Competitive

I am most certainly not an 'everyone gets an award (participation) trophy;' more of an 'if you want it, then you earn it' person. So... when I play games with the kids, I am not a mom that just lets you win. I do not tease or become a sore winner, but you do not cry if you lose, you just try harder. But I have been known to allow my 5-year-old some help during a game, and maybe select the raised card in his hand during Old Maid.

When I was young, I remember now and then playing games with my mom and dad and receiving the game of Life. I had finally whined enough for my parents to play, because Life is a longer game that parents tend to save for another time, and unfortunately my dad won. He jumped around upon winning, dancing and yelling, "you lose at Life! I am the CHAMPION! I win Life!" Of course, he was teasing.

While I don't act quite like that, I still am competitive and it's hard for me to lose, I don't like it. I really don't like it, and yes maybe my dad's behavior aided in my competitiveness. 

This Christmas my son Lane (12 years old) received Chinese Checkers, and upon him opening his gift, I remembered being a kid and playing with my great-grandma multiple times a day. Along with those fond memories I was looking forward to playing with my son. However, my son was not as excited and eventually mentioned he didn't want to play. After about two weeks with an unopened box, my husband said he would play but didn't quite remember the rules, so he'd review the directions. We set up the board while Morgan (age 7) and Kyle (age 5) watched and whined they wanted to play. Anytime my husband moved a marble, the kids automatically assumed he was winning, and being that he wasn't, he conveniently didn't correct them except for one small whisper that mom was doing better. 

During the game, Matt mentioned several times that if he practiced and started to strategize better, he'd crush me. Did I mention that I haven't played since I've been a kid? Can you see how silly my competitiveness can become?

I did win, as you can tell, and actually smoked my husband, as he finished by moving all his marbles into the star section and claiming to the two little ones that it was a tie.

Which was fine, until...

...a day later when we were all eating dinner and Lane brought up the game. He asked me if I finally found someone that would play. Morgan informed him that dad played mom. My husband hurried to add that he "smoked mom but it's okay because she didn't stand a chance!" Lane started laughing and I didn't correct Matt because I knew he'd then say I couldn't just let it go, I'd have to let the kids know I won. Then I'd feel like it's just a game and not that big of a deal if the kids know who really won. As Matt continued to tease me about how I lost and need to try harder, the little ones chimed in by saying, "yeah dad put all his marbles in really fast!" Lane of course loved it and continued to laugh about mom losing.

While I wanted to say, "your dad put those marbles in really fast because the game was over, and mom won, " I knew I couldn't say a thing without Matt then really teasing me about how competitive I can be. 

But you know what, "I did win!" 

Phew, at least I feel a little better :)