then I had to pick up my niece also. Everything was in a rush. That is when I think I started to lose some of my marbles.

After dropping the girls off at their meeting, I had the great idea of going to the library so that my sons could work on their homework while we waited to pick up the girls. That wasn't the best idea that I had. A few more marbles fell out. It just so happens that my sons cannot be quiet to save their life and they had to fuss about everything. Not good behavior for the library, especially since it seemed like the whole town was there.

When I picked up my daughter and niece, they were in really good spirits and picked up mine. The rest of the day saw the loss of more marbles until all the kids were in bed and I could finally relax.

While I was about to head off to bed, I heard an odd noise coming from the front porch. The cats heard it too for they ran to cautiously look out the window. When the cats and I peeked out, we saw to our surprise, several javelina foraging for a meal. The cats were too scared and ducked out of the window, but I lingered for a while. It isn't every day that I get to see wildlife up close, despite living in a small mountain community. It was thankful that I had gotten to observe them. And that possibly returned some of my marbles, but there are still some missing that I hope to find soon. I can't afford to lose any more and I am sure that my family doesn't want me to have any turn up missing either.

Despite it all, I hope my kids can forgive me because being my kids dad is the best job in the world. I would hate to get fired because I had no marbles left.

The Day After

Last night went better than I had expected. I hope that the new year goes better than expected as well. I won't be holding my breath though.

The kids were excited about staying up and ringing in the new year, but when the time came, they weren't so much. I was surprised that they even stayed up. I was surprised that I was able to stay up for that matter. I was very tempted to indulge myself in an alcoholic beverage or two, but decided that if I wanted to make it to midnight, that wasn't a good idea.

We watched the last five minutes of the Rockin' Eve show. What a let down. We watch it every year, but this year it was a big dud. It barely showed the ball dropping and concentrated on the hosts and the crowd.

Today was bright and sunny out. The kids were pestering me to let them play in the snow. I told them after lunch, but we both forgot. I will have to not forget tomorrow.

The End is Near

December 31, 2010
Friday
07:10

Less than seventeen hours left of 2010. How will I spend the remainder of they year, or should I say decade? Probably like I spend every day, wasting precious time. I am not very adept at time management, even though every set of New Year's resolutions contains 'Manage my time better'. Just like most people who make resolutions for the new year, mine go unresolved.

Despite the cold and icy road conditions outside, I have to dig out the old suburban and journey to the rental office and drop off our rent payment and get my
teenage bookworm daughter to the library to return her books and load up on more.

I dug out part of the truck earlier this morning when I was scraping the windows and warming up the van for my wife to go to work. But without a heater, I don't know how safe it will be driving out in the cold. No defrost for the windows.

I am so glad that the storm that dumped about six inches of snow here in town, my kids to their grandma's for Christmas. I am hoping that it will get above freezing today to melt the roads so I can take care of business.

On another note, my son is almost caught up with his overdue assignments for his virtual school. We have until January 11th but I would like to get them taken care of before his break is over. I would like to start the new year on track and keep it there...one of my resolutions for the new year. It was mostly my fault
for him getting behind, but it is difficult to get him to get his lessons when he gets in one of his moods. I still haven't figured out why he gets in these moods, but when he does, I can't get him to do any work.

I am going to try really hard to make it to midnight tonight along with my kids. I have a very hard time making it to 11pm let alone midnight. I am going to try playing games with the kids in the hopes of keeping awake. It worked when I was a kid so I am hoping that it will work this time as well, along with some no-doze and an energy drink.