Hapy Birfday Gammy!

It is my mother's birthday today, August 26th (by the time you read this). She has never been super into gifts, so I am teaching Benjamin the art of playing to people's Love Languages.

When I think about it the most vocal people about their childhoods are the ones that didn't have a very good one or maybe it's the mental scars that don't let them forget their not so rosy formative years. And it seems that people who had a great childhood don't really think about it until they get stuck in a conversation with someone who didn't - this makes them realize how lucky they were to have a drama-free experience.

I fall into the category of what my mind tells me was a great childhood. Was it Ward & June Cleaver where the grass is green and the toast is perfect? No. But my parents did a good job of figuring out what the right amount of attention should be. Too much, you get a brat. Too little, you get a belltower sniper. Looking back I never really got into trouble, I enjoyed playing with others, I could keep myself company and I actually enjoyed schoolwork. Perfect kid? Perhaps. Humble? Definitely.

Whatever crazy mix of parenting my Mom and Dad cobbled together seemed to turn out well and will undoubtedly be a beacon for me to harken back to with Benjamin in the years to come. To dote on my Mom on her birthday, I will single out one of the many special things I remember her doing for me as a kid - playing games.

I love games - board, video, role-playing. You name it, I'll play it (except Russian Roulette). I don't know how many times my Mom and I squared off against each other with the classic kiddie board games, eventually graduating to the founding fathers of Parker Bros. - Monopoly, CLUE, Battleship, Life. I love the challenge, I loved learning strategy, I loved that she didn't just let me win because I was kid. If she had, I would have lost interest in the games and her as an adversary. "Hey lady, you're like super old and stuff, but I kill you at Connect Four. What gives?!"

To this day I love to put my skills to the test against others in a friendly competition and I attribute a majority of that to my Mom and her willingness to take the time to teach me, play me, beat me, then allow me to beat her fair and square. The art of gaming also allowed for a nice hand off of the baton to my Dad in the world of competitive sports, but that's an entirely different subject and entry.

Happy birthday Mom! Maybe this weekend we can show Benjamin the basics of gaming. You know start him off with something lite like Risk®.