Playing Games-Time Well Spent

GAMES!!   I love playing board games.  I grew up playing them with both immediate family and extended family for all manner of gatherings and celebrations.   Every holiday and important event was sure to include a game night.   If you were old enough to understand the rules, you were in.  Not quite there, you could partner/shadow someone, and the littles just ran crazy.   It was heaven on Earth.   
It is a tradition I am proud to say we have carried into our own home.  We are blessed to have my entire family local so game nights with cousins running around and food flowing are frequent.   Also in my own home, we squeeze in a game or two any time we can.  We will play anything from Who Shook Hook and Hi-Ho-Cherry-O with our 3 year old to Settlers of Catan and Phase 10 with our older children.  Some my favorite times are when we are playing games.    We laugh.  We cry.   We get crazy competitive.  There is always something to be learned whether it is strategy, colors, numbers, or the deeper stuff---life lessons   No namby pamby, everyone wins stuff here.  Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.   If you win, you earned that win because no one is taking it easy on you because you're a kid (or an old person).  If you lose, you lost (but wasn't it fun?)  Sometimes you just get lucky.  If you cry or lose your temper or cheat, people probably won't be willing to play with you next time.  Win or lose, your family will always love you.  I love watching my husband play games with our children.  I love watching my children play with each other.  I love playing with them.  The bottom line is that none of us is consciously thinking about all the lessons we are learning while we play, but I am grateful I can reflect on this time as time well spent.