There’s much to fathering that produces humility, but near the top of my list is sitting down to a game of Memory.
My perception is that I have a sharp memory, which I like to think I put to good use at the office. But somehow on the living room floor as I’m searching for that balloon tile flipped a mere turn or two ago…I’m clueless.
During a recent game in our household, pure luck (again) didn’t turn up a match for me. Next to play was my four-year-old. Clearly embarrassed for me, she apologetically stated, “I’ll show you what you were looking for.” And, with well-placed confidence, she produced the match I had attempted to find.
If your kids are young (5-7ish…or, as in my case, four year-olds who provide extra humility), there are only a few games where things can be competitive even while you unleash your full mental capacity. Go for it with Memory and prepare to be amazed at the mental recall abilities waiting to be exercised in your kids. Yes, that juvenile ability to remember is selective, but when they’ve got it engaged, prepare to be amazed.
By humbling yourself to a game of Memory, you help them practice their mental focus and recall, and—let’s be honest—getting the rust out of your own cranium won’t hurt either.
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We love the board games: Pass the Pigs, Yahtzee, and Snail’s Pace Race … but not Candyland. And car washing.
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Picture by Rich Brooks; Used via Creative Commons license. Amazon links are affiliate links.