It's Christmas time-- music drives us

There is a song from 1984 "Do they know it's Christmas" that started a whole movement of artists writing and recording music for a specific "cause".  So much goodness came out of these gatherings, that "Do they know it's Christmas " has been re-recorded 3 times since.

With the polarity happening in politics, pandemics, climate change, gun violence and racial division we need a song now more then ever to pull us together.  Music moves the world.  Everyday you see it in social media, shopping music, radio stations, background noise both at home and at work.  Music moves this world. 

We jive, we dance, we sing, we shop, we love, we cry, we worship, we eat, we drive, we run, we drink, we relax, we come into this world and we leave with music paving our way.  We crave music in every corner of our world. 

So somebody, somewhere...needs to write us a song. 

Love, Lynn

Playing through the Pandemic

 Playing throughout the Pandemic

I started the pandemic in Reno, Nevada on March 9, 2020. I was there to give a talk about Brain Health and the benefits of Socialization to the Gaming Industry. When I wrote this talk I wasn't expecting for the next year we would be living through a social isolation experiment. If I had I probably would have given them more advise to go on.  As it was, I had retailers reaching out to me for suggestions and customers of our own seeking assistance and guidance over the last 415 days.

If I could go back this is what I would stress. 

Often we underestimate the "Power of Play".  Play is an effective way to learn, develop and grow in critical thinking, socialization and language. Learning to play with your children is incredibly valuable, not just for them but also for you.  Getting to know your children's likes and dislikes, teaching them management skills of how to handle disappointment and patience during turn taking. These are just a sample of easy skills taught during 30 minutes of play, infused with laughter and joy.

These skills are also useful for adults...and boy have we needed them. In the 21st Century it is easy to get lost in technology.  But for the last year we had to depend on technology to get us together, interact, communicate, entertain...socialize. It wasn't our first choice, being online. We made due, we created new platforms and grew new ways to interact safely.  Still we crave personal contact, physical interaction and face time.

Play. Is. Powerful. It's only taken 415 days to be craving humanity so much we might just hug the first stranger (then sanitize). While we wait for the U.S. to get vaccinated, the rest of the world looks on with jealousy and longing. How we handle this next phase is just as important as how we handled the first 415 days.

You've got this, see you on the hug side. 

Love, Lynn

Embrace Hygge at The GameBoard……..

Denmark is ranked as the “Happiest Country in the World” in the 2012, 2013, and 2016 World Happiness Report by the United Nations. Much of it is contributed to the Danish phenomenon called hygge (HOO-gah). The term comes from a Norwegian word meaning “wellbeing” and roughly translates into English as “coziness” or “hug”. It means much more than that- it is a cultural mindset about celebrating simple things and spending more time with family and friends. Hygge moments allow us to take our mind off the daily stress and live in a healthy comforting state of mind.

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or a cold, windy, snow-filled day, go for the hygge!

The best environment includes some (or all) of the following:

• Flickering candles
• Hot chocolate, tea, coffee, or a glass of wine
• Comfort food such as bowl of crockpot stew or freshly popped popcorn
• Woolen socks or slippers
• Old sweatpants or leggings
• Soft blanket or throw
• Board games* to play, book to read, or a dog/cat to cuddle and pet

*This Valentine’s Day rent a 2 player game  from The GameBoard:

Haru Ichiban (2014 Golden Geek Abstract Board Game Nominee)

Kulami (Mensa Select winner)

Hounded (Foxhunting game of trickery and entrapment)

Paradisio (The 2011 Preferred Choice award from Creative Child Magazine)

Patchwork (Simple rules, short playing time, challenging puzzle)

Pagoda (Hippodice 2013 award winner)

Jarl (The Viking tile-laying game)

The Duke (The 2013 Best Two-Player Game award from Dice Tower)

The Rose King (Join the thorny feud for 2 players)   

            

Happy Valentines Day!

Love Lynn, Meg, Amy, Kevin. Will, Josh, Heidi and Amado

Poke'GO! at The GameBoard

Pokemon GO went live this week in Celebration of 20 years in the Industry.  We would like to Congratulate, Pokemon on the 20 year Anniversary and the success of this live game play!

If you haven't had a chance this week to hear on your news feed about the latest craze, just take a drive around town.  You'll notice all the young folks out wandering around with their phones taking a walk. No, they haven't suddenly decided to ditch the video game world.  Instead the video game world has become mobile.  Bringing the Pokemon game to a live format, out and about in your town catching live Pokemon!

There are all sorts of places to capture Pokemon as they travel about the countryside, gyms to level up in and  Poke stops.  The GameBoard is offering a promo card for your Pokemon deck when you reach levels 5, 7, 9 and 11 in Poke GO. Stop in at each of these levels and show us you are currently there and we will give you the promo shiny! Plus when you join a team we have a pin for you!  If you bring in your Pokemon playing cards, play a game on site and join our league we will give you double marks for participating that day!  Want to earn another pin?  Make a purchase with us and we will gift you with something shiny to add to your collection!

So join The GameBoard this summer for some extra fun catching your Pokemon!

Love, Lynn

Hey, Baby! it's cold outside!

As the winter drags on, here in Wisconsin, we aren't dismayed.  In fact we love our snow and cold! Sledding, snow shoeing, skiing, dog sledding, hiking, we even run in the snow! Winter is a great season.  When it's all done we come inside, watch football, eat a brat and play a game.

Board games, card games, chess, cribbage we love it all! Wisconsin is steeped in family, history and fun activities.  Families and friends gather together for no reason at all, just to be together.

Sometimes when gathering the reason is focus, why not gather with the focus being the activity?  Get a game, cook some brats....bring family old and new and try a different form of entertainment.  We recently tried a game called Time Stories, a game that is similar to the 1980's mystery parties.  Where you gather for a meal, don a character and become that person for the evening acting out a murder mystery.

Time Stories is a futuristic version where you are a time traveler.  Adventuring to save the future from different failures!  Every time your group fails you are returned to the future and re-sent back in time to try again.  Friends of ours gathered for 2 days this weekend to try a new scenario and see if we could solve the mystery.  At 9 pm on Sunday we finally succeeded, after 2 lovely meals together, 2 different homes, 2 nights of fun and many hours of discussion of how to proceed!  Cooperation at it's finest.  That night 6 folks returned home with the knowledge that we had played well, enjoyed each other and had a great time!

If you have a chance come check out Time Stories and see for yourself, or rent another game and spend time tonight with the family, cause baby it's cold outside!

Love, Lynn

Play before you Pay

This was our motto in 2006 when we began 8 years ago, we have never strayed from the plan. Everything we do in store and out leads towards the belief that if you try it before you buy it, you will be more then satisfied.

In the last 5 years we took it upon ourselves to prove our Industry wrong. You see there were many naysayers out there who think that games can't be borrowed without terrible tragedy befalling them. Here in Sheboygan WI, we knew people were up to the challenge!

We built a program that gave back to our community.  Rent the game at 10% the cost of the game and that 10% is a credit to the future purchase of the same game, when bought within 30 days. Rent and you love it, you get a credit.  You didn't enjoy it, it was a low fee of $2-8 dollars overnight.  Then we upped the ante, if you rent on Saturday you get it 2 days for the price of 1!

So in 2009 we rented our first game.  We rented out 14 games that year,  in 2010 it was 18 games and in 2011 it was only 11, but we doubled down our efforts and in 2012 we rented 22,  in 2013 we rented 45, and in 2014 we rented 186 games!

That's what we are talking about.  Not only is this a great way to spend an evening but its a great way to try our product before you invest.  Demoing a game in your home, with your friends also leads to others trying the product.  Which leads to more folks enjoying this hobby, this industry and loving the wonderful products that are released every month.  WIN!

I recently was describing to a visitor why you should rent and this was how I explained it. Imagine that a new movie is being released...but instead of going to a theater where you can see a trailer. Movie theaters and video rental places no longer exist.  Now movies are being sent directly to DVD/Blue ray, why would you buy it?  Plus without the theaters to drive the sales and gather the sales, costs of those DVD's is going to be much higher.  Probably $50 for a movie. It would seem ridiculous.   Yet that is what the game industry wants us to do.  Sell a $50 game without a showing, preview or rental.

It is up to us to reinvent the ways to sell, but I for one am a huge fan of renting!  Play before you Pay!

See you on Saturday when you pick up that rental!
Love, Lynn

OMG it finally happened!

Can you believe IT?
I couldn't!
I was sure IT would never happen.
But here we are....IT has occurred!      


Here I sit at the store quietly enduring all my emails and enjoying some short conversations with a couple browsers who stopped by.  A quick birthday purchase and run, a request for playing cards and a deep discussion about cribbage boards.  But through it all, I can see IT happened.

Sears is selling it's display pieces and I upgraded to real ways to showcase our sleeve collection!  Doesn't it look pretty?!?!  I am super excited about such a simple change and re-organization, Kevin and I spent 2 days planning and implementing this!!!

Now I can sit back and enjoy organized sleeves, the backyard view at The GameBoard, a cup of tea, a great game and SNOW!  Oh Happy Day!  
~Love Lynn

Merry Christmas! Yeah we said it!

Oh no.  Did you hear that????  They said 'Merry Christmas'!

What you didn't realize was that yesterday I said Happy Chanukah to all my Jewish friends. In exactly two weeks I'll wish you a Happy New Year and I might even throw in a Happy Kwannza from  the 26th to the 1st!  I'm a rebel!

But seriously, I love wishing people a Merry Christmas it's the birthday of someone I hold very dear.  8 years ago, when we started The GameBoard, I had to make a really hard decision....do I say Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas?

When opening a store the list of things to accomplish, the decisions to make is long and arduous. You have important thoughts like which bank do I go with? What company to hire for the h-vac system? What size hard drive on my computer? How many employees will we need?  What games to fill the shelves? BUT.....do we ever wonder what to say on that December Holiday?

I never realized what an important decision this would be.  I made my decision and then I offered the options to all my employees.  Whatever they felt comfortable with and if their choice was to say Merry Christmas, I would stand behind that greeting.  I head to this holiday every year with excitement and awe at how many of our customers "thank" us for saying Merry Christmas and avoiding the "Happy Holiday" back up!

Try it......It's refreshing.....I promise that nobody here will complain, Merry Christmas!!!!!!

Love, Lynn

Happy Holidays!!

Can you believe it?!?!?  Tomorrow is Thanksgiving!   (we are closed!) 

Happy Turkey Day everyone!  Gobble up the food, Gobble up the love, Gobble up the fun!
This Fall season has flown out the door, we have closed up the patio for the year and it is now piled with snow!  Heidi worked hard all October and got the lights up before the first snow fell.  She has created a beautiful light show in our yard and we are excited to be turning it on Friday!

All day folks have been stopping in and picking up the last minute entertainment for their family gathering!  Concept and Snake Oil were rented, Timeline was purchased, people were looking for dominoes (don't forget to give us a few days on some games because we don't always have these in stock), the Shop Small Saturday bags are packed with goodies and we are almost ready for Friday!

Hopefully Kevin and Amado will get to help you on Friday and Saturday! Saturday make sure you shop at the local retailers and help celebrate loyalty to those who support your community!  Stop in and rent a game for the holidays, there is still time tonight to get a good new option for Thanksgiving!

If you are traveling--drive safely and return back to us soon!

But most of all have a GREAT THANKSGIVING!

Love, Lynn

We rocked the Summer!

It's been a while since we last chatted....the summer weather has been keeping me off the computer and closely aligned with being outside!  Now that school has been back for a month and the dust has settled.  It's time to reconnect and fill you in on what we have been up to!

Last you heard from us we were up for an award for the Best Community Outreach Program.  We are pleased to announce that we totally WON!!!!  :-)  This was awarded to us right after school started back and I have been waiting for our plaque to arrive but I didn't want to wait any longer.  When it arrives I will post a photo of the team and our cool award!!

The temperature has been swiftly descending and the tree leaves are beginning to change color...take a few moments to look at the last of the summer green, it will be gone way too fast this season.  Apples are arriving along with pumpkins and we have brought out all our cool new Halloween themed games.

This coming Monday Oct 6 is our official 8 year Anniversary, we are inviting everyone to a  big neighborhood party at our little place on the corner; deep in the northeast side of Sheboygan,  Saturday Oct 4, from Noon - 4 pm.  We are providing Brats and Anniversary cake, please bring a dish to share and join us for food, a gamer garage sale and neighborhood celebration as we dive headlong into our 9th year in this amazing community!

Come rent a demo, buy some of the used games we started with or check out the yummy offerings Saturday is coming and we want you to CELEBRATE with US!!!

See you at the corner,
Love, Lynn

Hoping for the Best Community Outreach Program Award!

#thegameboard we just sent in our nomination for Best Community Outreach Programming. I had 150 words to state what we have accomplished.....This is just a portion of what we have done in 8 years, no wonder I'm tired!

The GameBoard, 1832 N 8th st, Sheboygan WI

We'd like to describe community outreach things we have done in the past 8 years like.......Hundreds of  school fieldtrips, Parkinson's workshops, Dementia Care family programming, senior memory assistance & social play, non-verbal and verbal programming for handicap clients, church events, speech therapy & reading assistance, business workshops for stress reduction & collaboration, Dementia Care Network membership, Alzheimer's partnership- walking as a store, donating & a resource to partners/caregivers/customers, facilitating a passport program for 10 nonprofit/profit organizations to excel tourism, birthday parties, library partner for the summer reading program & year round events,  renting demos to individuals, weddings, picnics, schools,  Aging and Disability brain health workshops, speed dating for business networking, game convention sales, Salvation Army game events, fundraisers, donating to education, presenting and workshops at caregiver conferences, playshops for the Cancer Community, headlining in the newspaper for Brain Health Programs.... we could go on but we ran out of space....

Hopefully you have read about 2-3 programs you never knew we had....give us a call to get an event at your location!
Love, Lynn

What makes it "evil"?

After years of being a person who plays games...I find that sometimes I have to defend my game playing by stating that I believe in Christ, too.
Why is that necessary?

It makes me feel frustrated...
It makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong....
It makes me feel evil.....

A drawing, a game, a product doesn't become evil or demand you to be evil.  Sometimes the person interpreting the game makes it bad.  Now I hate conflict, it makes my stomach turn.  But today I had a Dad....a well meaning man, who loves his son and wants what's best for him come to the store.  This Dad was wondering if his son stole some cards from us.  His son had no money as far as he knew, but yesterday, his son came home with a bunch of cards, apparently given to him by a friend.   After being confronted by his Mom he was told to hand them over.  What he did next was wrong, he found them and took them back.

Now he could have spoken up and showed the benefits of the game.  He could have calmly discussed the concerns.  But as I told his Dad the game is a great learning game.  So why was he hiding it? Then it came out.  Well the Dad told me 'we don't allow that kind of game in our house' ....it's evil....as he pointed to a drawing of a horned monster.

Now it takes all my patience to have these chats with parents. I always start out with 'I understand, I am Catholic'....But why do I need to justify my position?  I followed this with, 'this games teaches math, strategy and resource management'.  His Dad said "well then why would he want it? He's bad at math"  UGH!!   I gently told him maybe his son realized math is not as bad as he thought.  It's a great learning tool and an amazing game.

We shook hands when he left and I hope he will go home and think about this game differently.  I did tell him there is far worse things for your son to be into.....  So now here I am in the back room, writing this and praying that this child be given the chance to seek out things that are good for him.  Even if it scares his folks, it's not like it's drugs, or alcohol.  But "Evil"?  I think not.

Love, Lynn

Be a hero in the strife......

      A quote from A PSALM OF LIFE

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

Be a hero in the strife!"

At the age of 31 in 1838 Henry Longfellow wrote this with the intent of being paid $5.00, he never received that payment and later a collection of poems including this one was sold for .75 cents a copy. Time is fleeting....our hearts......like muffled drums, are beating funeral marches to the grave.

A good poem like a good book or even better a good game draws you in. The story grabs you and tosses you about, makes your mind open to new possibilities. I love when the artwork of a new board game pulls me in, the smell of a freshly opened box, the feel of fine linen cards, the density of the tiles and all the while time is fleeting. But this day, I don't mind taking the time to admire a new creation, engage a new player and be absorbed into a new adventure. 

 My sister lost her fight with cancer 14 years ago, I assumed by now I would have had my funeral march to the grave, but instead I am alive on the world's broad field of battle. I am in the bivouac of life, traveling through....I have chosen to live my life as a hero....will you join me, brother? Come and take up arms, march by my side, cradle me if I fall and never give up the fight?

All my love, Lynn  

Dreams can come true

For over 7 years I have watched many joyous faces walk through the doors of my tiny, little, cozy store.

Friends meeting each other, acquaintances rekindling a friendship, folks who thought "they" were the only ones who liked to "play", sweet children who didn't know there was more to 'play' and grandparents who thought games weren't for them. They all have come and they continue to bring friends.  We grew this from nothing.

But we have sad news.

Post by The GameBoard, LLC.

We have outgrown this cozy little corner of our world! Our friends spill out into the parking lot and garden when it is warmer.  In the cold they huddle by the wall and talk, then head back in for another game. They stand at shelves, gather around cafe tables and sit on the floor.

We want, we beg, we hope and we pray daily for a bigger space.  I found a place I think we can grow with, it's not too far and it gives us wonderful opportunities for expansion. There is only one thing standing in our way.  We own the building that houses the current store front....we need to sell it and move!  Can you help? Spread the word....share this blog....help us find a buyer for our really cute corner of the world.  SO we can expand your gaming community!

Love, Lynn

Fire and Ice!

In the midst of winter we are blessed with Fire and Ice!

Every year for the last 13 years a group of gamers has come together at the end of February to celebrate the love and joy of gaming.  Gaming in it's many forms dice, cards, boards, miniatures, pencils and paper are all gathered in to one big space for a short 3 days at the Fire and Ice Gaming Convention.  Folks from many states away make this their winter retreat.  It began in Sheboygan in 2001 but years ago found a new home in Manitowoc at the County Exposition center.

Vendors from 3 counties away gather to sell unique and interesting product to a vast sea of players. Players with one thing in mind the joy of the game, the thrill of the roll, the creation of a new character.  Let the gaming begin!  This coming Friday, Feb 21,  The GameBoard will be setting up it's space at Fire and Ice.  We have a large selection of games in our docket and we are excited to start playing with you!  See you at Fire and Ice!

But if you can't make it, we understand, drop in at the store where Tina will be entertaining the customers with her knowledge of the newest set of Magic!  Perhaps you will be lucky enough to get to visit Jace and see how he is growing! If you haven't tried the game Rampage yet we have an open copy for rent or sample the newest Fluxx board game!  YES, board game!

I really want to Thank all my customers for wiping their feet at the door.  With the new flooring and all the challenges of winter I feel like I am constantly harping on you as you enter.  BUT I appreciate the fact that everyone has been most accommodating!  Your spouses and moms would be proud of the length of time each person takes to get the excess snow off before walking in!

If you haven't gotten on our email list make sure you are signed up on our website on the Promotions page. We are sending out a once a month special and we don't want you to miss it!
Thanks for stopping, now it's your turn!
Love, Lynn

Brrr....it's cold outside!

I can hardly believe that January has come and gone and we are rolling quickly through February! SO much has been occurring for us at The GameBoard so let me back up and give you an end year update.  At the end of November we had new flooring installed and with all the snow and salt it was just in time. For 3 days the building was in an uproar, stuff was moved, stored and carpet was pulled. The end result of laminate wood tile was amazing and well worth the wait.

By then the Christmas holiday was in full swing, followed swiftly by New Year's!  We stumbled into January and spent half a day doing inventory, with Rachel, Becky and Kevin, we really clicked.

January and the weather has really been crazy!  So much cold and snow our numbers are skyrocketing for board game rentals.  Nobody wants to be outside so what better idea, a warm fire and a hot game!   The 2nd week of January we were invited to Lutheran High to participate in their Winterim program.  This was our 3rd or 4th year of being asked back, it is always fun and a great adventure!    Here is what their adviser and our good friend, Rick Zuener, had to say:

“Board games, education and leadership… how can games be connected to education and the principles of leadership?” This was the focus of our Leadership Games Winterim run by Richard Zeuner, extracurricular advisor to our LHS Games Club. Starting with the history of games and a wide variety of board games, students saw the difference between good ones and great ones. The kids who were in this one-week, all-day class learned how to play, teach and review some of the best games in the industry today.
Al Waller, the president of Out of the Box Publishing Inc., came to share the value of games in education and what running and leading a game company is like. His company is responsible for hits like Apples to Apples, 7 Ate 9, and Snake Oil. He also brought Word on the Street for the class to play. Instead of a table-top version, the class helped set up and play a giant fifty-foot version in the gym. Needless to say, the thirteen participants had a great time rushing to spell out words in the thirty second time-limit given for each category read.
Lynn Potyen, Owner of The GameBoard game store in Sheboygan, came on Friday to share with our class, Werewolves of Miller Hollow, a group dynamic game that pits people-reading skills against deception. Her expertise in business, drama, and gaming made the event one of the class’ favorites of the week. Not knowing if you could trust your best friend in the game heightened the tension and excitement during game-play. It reminded all of the participants that knowing the truth is a critical part of life and that blindly trusting people, even sometimes friends, can lead to dire consequences.

Every day began with a devotion and each session helped the participants to use their God-given talents to problem-solve, teach, learn, explore and enjoy the fun and fellowship board games provide, all while learning how to be better Christian leaders, one student at a time!

Next week is Valentine's Day already, there is still time to pick out a nice 2 player game. Plus we have a special 1/2 off on the Pink Hijinks by Looney Labs, just mention this blog! Value $10.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love, Lynn

Thank God for syndication...

In my life time many actors have died some from old age, some from illness but the ones I find most perplexing are the ones who die tragically.  The ones who under sedation, be it alcohol or any other drug find themselves operating heavy machinery. 

Now most of humanity at one point or another has had a time when they shouldn't be operating.....anything.  It's not rocket science or brain surgery it's just plain intelligence.  Which brings me to my next point.  When these accidents occur and they do...why are we surprised?

I think it's because we expect the actor to actually be like the people they portray.  But folks they are just regular people who are very good at convincing you to believe in anything they want.  That's what acting is all about, bringing life to people who do not actually exist.

So why are we devastated when these actors make unbelievably stupid mistakes or something goes wrong and they die? They made a choice and they have to live or in this case die with it. In many fantasy situations, like movies, books, D&D campaigns or European board games....mistakes are made, chance taken and conclusions dealt with.  In life we get no do-overs, no take another turn or can I take that back?

So here we are mourning someone who we have never met and if we are lucky we can watch in syndication for the rest of our lives.  Instead as we enter into the New Year let's not mourn the loss of these people, let's take the time to connect with the folks who are all around us.  The stranger in the game store who is short a few cents, the elderly person who has a cart to put away in the grocery parking lot, the neighbor who hasn't come out to shovel yet, the folks at church whose cars are covered in snow.  These are the people who will notice if you go missing and will help you along the way.  Your neighbors, friends and when you do it right.....fewer and fewer strangers.

Happy New Year,
Love Lynn

Do you believe in fairy tales?

It's that time of year when folks go from store to store trying to find the "perfect" gift.  I often wonder if it even exists?   At The GameBoard we offer new and unusual gifts. Plus ways to try the product without making a deep commitment or without searching for the fairy tale of perfection.

In the last 30 years games have evolved becoming more elaborate and unique. Like clothes, not every game 'fits' or like a gourmet meal 'tastes' right for everyone.  Our lives are fast paced, our homes are busy and often have little room for storage. So we created a program that enables the game player to comfortably "try on" a game.  

5 years ago we took a chance and started our Game Rental program.  Others told us it couldn't work, that we would end up missing components of our games.  We told them our customers love games, they'll be careful, this will work!  We were right!

Not only does renting make your game closet is as big as ours but we store it for you! Every year we shop at 5 different conferences nationwide to bring you new and interesting products.  Some that you may want to play once others you might like to own. So then we stepped the program up a notch and offer you the rental fee as a credit towards your purchase of that game.

So next time you want to get a unique gift, first bring your family on a trip through our store.  Rent a game and show them a good time and if they like it, then you have a perfect gift idea!  One that will last for years and years of play-ability and great fairy tale memories!    

Here's to a great Thanksgiving and don't forget to rent a game and make those fairy tales come true!

Happy Holidays,
Love Lynn                                                                                              

Ladies and Gentlemen...fasten your seatbelts.

A while back I received a newsletter from the middle school, some of the tidbits in the letter struck me as odd, maybe even dated.  For example: "Pleasant good-byes can set the tone for the day. Get in the habit of saying, “Have a terrific day!” before going off to school and work."  See what I mean?....dated.  I mean I say love you or have a great day but I have always done that.  Can you imagine if your parents had never made a point to do this and tomorrow out of the blue they start with “Have a terrific day!” that your reaction would be "HUH?"  But I digress.

After all WHO wrote this?  Now granted the Principal doesn't have all the time in the world to be writing a whimsical newsletter or to make one sound as if he was update and cool so I was rather curious. At the bottom I found my answer, it was from an education resource company on the east coast.  So basically there is someone on the east coast thinking this stuff up or perhaps re-reading 1950's magazines for some 'new' ideas?

By now I was truly curious as to what else the newsletter requested of me.  So I went back to the top and continued reading on, reading regurgitated information....After all this has been said over and over again for years.   Give your kids a happy healthy environment and life will be a bed of roses, really do you believe that?

Then there it was..... perched at the bottom of the page in the font meant for important matters, my favorite part:

Tip: If your middle grader is uncomfortable seeing you at his activities, volunteer
for others. Or work behind the scenes — you could be on a parent committee
that meets while he’s not even at school.

WHAT!?!?!?!  Did you really just tell me that I am an embarrassment to my child and that  I should hide where he isn't offended by me?  That this is okay?  Are we back in the 19th century but only now it's 'Parents should not be seen or heard'?

By this time you can imagine what the neighbors are saying....because they can hear my reaction from a mile away. Can you blame me?  What are they teaching our kids, if the newsletter is telling me, I make my kids uncomfortable?  Isn't that my job? to make my kids uncomfortable? Comfortable people never grow and stretch, they don't test their boundaries.... they are complacent.

I want to be with my kids.  I want them to be proud of my help.  I want them to be willing to kiss me goodbye in public....oh wait....mine are all these things.  But why is that?  BECAUSE I don't allow them to stuff me in a closet or hide me away.  When my eldest son entered 3rd grade a mom told me in the hallway that she wasn't "allowed" to walk him to his classroom.  She thought this was "cute"... I was appalled.  It isn't cute, it's scary.  How did this 8 year old ever get in the position of telling his mom what to do?  Because she allowed it.

So folks, take it from me, don't let your kids parent you.  Parent them.  They will thank you for it.

Ladies and Gentlemen we are about to land....please return your tables and chairs to an upright position and stow your pride.  We should be landing in Parent Central in 2 minutes.  Thanks for flying with us!

~Lynn

Come play mind games with me……

Let’s jump for joy, shout from every mountain and sing the praises of our brains!  I love my brain and sometimes it needs a vacation.  Giving my brain exercise is something we overlook in our day to day routine.  We ignore brain stimulation and instead plant ourselves in front of some mindless task.  Our brains are screaming for more!

By using a combination of board games and puzzles, not only do you stimulate your imagination but you enhance your mental capabilities.   The best part is its fun!  In today’s board game market there are lots of choices for social game play and solitary game play, too.  These are not your grandparents’ board games!  Board games took a turn in 1995 when a little known game made its way to America from Germany.  The game was, Settler’s of Catan, and is today one of the best known European style board games.

Our brains eat up the game play, because it is engaging.  We are in control of our turns, because these games are based more in strategy then luck.  For instance, when rolling dice we hope to roll a high number, but when given a hand of cards we can decide which card is the best to be played.  Sheapshead, Euchre, Chess, Dominos, Cribbage are all based in strategy and decision skills.  We love them!   Sadly there isn’t always the right amount of people to play with or maybe our family doesn’t like our favorite game.  Sometimes this leads to playing video games.

There is another choice; board games occasionally have solitary play options.  By changing up the game it creates another format of enjoyment.  Every now and then, playing alone is a great way to stimulate your brain.  When you play alone, you can give your brain the massage it needs and challenge yourself to improve your game play.  In singular game play, you can take a risk that you wouldn’t take, if the game was riding on your actions.

Board game themes are full of rich, captivating story lines. So bring out that old friend you haven’t played with in years and reconnect with that game.  Or take some time and peruse your local board game store.  Remember there is something very enjoyable about holding the weight of the latest board game, feeling the beautiful linen board and rifling through the crisp untouched cards.   Your next adventure awaits you and it is at the tip of your fingers.

By Lynn Potyen, Owner of The GameBoard in Sheboygan WI