No One Will Play with Me

1/6/2011

Oh, what a 'Life.'

Right now I am angry, sad and more than a little confused. Why?

Because no one will play Boggle with me.

That's right. Not even one of my kids will sacrifice their precious time to play a board game with me. Yeah, yeah. It may sound petty to you, but think of where I'm coming from. In the last decade and a half...

- I've played Candyland and Chutes and Ladders over 3,267,014 times. Oh, the joy I felt of witnessing crushing disappointment when a child landed on squares forcing them back near the beginning of the game. The fact that it extended game play an additional half hour was even more pleasurable.

- In the hours upon hours of 'Barbie' play time I've played the roles of Ken, Barbie's sister, Barbie's mother, Barbie's teacher, Barbie's cult leader, but NEVER BARBIE. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Sigh.

-Elefun? More like Elepain-in-the=a**.

- Devoting five full minutes to set up Don't Break the Ice only to have some sweet toddler with a demonic facial expression smash the whole dang thing in two seconds flat? MOST. FUN. EVER.

- Sorry? Absolutely.

-Think I ever got to choose my game piece color first? Nope. Always last. Getting the race car in Monopoly was a dream never realized. It still haunts me.

I could go on, but it's just too painful. Yet I did it all with a smile folks, even when I was pleading inside for sweet Jeezus to take me away. And where is my reward? Certainly not sitting across the table from me, pencil and paper in hand, ready to find as many words as possible in three minutes flat.

That's right. You heard me.

Boggle takes only three stinkin' minutes to play.

Oh, how it feels to be appreciated after all those years of torture.

Thanks, kids. Thanks a lot.

photo link from nutmeg on flickr

27 Comments

nothingprofound link

1/6/2011 01:21:27 am

"O, how sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child." Yes, the selfless sacrifices we make so that their every day is one of bliss, and how do they repay us-with silence, neglect and mockery! However, our day of retribution will occur when their kids, our grandkids, turn towards us with loving adoration and away from them with sneering disdain.

Justus Steel link

1/6/2011 01:24:22 am

I'm feeling your pain. My kids aren't old enough to turn me down for games, they are pretty much only old enough to play Candyland. Yay. I just wanna play something, anything else.

Oh and check out Text Twist on Yahoo games. Time limits, finding words, pretty cool.

Mom link

1/6/2011 01:24:43 am

nothingprofound,
I can't wait for that moment! Actually, I can. ;) I've got to be honest, though, I don't think I ever fully appreciated all my parents did until I became a parent myself.

PBScott link

1/6/2011 01:27:23 am

LOL I know how you feel, my son wont play the playstation games I want either.

Mom link

1/6/2011 01:38:40 am

Justus,
I think I could print out a copy of the 'Candyland' board game in my sleep -- and I haven't played it in years! I'll have to check out Text Twist. Me loves the word games.

PBScott,
I'm sure there are others who feel our pain. Think we need a support group?

Deray

1/6/2011 02:19:23 am

My nephew would not let me play Wii with him anymore, even though 60% of the game he has I bought them!
I had to beg my family to play dominoes with me so Germanman would see that I played the game he gave me for my bday :-P.

Mom link

1/6/2011 02:26:20 am

Deray,
What a snicker, that nephew! Cute how you roped the family into dominoes, though. Sure Germanman loved it!

Mom link

1/6/2011 04:49:45 am

oops...meant 'stinker'

TheCrankyCanadian link

1/6/2011 09:33:21 am

LOL!!!! I laughed all the way through this post. Ungrateful little monsters! I haven't had to feel your pain yet, thank God! :)

Mom link

1/6/2011 10:09:44 am

Cranky,
Glad you got a laught out of my misery. :) Those rotten kids....

Lori

1/6/2011 11:19:39 am

Hi Janene!

I used to beg my sister and brother to play games with me, but I guess they were over playing games much sooner than I hoped for too. Sigh...I love playing Boogle as well. My feelings of playing a board game or card game are attached to feelings of "being a family" I guess. Darn those commercials!

Mom link

1/6/2011 11:25:35 am

Hey, Lori!

I think you hit the nail on the head with those commercials. Loving families bonding over board games -- argh! I keep on hoping for those special TV moments and they never happen!

So, anyway....wanna play Boggle with me? :)

Katja

1/6/2011 12:44:43 pm

Oh no, how upsetting...
I would definitely play a board game with my mother, but she never seems interested. See how the role are switched? The grass always seems to be greener on the other side.

Jeremy from We Took The Bait link

1/6/2011 03:06:38 pm

Hey, Janene!

You can play Boggle online.

www.wordsplay.net

Your choice of 4 x 4 or 5 x 5 grid.

And, I'm always, always, always up for a game of Boggle... in fact, most days you can find me there, playing Boggle against anywhere from 40 to upwards of opponents.

Also, the race car? In Monopoly? Nah... the shoe is where it's at.

Jeremy from We Took The Bait link

1/6/2011 03:10:15 pm

Oops... that last comment should say upwards of 100 opponents.

Mom link

1/6/2011 09:38:20 pm

Katja,
Alas, the unfairness of it all! Wanna switch families for three minutes?
;)

Jeremy,
I'll have to check it out and hunt you down! Be gentle on me, though. I haven't played in a while since NO ONE WILL PLAY WITH ME. (Had to get that in again.)

Juliana link

1/7/2011 05:42:57 pm

Humpf! I am with you 100%

At Xmas, my husband and I bought a Nintendo Wii. My eldest son, 22 years old, was staying with us. He revelled in falling about laughing watching my attempts at tennis, baseball and golf.. as I swung my arms like a demented windmill consistently missing the virtual ball.

I eventually reminded him how many hours I had spent holding on to the bike of his bicycle whilst he learned to ride it; teaching him to roller skate; turning my dining room into a pirate's paradise and I never got to be a pirate.. and of course it goes on.

Hold on to your Boggle resentment, use it as a bargaining tool next time the little blighters want you to do something for them! Giggles.

Laura link

1/7/2011 08:46:00 pm

That's why I never wanted children. I knew one day I'd want to play Boggle and they'd refuse.

If it makes you feel better, please know that if I were your neighbor or something I would play Boggle with you. Just know that sometimes I cheat.

Mom link

1/7/2011 11:10:05 pm

Juliana,
You never got to be a pirate? Now that's cold, though right now I have to admit I'm conjuring up images of you with your arms flailing around as you play tennis on the Wii. Sorry! :) You're right, though. All these experiences will lead to good bargaining chips later. Or blackmail. There's always blackmail.

Laura,
Oh, the wiseness of your decision. And thank you for the Boggle offer. Though you may cheat, I'm desperate. Can't say it wouldn't end in a fist fight, though. ;)

Lana link

1/8/2011 05:47:37 am

I used to be pretty big on board games...Balderdash is HYSTERICAL, Tri-ominos was fun & I play a very cutthroat game of Scrabble. I find I just don't have the time these days, unfortunately. When I DO have time, I like to get out with my new camera. Besides, no one wants to play Scrabble against someone they'll never beat. ;)

Mom link

1/8/2011 05:54:06 am

Lana,

Ha ha! My grandma was HUGE into Scrabble. When she played it with us when we were kids, do you think she was ever soft on us? Never. She hammered us every time. Learned a lot of new words, though. Great game!

AJ link

1/11/2011 04:23:53 am

Count your blessings...you could get roped into a 5 day Monopoly game...lol...

sidenote: I can't help but think these are the same things my mommy would write haha...

Mom link

1/11/2011 04:28:45 am

AJ,
So that's where you've been! ;)

side note to side note: If these are the kind of things your mom would say, then you've got one cool mom, if I do say so myself!

Steve Bossenberger link

1/11/2011 09:21:32 am

I love Boggle, but my kids probably aren't old enough for it yet. We are still in the Barbie and Chutes and Ladders stage. Can't wait till they move up to the big kids games.

Thanks for your comment my blog. Take care

Mom link

1/12/2011 01:20:37 am

Steve,
When they get to the big kid games/still wanna play with the folks stage, hit it hard before they don't want to play with you at all. Still hoping mine comes around....

letsgraph link

1/12/2011 03:48:09 am

gotta love those B games :)

Mom link

1/12/2011 05:29:35 am

letsgraph,
You betcha!

No One Will Play with Me

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