Fun little game.

Have you ever played the country game? Or the country and city game? Or as we do now, the "Anywhere in the universe game"

I remember many long trips up and down the highway. Sometimes it would get boring. We didn't have dsi's, dvd's, anything like kids do now that they get entertained with. My husband and I feel differently on what kids should have to entertain themselves while travelling long distances. We have made compromises so the kids have time of dsi's but they also have time to use their imaginations. 

A few weeks ago, I was driving about an hour out of the city to scope out possible locations for a family reunion. I had given my kids the allotted time for their dsi and then asked them to shut it off. It took all of 1 minute to say the inevitable "I'M BORED" 

 I asked them if they wanted to play a game. While they were pretty sure there was not a game to be played that they would like, I asked them to keep an open mind. We started playing "the country game" 

The first person will name a country (Canada) as the starter country. The next person will take the 3rd letter from the country (N) and they will come up with a country that starts with N. It goes around and around. I remember playing the game for hours. We had hours (at least 5) until we reached our destination. I appreciate my parents teaching me to use my brain, to sometimes have to think and search for answers. 

When I was playing it with my kids, they asked if we could make it "anywhere in the universe"game. I should have known what would have happened because the first time the letter U came up, Uranus was said. I love my little family. 

Memory of running.

In my family, there are 7 kids.  We had a rule in our home (and van)

"If you have enough energy to fight you have enough energy to run"

When we were home, it meant running around the 2 acres of woods across the road from our house. The neighbors would sometimes make funny comments like "Well, I guess today was not a good day for you eh?" or "Caught fighting again?" Or my fave. "Why don't you learn to just not fight, then you would not have to run" I know, obvious. I remember one time being in a particular snarky mood and walked the whole way. When I got "around the block" (as we called it) my dad was there, ready with his boots on and said something about not going quick enough and then said he would set the pace. Let's just say our pace's were quite different. 

This also applied to the van. If we were fighting when we were travelling, I remember my dad or mom pulling over the big 12 seater van, ask the 2 offending parties to get out and run. One of them would drive down the highway and park and we would run down the highway until we reached the van. If we didn't go quick enough, they would drive up even further.

 I know, some people may think of this as mean. I did too then but now I look back it as character building. If you look at the many ways that parents discipline their children, it was not at all harmful. I can look back at that phase and be grateful to my parents that they made choices that helped us to learn to burn energy in a positive way. 

The one thing that I can appreciate about it is that I was able to get out and think. I was able to think to myself and how I could work out the argument in my mind without having other's disturbing me. Today in Church we were talking about music and how some people like having music to clean to or work to or listen as I drive. I talked about how I really like the peace and quiet of just having quietness to think to myself and resolve issues I have without the noise of music. The more I thought on it later, the more I thought of where I could have gained that appreciation. I think it was when I was younger and had to "run around the block" or run after the van. I appreciate those times (because frankly I earned the running I did) because it helped me to appreciate quietness.