When they were little, my boys used to play imaginary Go Fish.
They typically played during long car trips, and it went something like this: They would be sitting in their car seats, "holding" an imaginary set of cards in their fat little hands. Each positioned himself carefully so that his opponent could not "see" his "cards."After determining who would go first, the game began:
"Do you have any 3s?"
"No. Go fish."
"I fished my wish!"
They actually played rather contentedly at this game; though, eventually an argument would break out. One boy would declare that the other one had not, in fact, fished his wish. How, oh how is a mother to referee an argument over an imaginary game of Go Fish?
Tomorrow one of those boys will take the S.A.T. The distance between imaginary Go Fish and College Aptitude Testing is unbelievably minuscule. I wonder if he remembers the silly games he played in his youth now that the real world beckons him towards responsible adulthood. I know I will never forget.
P.S. Our boys played many games like imaginary Go Fish. It used to concern me, but then I read The Way They Learn, by Cynthia Tobias, and everything became crystal clear. You see, while my husband and I are both concrete thinkers, we produced two sons that are abstract thinkers. They can live life in an abstract world that is often difficult for me to perceive. Even today, as teenagers, they can talk and interact about subjects that are rather obscure to me.
I highly recommend this book for parents; it is both entertaining and informative.
They typically played during long car trips, and it went something like this: They would be sitting in their car seats, "holding" an imaginary set of cards in their fat little hands. Each positioned himself carefully so that his opponent could not "see" his "cards."After determining who would go first, the game began:
"Do you have any 3s?"
"No. Go fish."
"I fished my wish!"
They actually played rather contentedly at this game; though, eventually an argument would break out. One boy would declare that the other one had not, in fact, fished his wish. How, oh how is a mother to referee an argument over an imaginary game of Go Fish?
Tomorrow one of those boys will take the S.A.T. The distance between imaginary Go Fish and College Aptitude Testing is unbelievably minuscule. I wonder if he remembers the silly games he played in his youth now that the real world beckons him towards responsible adulthood. I know I will never forget.
P.S. Our boys played many games like imaginary Go Fish. It used to concern me, but then I read The Way They Learn, by Cynthia Tobias, and everything became crystal clear. You see, while my husband and I are both concrete thinkers, we produced two sons that are abstract thinkers. They can live life in an abstract world that is often difficult for me to perceive. Even today, as teenagers, they can talk and interact about subjects that are rather obscure to me.
I highly recommend this book for parents; it is both entertaining and informative.
Imaginary Go Fish sounds like an awesome game!! My kids have great imaginations (as you already read) and it always makes me laugh when they get made at each other about what they are imagining. As if someone else's imaginings could negatively (or positively, for that matter) impact your own imaginings! Silly kids!
ReplyDeleteOh I hear ya today! My son just graduated from our homeschool this year and I find it so surreal that he is all grown up and ready for adulthood.
ReplyDeleteMy momma heart knows how you feel ((hugs))
That is pretty cool - imaginary Go Fish. I'm impressed. What a wonderful memory. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete