Family Game Night

Tonight we attended a Family Game Night at our church. The admission price was a snack and drink and board game to share. There were some prizes, and lots of friends and fun.

When we pulled up to the Parish Center, Middle Sister wanted to know, "Is Game Night going to be inside or outside?" (Um, it's 17 degrees...Fahrenheit...it had BETTER be inside...)

An important lesson was learned at Family Game Night: how to keep a very active almost-4-year-old boy busy.

• Give him one of those "paddle ball" toys--you know the kind, with the tiny ball attached to a wooden paddle by a four-foot elastic string.
• Put him in the center of the gym, far away from everyone who is occupied with the ongoing Bingo game, and let him go for it.
• It's good for 20 minutes of quietly-occupied busy Little Brother, and plenty of laughter for the adults who are neglecting their Bingo cards to watch him tangle himself up in the game.

I know it sounds a little cruel, but when he bent over and put his head between his knees and tried to paddle the ball that had gotten behind him somehow, we all nearly fell out of our seats.

If the success of Family Game Night is measured in smiles and laughter, then this one deserves an A.