The Benefits of Family Game Night
Families are always on the go. Sit down meals are becoming a rarity in homes because of sports, club activities, school activities and employment. Family board game night evolved out of the need to reconnect with our loved ones. Although, technology is increasingly rapidly and more and more are activities are happening on the computer, a simple board game always brings back the old school feeling of entertainment. If you have noticed you your family time has been drifting, purchase a classic or new board game to gather the family on a quiet evening.
When you want to establish a family board game night, let everyone know that you are having a family meeting to discuss it. Meet at a mutually agreeable time and discuss the evening. For example, you could divide your family into groups. Then you would alternate groups on a weekly basis. Each group takes turns preparing dinner or snacks and also selects the family board game that will be played. Of course, you could serve up several board games per family board game night, but that all depends on the number of people in your family.
Another option is to invite your extended family and or close friends over for family board game night. Then you could make dinner a pot-luck and there are many board games that are more fun when you have many players. Great family board game night games include: Monopoly, The Game of Life (Life), Chutes and Ladders, Chinese Checkers and Trouble. Monopoly and Life allow the most players and the widest variety. Trivia games are very popular for play on family game board night. From Star Wars to the show Friends, you will find trivia games that make knowing the little tidbits fun.
Perhaps the most timeless of the family board game night games are Monopoly and Life. The difference between Monopoly and Life are Monopoly is a real estate tycoon game while Life is a game that revolves around life's changes and momentous occasions, like having a family and getting paid a salary. Family board game night teaches social skills and strength of character. Studies indicate that you shouldn't allow your child to win every game. This creates a false sense of accomplishment or mastery. Granted, you don't want to cheat so that your child never wins, but learning to accept defeat graciously is a skill that is all too often lost. Consider, for example, the professional sport player who throws his equipment after the loss of a game. Or consider the message that is sent to your child if the professional sport player throws a tantrum after making a bad play.
Sportsmanship is lacking on scholastic sporting fields, too. Parents ream coaches, referees, umpires or other game officials or worse yet, physical confrontations have become common place. Sportsmanship has to be taught, so take advantage of demonstrating proper sportsmanship to your children when playing board games. By setting a good example, you are creating an important standard for your child to uphold. Even when tantrums occur each day, you can explain that it is unacceptable behavior. You can also indicate the steps that should be taken to correct the lack of proper conduct by sports figures. For example, if a player argues with their coach, they should get fined. If a player touches a coach or another player, the offending player should be suspended. These are all life decisions that define the way a sports figure is perceived.
The more time you are able to spend with your family, the better suited they become to life. Family game board night is not only a tool for getting your family back into a routine of togetherness, but a way to teach social skills that will help them all of their lives. So, the next time you go shopping, pick up a few classic board games, and maybe some new board games for variety. Picking one night out of week to spend some family time together is a lovely way of bonding.