Nothing like healthy rage suits the night as you prepare your final attack on your familial opponents at a game of Uno! A green eight, red five, two wild cards, and a skip fan themselves out at your fingertips. Who could dare to foil your plan!? Oh but it is that person, isn’t it - that monstrous little creature, that foiler of everyone’s plans. She must be working something up. You can see it in her calm gesture, even though she has more cards than you. She is no longer your sister but has become your frenemy. She forces a +4 and calls out “Blue!”, skipping your mother next to you. It is your turn. The wild must go: “Red.”
The next two turns are rather bland - each a red from your older brother and father. Then, your sister plays it again: a Wild!
“Blue,” she mocks the open air towards your way. Mom has no choice, and sadly, neither have you. Goodbye second wild. Eventually, your mom congratulates your sister on winning.
Nothing like healthy rage suits game night with the fam!
Game nights are great for families because they allow a purging of emotions, whether they be fear or anger or just a sheer accumulation of energy which needs to be let out. They allow the purging in a way that is typically harmless to humanity.
Game nights are a sure way of enjoying quality time where families can express to their members their choice to be with one another for the other’s sake. Game nights uphold human dignity and respect in that way - they are not selfish or bland. They are meant to interrupt the day’s business for a bit of companionship.
If the right game is chosen, it might very well teach its players certain skills, like short-term and long-term strategy, planning, critical thinking skills, fun facts, and good sportsmanship. It can also serve as a way to let your mind think leisurely while in the back of your mind are some challenging dilemmas in life or education or sports. Some might call “thinking leisurely” ‘not thinking at all’. However, I would say that good games involve a great deal of complexity to comprehend.
Take a night out of the week, and devote it to interrupting your business with some games. It’ll benefit the family in more ways than one!