Life Lessons & Family Game Night

Life Lessons & Family Game Night
by Bernard Moran

Madd Capp wants to know: how does your family unwind after a long week?

We understand how hectic daily life can get. Between work, school, extra-curriculars, and the daily stress that all of these bring on, it’s easy to feel wiped out on Friday evening. But don’t let quality family time slip away just because everyone seems too tired. Kick your family’s energy back into high gear with a family game night!

Family game nights are certainly not a new idea. However, with the technology-crazed world we currently live in, they seem to be falling by the wayside. We think it’s time to bring them back! Take a Friday or Saturday night with your family to have some old-fashioned fun together. Pull out a board game or deck of cards and get started. Your family will benefit in more ways than one.

While the main goals of a family game night are simply relaxing and having fun together, they also offer an opportunity to learn valuable life lessons that your whole family can take away. From learning how to communicate to planning and strategizing, these small, but significant lessons can make a difference in any family!


1. Respecting the rules.

Just like in any board game, life comes with a set of rules that everyone is expected to follow. During your family game night, everyone can see that respecting the rules allows for smooth game-play and happy players. Cheating or manipulating isn’t tolerated and let’s face it – you never get away with it anyway. Your family will learn the importance of respect during your game time together. Respect for the rules and respect for the players.

2. Good Sportsmanship.

It isn’t easy to lose and nobody likes when a game doesn’t go the way they planned. However, this is no excuse for a hissy fit. Good sportsmanship is one of the most valuable lessons that your family can focus on during family game night. Winning and losing shouldn’t be the main priority. The real winners in family game night and in life are those who know how to persevere and play with respect — no matter what.

3. Planning & Strategizing.

Playing a board game together is the perfect time to learn the importance of strategizing. In any game, it’s best to plan ahead to ensure that your next move will give you the best outcome. This lesson is all too relevant to daily life. Parents: you can take an opportunity during a game to explain to your children why it’s a good idea to have a plan. Strategizing your next best move – whether significant or not – will help keep you on the right track.

4. Every move has consequences. Think first.

Making one wrong move during a board game can interrupt your entire winning plan in a matter of seconds. And sometimes, taking chances can get you into more trouble… if you forget to think before making the decision. In a board game, every move has a consequence. In life, every action has a reaction. Every decision leaves an impact. It is important to learn as a family that even the smallest choices can have tremendous effects. Think first – then act. It’s a lesson everyone has to learn the hard way at least once. Revisit the idea during your family game night and it will serve as a great reminder for everyone!

5. What goes around, comes around.

In any board game, especially with your family members, there will most likely be some friendly competition. If you bump another player back a few spaces, there’s a good chance he or she will target you next. In the same way, if you help a fellow player, you will likely have a favor coming your way within the next couple moves. During family game night, everyone can see that what goes around almost always comes back around. In life, we need to be aware of how we treat others. It goes back to the good old Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. This is a valuable lesson, particularly for young children. And who better to teach them than their family? Take the opportunity. You’ll be glad you did.

Most importantly, during your family game night, focus on having fun and spending real time together. You’ll be surprised what lessons you pick up along the way.