I Don't Want to Play a Board Game! (Does that mean I'm not a good mother?)
School's out and if you're a mom with ADHD, you're either laughing or crying. Laughing, maybe, because you don't have to deal with homework battles, IEPs, worrying about your child's academic success, him being bullied, issues with friends, etc.
Crying because now you have 2 1/2 months to figure out how to keep your child entertained, happy and out of trouble.
Last night, my daughter asked me the one question that always puts a chill up my spine. It's not about sex. Or drugs. No, I've mastered those topics, for the most part. At least in terms of feeling comfortable discussing them.
No, what she asked was, "Mom, will you play Sorry with me?"
Ever since my kids were little, I have always hated playing board and card games. I hated sitting through the 50th video playback of Barney, Mr. Rogers, Raffi (is he still around?). Well, you get the picture. Certain kiddy activities are simply over the top dull. Well, for me, at least.
Board games are aptly named, in my opinion, because they bore me to death. Sitting at a table, waiting your turn, playing games that typically hold no strategy and seem to go on for a hundred hours, is not my idea of fun. I've struggled for years over this one, thinking I was a horrible mom for either going along with the request but detesting every painful minute, or avoiding it like the plague ("Sure, Mackenzie...just give me a few minutes while I , etc.).
I finally realized that this was a no-win situation. One of us would be unhappy. So over the years, if I simply could not fathom the idea of playing a ridiculously boring game with my daughter, I'd suggest a re-direct. The best "out" was running out to get ice cream- that always worked. We still had time together and we both ended up very happy.
But last night, I did play Sorry. And I lost. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.
Crying because now you have 2 1/2 months to figure out how to keep your child entertained, happy and out of trouble.
Last night, my daughter asked me the one question that always puts a chill up my spine. It's not about sex. Or drugs. No, I've mastered those topics, for the most part. At least in terms of feeling comfortable discussing them.
No, what she asked was, "Mom, will you play Sorry with me?"
Ever since my kids were little, I have always hated playing board and card games. I hated sitting through the 50th video playback of Barney, Mr. Rogers, Raffi (is he still around?). Well, you get the picture. Certain kiddy activities are simply over the top dull. Well, for me, at least.
Board games are aptly named, in my opinion, because they bore me to death. Sitting at a table, waiting your turn, playing games that typically hold no strategy and seem to go on for a hundred hours, is not my idea of fun. I've struggled for years over this one, thinking I was a horrible mom for either going along with the request but detesting every painful minute, or avoiding it like the plague ("Sure, Mackenzie...just give me a few minutes while I , etc.).
I finally realized that this was a no-win situation. One of us would be unhappy. So over the years, if I simply could not fathom the idea of playing a ridiculously boring game with my daughter, I'd suggest a re-direct. The best "out" was running out to get ice cream- that always worked. We still had time together and we both ended up very happy.
But last night, I did play Sorry. And I lost. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.
Comment
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Comment by Terry Matlen on August 23, 2009 at 1:36pm -
Sigh. I hear ya. Funny how they are so appealing when we were kids and now are, just as you say, bored games. Torture.
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Comment by betsy davenport, phd on August 23, 2009 at 1:44am -
I call them "Bored Games." As a kid I liked Parcheesi and Uncle Wiggly, though haven't seen either one of them since I became a mother. Once my kid was literate, we'd get together as a family with another quirky family and play games -- the only time I have ever enjoyed it.
Of course, I can't remember what any of them are called, and getting up right now to go look in the drawer doesn't sound so good, but the ones I like are actually not board games at all. Never mind.
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Comment by Terry Matlen on July 2, 2009 at 8:34pm
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Hey, there's always the "going out for ice cream" trick!
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Comment by Bonnie Irving on July 2, 2009 at 7:46pm
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OMG! This used to torture me! my kids would want me to Play them and I am SOOO Not into most board games .
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Comment by Tonya on June 21, 2009 at 11:28pm -
Between a full time (and then some) job, and a 2nd full time position as a mom of 3 kids (7, 4, and 2), it's extremely hard to fit it the quality TIME they deserve.
I have always loved kids and planned all three of mine, but I find that when I do have that quality time with them, I, for lack of a better way to describe it, feel like "I don't know how to play with them." Before having my kids (first one delivered when I was 29), I was always the one kids and animals seem to be drawn to.
I hate feeling like it would be easier to program a new application at work than to figure out what to do with them or how to play, without spending most of the time trying to "set things up" or getting all the necessary item needed for whatever great idea I have come up with to do. Some days are harder than others to deal with the failure I set myself up for and the disappointment I feel and see in their eyes, even though I try so hard to avoid and prevent it in the first place. It does feel like they deserve a better mom, however, another mom could not come close to loving them more than me.
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Comment by Terry Matlen on June 20, 2009 at 10:02am
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It's hard finding activities that both kids and mom can enjoy. I'd love to hear more ideas. What is the Preakness cup??
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Comment by Lovemypirates1121 on June 18, 2009 at 11:37pm -
I love taking mine to fun places like museums with hands-on exhibits. I once took them to the Baltimore Museum of Art a few years ago. In hindsight I might have been a bit too ambitious in taking a 5 and 3 year old there. They did fine with the little arts and crafts thing but lost interest in the rest of the museum.
A woman suggested looking at the Preakness cup and my 3 year old (at the time) said when he got in the designated room. "Where's the Piston Cup?" (Pixar's Cars)
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Comment by Lovemypirates1121 on June 18, 2009 at 11:34pm
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I often can't even stand to have my kids play board games in the same room even if I'm not playing with them.
"He CHEATED!"
"No I DIDN'T! You made up the rules!"
"Uh-UH!! It says it right there! You're CHEATING! I'm telling! MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!" (This is screamed at the top of child's lungs even though I'm a mere ten feet away)
God if I make it through the summer with what's left of my sanity intact, it'll be a miracle.
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Comment by Terry Matlen on June 17, 2009 at 10:24pm
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Too funny. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who doesn't care for board games. What DO you like to do with your kids?
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Comment by Lizzette on June 17, 2009 at 1:10pm -
Hmmmm.... i have to be in the mood to play a board game and really never realized how many times I manipulate getting out of playing them. I do give in when the kids give me the look and sigh that I never spend time with them (btw, i do the same with watching movies). The way I look at it sometimes is that, they're not going to want to play with me forever because they grow up so fast. I'll have plenty of time soon enough to throw out the board games because they won't be home anymore, they'll be out on their own. Then one day they'll have their kids and their kids will beg them to play boring board games, then I'll sit back and smile and say to them, "Now it's your turn to be bored!" LOL!! Aaah the circle of life :)
© 2012 Created by Terry Matlen.
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