Sometimes, when you've spent lots of time with extended family, you need to blow off steam. From what I've been reading recently on the blogosphere, some families like to blow off steam by engaging in various forms of psychological warfare. Might I suggest a different approach?
Last Friday night we brought in Tex Mex for dinner. After dinner the littlest kids were getting restless. There was danger for those lingering at the dinner table of launching into a heated political debate. Hopped up on too much root beer and "binge bonding" the kids were headed for a mass melt down and the adults were not far behind.
My brother suggested a game of Kick the can. Even the teenagers thought this was a capital idea. So we bundled up and headed out; from the six year old to the fifty six year old. Creeping around fences, hiding in trees, skulking behind cars. So dark out it was hard to tell who was who in the lightly falling snow. Hearts pounding, freezing in place if anyone came close to where you were hiding. And the exhilaration of kicking the can! Your comrades in "jail" cheering you on!
Consider this: the next time you see trouble brewing as dinner table conversations veer towards age-old "hot button" topics such as politics, religion, career choice, parenting style or whatinthenameofgoddidyoudotoyourhair? Go outside and kick something. You'll be glad you did.
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7 comments:
What a great idea! Much better than flag football! I didn't really know how to play until I clicked on the link. That was one I never played as a child. I should have consulted you before last week. We had several close calls with meltdowns in youngsters. Luckily, the parents of one took all who were 5 and older on a verrrry long hike on T-day. It was very helpful for the cook's nerves (meaning me).
in my family - we'd probably forget to drink the contents of the can before we kicked it.
...and I don't do messy.
Oh! I loved that game as a kid. What a great idea!
Oooh, good plan. I love games where my relatives hide from me. I especially like "Hide & Seek". I can volunteer to be "it". Once the relatives are all nicely hidden, I can just wander off to relax with them all neatly out of sight for a bit. Your game sounds like it results in less offense though.
That sounds like so much fun! I remember playing kick the can on hot summer nights with neighborhood kids until way after dark, and my mom yelling at my brother and me to come in and get ready for bed. What a great idea.
Brilliantly executed! That's why family get togethers bomb--too much conversation, not enough action!
LOVE this idea. We can cetainly get stuck in our ruts, and this sounds like a great way to shake things up in a fun way, not a see what S&*T I can stir up way!
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