Coffee With Maddie




When I was a kid growing up in the ‘60’s , there was no such thing as video games, VCR’s, DVD players, etc. We listened to records on the stereo, played pinball at the bowling alley, went to movies at the theater, or we stayed home and played games. We watched television a lot, but my dad and mom were always willing to pull out a deck of cards or a game and play with us. Sometimes I forget to do that with my kids. It’s pretty hard to compete with the television and video games . . . or is it?

One night last week I came home from a meeting and there were four teenagers (my son who was home from college and three of his friends) in my living room watching a movie. I watched about one minute of it and asked them, “Why are you watching this?” It was evident to me it was a stupid/boring movie. All four of them admitted it was terrible, but for lack of anything better to do they kept watching it. I asked them if they wanted to play a game instead. Being teenagers, they didn’t all jump up at once and run to the table. I went upstairs to our game closet and took out the game Sequence. I brought it down to the dining room table and with a bit of coaxing got them to play with me. We played for over two hours and had a really good time. It was a good reminder to me that sitting around the table playing games is a wonderful thing to do with kids, no matter what age they are!

Thanksgiving was also a great day for games. We had a couple of different tables going - my husband was at one table playing Sequence and I was at another alternating between playing Parcheesi and Taboo. At one point during the Taboo game my 12 year old made a comment that literally had 5 of us in tears from laughing so hard. What a perfect way to spend the holiday, having a good time with my family!

Thanksgiving evening, after our company had left, I took out something else we had fun doing together (particularly my youngest son, my husband and I). I took out a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle and we worked with each other to put it together. It was another activity that got us away from the TV and had us working together.

I’m already looking forward to Christmas break. I challenged my oldest son and one of his friends to play Risk with me. What they don’t know is that I RULE at Risk (no pun intended)!! For the same reason I won’t play Chinese Checkers with my husband, he won’t play Risk with me. What these boys don’t know won’t hurt them right?! During the holiday I also have an annual contest to play Connect 4 with my 12 year old. Whoever wins 51 games first wins the contest. One year we were tied at 50 games to 50 - he won the last one and the prize. I don’t even remember anymore what the prize was. What I do remember is having a lot of fun with him that afternoon!

I challenge you this holiday season to not to use the television as your family’s only means of entertainment. Pull out a game or a puzzle and enjoy each other’s company!

Until next week . . . God bless you and yours! -Maddie

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Coffee With Maddie: Archive;
Blessings
Magazine Junkie!
Maddie Goes to College
Changes
Let the season begin!
Getting Older!
I'm Getting Fat!
I Love a good book!

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About the Author;
Maddie is a dear friend from the Midwest who will touch your heart with her gentle stories of home of family. You can just picture yourself at the kitchen table any early morning with Maddie, a fresh cup of coffee, maybe the smell of bacon in the air, and a log on the fire to take out the chill.

Talk to Maddie at ...
Maddie@boomerjournals.com