Table Topics
Mind-stretching brain games and conversation starters. It's the perfect opportunity for sharing stories, building knowledge, strengthening character, and having fun!
Do you have one or more dawdlers in the family? You know the person, usually late, often looking for something at the last minute, frustrating other people who want to get the show on the road. What can be done?
Remember that every behavior has a reward or a punishment (or both to varying degrees). The dawdler, therefore, is finding some reward in the always-late behavior pattern. To change the behavior, the reward must be changed.
As an example, let’s take bedtime. Bedtime is announced and the dawdler discovers that a homework assignment still needs to be completed; or it takes 25 minutes to wash a face and brush a set of teeth; or, “I have to see the end of this movie, all my friends are watching it!’ Sound familiar? The reward, of course, is the postponement of bedtime.
Try this technique instead. “It is now 8:30, you need to start getting ready for bed. When you are ready we will have story time and then lights out at 9:00. Now the reward is the time spent together reading a storybook. Motivation to get ready for bed is increased and dawdling disappears.
Give this a try parents, and see what happens. But, you absolutely have to be consistent with the time for lights out no matter what! What other areas of family life could be improved with less dawdling?
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Mimicry in nature
Here's a challenging, no equipment necessary, math game. The best part is that it adapts easily to the skill level of each individual.
Played Round Robin one player starts by
creating a math problem and stating the answer.
For example:
73 - 19 = 54.
The next player must start with 54. A player with beginning skills could say, "54 is greater than 50."
Play passes to the next person. Assuming this person has an advanced skill in math, the next problem could be, "50 squared is 2500." Continue around the table.
Beginning learners will most likely appreciate suggestions if they appear stumped. A gentle nudge might be necessary to discourage slackers from choosing operations below their skill level.
