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| Image by ilkerender, Creative Commons |
Man, it’s been a rough winter. We have not had it as bad in Tennessee as other parts of the country but it has still made for some tough days.
Yesterday my oldest was out of school for a snow day. She always gets excited when that happens. However it can make for a long day.
By the end of the day, my wife and I were spent. Entertaining 3 kids, all under 6, inside all day is a lot of work. So after dinner, I said, “Let’s play Mario!”
My kids love to play New Super Mario Bros on the Wii. The controls are simple enough for them even at their ages. And I enjoy it because it is an awesome game.
So we all sat down to play. Even the 1-year-old sat on the couch with her controller. We all took turns picking a level to play through. It was a great time to connect with them while entertaining them at the same time.
Afterwards, my wife and I were talking about the importance of not letting snow days slip by. It would be easy to get frustrated and just be ready for the day to end. The harder choice is to come up with something to do that honors who my children are.
My challenge to you is to not let snow days or sick days or other out of the norm days slip away. Take the opportunity to meet your gamer where they are. They probably relish the extra time to play. Sit down with them and play or just watch. Ask them about what they are playing. Get them to explain what is happening on the screen.
But most of all, be present. Let them know you care and are interested. That little bit of effort will go a long way.