To say Lisa can’t stand learning a new game when everyone at the table is also learning the game is an overstatement. She did sit and play Amun-Re for the first time with Sophie, Noah, and me. She would, however, rather have somebody learn the game and then teach it to her. I privately think the issue is rooted in her inner-competitiveness coming out. She doesn’t like to be caught flat-footed during the game because the rules were unclear or we played something wrong.
Sophie and Noah, on the other hand are real troopers at learning a new game. They are my compatriots. They are usually right in there with me, rooting through rules, laying out the board, playing sample rounds, and figuring out the scoring mechanics. In all cases that I can remember, this has always been at my encouragement. “Hey guys! Do you want to help me learn a new game?!”…”Yeah!”. Today, however, I saw Noah had selected the game of Life from the new game shelf, pulled out the rules, and decided to learn how to play with the insurance and loan options.
I’ve secretly hoped that having them help me learn a new game will help them see that the desire to play something new or in a new way outweighs any fear or hesitance at tackling the written rules. There are so many good life lessons that are applicable to this aspect of my gaming hobby and apparently it is sinking in at least a little bit. It warms my heart to see that paying off and it seems only apropos that it was being applied in the ‘game of life’.