Scrabble

    When her brothers go to their dads for the weekend Emily hangs around us, the parents, a lot more. Keeping her busy we started playng Scrabble again the other night. We have played it a lot off and on over the years. It's like a phase, we'll play every day for awhile and then not play for a longer while, usually before coming back to it again. I never played it much as a kid but with our kids we've played it a ton. I think it's great for kids in that it really is such a learning game. Being the lover of books and words that I am of course I love this game. It's not only english practice they get with all the words they try to create but math too when they do the scoring. What better addition practice than adding up the points and the scores for every word everyone plays. That a lot of math.
    Robert reallly liked to play and we played quite often. A lot of times just me and him. It took some time but he can usually beat me now. If he tries hard enough. He also really needed the extra math practice as it's not a strong subject for him. So there was always the extra bonus of playing with him and getting in some learning practice at the same time. Andrew didn't take to the game as much. He's always been big with having to win since he was very little. A game he was going to have to take some time to learn and understand the best way to get the most points wasn't high on his list of things to do. Emily used to watch Robert and I play a lot and always wanted to join in. Once she was old enough to make her own words we played a few different versions of the game just for her. We'd let her play creating any word she could come up with and placing it anywhere she wanted on the board. The rest of us would work around them sort of playing the correct way. We didn't keep score then but let her write down all the words that everyone made - handwriting practice. More learning.
    The past few games we have played with her recently she has been wanting and ready to keep score. Of course now Jacob is the little sibling wanting to join in and play. Being he can't even read yet it's not easy. He does know his letters though so we humor him and help him create words and teach them to him. He does get sick of it quickly and then we just dump his letters back into the bag and continue on with our game while he finds something else to keep him busy. Keeping score for three people wasn't as much fun as Emily thought it was going to be when she volunteered to do it. We wind up helping her her some or taking over when it becomes too much as the game gets longer. She is learning more about the points and how to play to win big. I think she'll get it quickly and in no time will be able to beat me. I figure eventually she'll beat Rob too, but that will take a lot more time.
    Rob plays very well and always plays to win. When we were dating we had to stop playing Scrabble altogether because it caused too many fights. We are both a bit too competitive and I'm really not a good loser. Yes I can admit that. I've since given up trying to beat him so we could all play as a family. We rarely play just the two of us. Every once in awhile when I'm feeling lucky or know I can take the loss we do. Sometimes drinks are involved and it really doesn't matter. I think I'm good with the words it's finding the best places for maximum points on the board where he royally kicks my butt.
     I'm looking forward to most likely playing tonight with Robert and maybe Andrew too when they get home from their dads. I know Emily will want to play yet again and I'm curious to see how she does against Robert now that she seems to be understanding better how to get more points for her words. She has come up with some great words but we've mostly shown her the best places on the board for them. She has always loved words and used to write down all she could think of in a notebook when she was little. Now she has learned cursive in school she writes everything that way, happy to show off her new talent. I'm so looking forward to her beating her dad at Scrabble that first time. I know she will. She's a quick learner and loves learning. Scrabble may just be played quite a bit here in the next few weeks, or months, or so.