Eva-Maria: Survive Xmas With Teens... Through Game Night!

 Read more from Eva-Maria here.

An extract from Surviving Xmas With Teens Tips (www.eva-maria.co.nz)

Day 11: GAME NIGHT

Family time is absolutely important, and with TV on full blast 24/7, it’s hard to find time to get together without any TV noises in the background.

This holiday season, set aside 1-2 hours every week for a game night.

Yes, board games are a bit ‘lame’ when there’s an iPod, DS, cell phone or laptop that can entertain us teenagers just as well, but the core advantage of a game night is spending time with family!

After setting aside a few hours on a specific night for the next few weeks, get everyone in the family to join in and think of two games they’d like to play together with the family – depending on what time you choose, it can be an outside or inside game (it IS getting warmer in some parts of the world, right?).

Obstacle One: We have no board games

Solution: Borrow some, or even visit the local Toy Library – there’s bound to be some educationally entertaining games out there!

Obstacle Two: My teenagers don’t know how to play

Solution: This is the reason for game night. I must say I’m shocked at the amount of young people who’s knowledge of card games does not stretch beyond ‘Snap’. Here is where you come in: YOU KNOW SO MUCH STUFF THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM YOU! :)

This is the perfect time to learn, as well as having everyone join in with a game where there’s no animated Pokemon jumping out at you from all angles of the screen!

Obstacle Three: We can’t decide on a game

Solution: Everyone writes down two or three options of games they’d like to play/they know of on different pieces of paper. Put there in a box, and every game night, draw one out of the box, and that will be the game for the next few hours. It’s fair, because everyone gets a say, and a turn to get the family to join in with something they like, and the uncertainty of the game, well, will only make it just a bit more exciting!

More free exciting Surviving Xmas With Teens Tips if you sign on at www.eva-maria.co.nz and join the 25 day countdown leading up to Christmas!

Happy Holidays!
 
Eva-Maria
<3

Got a Christmas Tip you’d like to share?
Could you recommend a useful Resource?
Let us know here!

Published 9th Dec 2009

print