games

Martin and I are creating a board game. It's called The Presidents Game. Martin typically has a hard time with games. It isn't easy for him to understand complex directions. He doesn't like to take turns. He has no concept of "winning" or "losing." So board games don't make sense to him. But we try them nevertheless because they are good for him. They challenge him to take direction and take turns. So tonight we tried to make a game that he would really like.

I found an old board game called The Six Million Dollar Man Game. It's one of Milton Bradley's worst. Players move around a board marked by spots with statements like "Use Bionic Arm" and "Avert Nuclear Submarine Disaster." So Martin cut out presidents and glued them to various spots on the board. I devised a game plan. And my husband invented and printed out presidential trivia cards to use in the game. Players will roll a die and move around the board from George Washington to Barack Obama. Throughout the game they will pick up cards and answer questions such as "Which President was in the White House when the US entered World War I?" and "Who is the only President who never married?" Players can move ahead if they answer these questions. They must move back if they can't identify the Presidential pictures. I find the board section covering the 1840s and 1850s particularly harrowing.

Martin did all of the cutting and gluing for the new game board, but when we were ready to play he decided to march around the room singing the names of all the presidents. This kind of thing happens a lot. I work on a project I'm sure he'll love and he walks away. I try not to get frustrated. I'm thrilled he did all of the cutting and pasting work. He might be willing to play the game tomorrow. But I kind of wish he would have played it tonight. Alas, I have no bionic arm I can use to enforce such wishes.