Friday, April 18, 2008

the nice game

I'm not sure when we started playing 'the nice game' but boy I'm glad we did.

As a mom of six it seems like a complaining heart spreads more quickly than the flu around here. If I don't catch it, I prompt the family to play.


RULES:

  • Everyone must say something nice to each person once.
  • It is your turn promptly after someone has said something nice about you.
  • You MUST give specific examples - no saying, 'I like Sue because she's nice.' Something more along the lines of, 'Yesterday when Sue and I were playing outside, and I got hurt on the slide, she came and gave me a hug. I really appreciated that.'
  • You MUST not take too long in coming up with something nice to say about someone. If it takes you too long, that no longer appears nice and defeats the purpose of the game.

What makes this game so cool:
  • It's free. That's cool.
  • It helps the kids to learn to be attentive about others kindness OUTSIDE of the game
  • It changes the entire atmosphere of the house. Everyone is always giddy after hearing and giving compliments.
  • It changes perspective. Falling into the nag-trap is so easy. This is one of the few things that I've found can guarantee to pull all of us out.

Why on earth am I posting this?
  • I have to play 'the nice game' all the time in my own head with people who I get ANGRY at
  • I had to do this today
  • It helped (along with prayer) to get my mind out of the if-only-you-would-listen-to-me- then-your-life-would-be-better-because-you're-obviously-not-doing-a-very-good-job-zone
  • That happens to me a lot
  • Getting into that zone, I mean
  • It's not a good place to be
  • Wanna play the game with me?

7 comments:

Aly Cat 121 said...

I'll play with you little girl. *chuckle* (I think I've seen one too many bad movies).

I love coming to your blog because you always seem to upbeat and positive even you you're blogging about things that make you down. Not to mention how you take folks into your home and heart. I'd say you were a real life superhero. Oprah would LOVE to have you on her show . . . I'ma call her right now *chuckle*

Raquel said...

Alyson,
I love how upfront that you are - it's a quality that I really respect in you. You just are who you are, take it or leave it. You always manage (with all those beautiful babies) to add an ounce of Aly onto my blog. Your love for your girls and your husband is obvious and deserves honorable mention.

Anonymous said...

Raquel,
You took the time to contact me personally about something I was really struggling over, and gave me a whole new perspective. And you make me laugh..a lot..out loud..so the people at work think I am crazy!

Raquel said...

Angie,
Your perseverance is nothing less than amazing. You just keep chugging, without even a whine (okay, maybe about work but that's funny). You're an amazing mother, daughter, and SOON an amazing wife. It's not amazing that you are any of those things... it's amazing that you keep pushing to do your best at all of them.

Anonymous said...

I love your passion and your ability to convey it through written words.

Raquel said...

Dancer,
The combination of traits that God combined to made you never ceases to surprise me... Witty and deep, beautiful and intelligent...
I look forward to reading your thoughts on a battery of subjects and really, really respect all of them. It seems that you put thought into every action, an attribute that isn't wide spread (I certainly need to work on it).

Lisa Russell said...

oh yes, we have a similar little thing we do around here. When you can't think of a single nice thing to say you have to say three. NOW darnit- I'm not kidding. Sometimes the kids will shout I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU and be laughing by the time they're done. enjoying your blog, what a sweet family you have- I only just found you today- checking out Seattle Mom Bloggers.