I got to sleep in today, which was pretty awesome, though it wasn't nearly enough to make up for the last week and since I got home at around 3am and not to bed until after 4, it didn't amount to much more than six hours. While I generally don't sleep much, my face feels like it is going to slide off at the moment.
However, as Smallsteps has been missing me, we have spent the day together catching up, playing games, Daddy-Daughter Coffee and the grocery shopping. One of the games we played was her first ever game of Monopoly, which she found in the cupboard last weekend and wanted to learn. As those from Finland might realize, this is a pretty old set, since it has Finnish "Marks" instead of Euros, making it over 20 years old.
It is going to be interesting, as even though this was a learning session where we would get used to the game together, it is obvious at this point that she is going to be competitive and, it is is going to lead to tears.
The way it should be.
There are so many lessons to learn from Monopoly, depending on the ages. For example, Smallsteps enjoyed working out the bank calculations, as well as reading the Chance cards. But, more importantly than this comes in the strategy of how to play, when to buy, what to buy and where to build. Yet, even more important than this is the interaction with other players and most importantly, the reaction to what happens, whether winning or losing.
There were no tears today.
But, I can see that there will be, as once the "learning phase" has passed, she will want to dive in and get a win under her belt. What was interesting today was that we played for almost four hours and her attention was consistent throughout the entire game, even after we had a short break for lunch. And, one of the things that I wish we all did in life, when she has "Aha" moments, she speaks them out loud to make sure she has the understanding correct - but she also speaks them with excitement.
She loves it when she feels she is learning something, and her face is a massive tell.
Something that I am sure that she will learn to hide much better in the future across her spectrum of emotion, controlling the layer that the world sees, even if she at the core is feeling something different. All the outside world experiences of us is our observable behaviors, not our core. We can never change who we are at the core, as we are always ourselves, but our behaviors can be influenced and therefore, we can change the way the world experiences us.
Games like Monopoly are brilliant at being able to observe the behaviors of others, as while just "a game", they tend to bring emotions to the surface and uncover a lot of secrets that under normal circumstances, wouldn't be exposed. And because of this, it is also a great opportunity to learn how to identify triggers and control emotions, as well as the skills of repairing damage after the inevitable failures.
With a little guidance, active listening and a willingness to self-reflect, there are so many skills and clusters of behaviors to help us improve. Online gaming doesn't deliver as much value in these regards, as for example, you are unable to see the true reactions of other players in the moment and, they are unable to see yours. This unfiltered view makes a difference I believe and it might be one of the factors that has affected the general degradation of real life interactions, as well as the lack of self-control.
I am hoping that our largely analogue life will help Smallsteps learn the foundational skills that will help her not only interact well with people through her life, but also the emotional intelligence to help herself and others grow and realize more of their own talents and potential.
A good life is made of how we affect, not what we collect.
Our attention is being monopolized by entertainment, yet even that isn't created equal. If you aren't learning something you can apply to your life, you aren't learning anything useful.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]