Embrace the Chaos

Don't many of our children spend far too much time in the virtual world (video games, instant messaging, social media, etc.) instead of the real world?  They already grow up way too fast and if we aren't careful, they will be gone before we know it and we will have missed it, never having been present and building the relationships with them that we truly want. 

Kim and I (okay Kim - HA!) decided this last week to significantly curtail "device" time and institute family game night every night during the week, meaning we eat dinner together and right afterward, play at least one game together as a family (last week it was Uno and Monopoly Empire).  At first there was much resistance as you might imagine, even from me to be honest.  Why?  For some reason, when all five of us are together, the noise level rises to extraordinary heights, threatening to drive me absolutely crazy, as each child struggles ('Competes') to be heard.  Again and again I sought to exert 'Control' over the experience with repeated, stern "bring it on down boys" and nothing seemed to change.  If anything, the boys just got louder.  I was about to explode with yelling when all at once, the familiar friend, 'Stop, Drop, and Be' took over.  I gained a few moments of perspective.  I simply sat back, stayed silent for several moments, and just observed the truly marvelous activity going on before me.  This is it.  How marvelous!  Our family all together, laughing, playing.  I had a choice to make.  I could get really mad, yell, and spoil the fun.  I could simply walk away and leave the family experience all together.  Or, I could try and simply accept, perhaps even welcome whole heartedly, the way things were going.  Fortunately for me, and honestly for our family fun, I chose the latter.  All of a sudden, as if miraculously, the loud voices weren't so loud.  Or, perhaps they never changed at all, rather I did.  A huge grin on my face.  "Well played son.  Who's ready for another round of Uno?"