The first: Life With Children

I am typing at the computer. Searching for a new way, a better way to pay; for preschool, the dentist, the electric, and everything else I can't afford."Mom? You wanna play a game?" , I hear from the hall in my sweet 3 year old's voice. I thank God every day for both our kids. I'm thankful for their health, their happiness, their ability to turn a crappy day into a giggly foggy memory.

"uh, ok. What are we gonna play? UNO color numbers? Connect Four?" I ask as I follow her downstairs. We have games in our house that are older than me. No batteries required, the only update is the packing tape to hold the box in shape.

She replies, 'Nooo, this one!" Crap. Arch Rivals. This wonderful game from the fun people at Parker Brothers. As the box says, 'Arch Rival the game of balance..nerves..and suspense'

The setup is the majority of the game for us. The 'board game' has no board. It is more of a teeter totter on which support braces help until the Arch is made. The Arch is made of thirteen little cubbies that are color coded including a keystone which is the last one to place.

Now for the 'nerves', the support braces are carefully removed without knocking the whole thing down, which happens frequently when playing with a three year old. We haven't even begun to play the game....It is rated 8 to adult. Arch Rival does teach my daughter somethings, at least I'm telling myself it does as I set, and reset the arch. Persistence, the constant downward pull of gravity, how arches work, how much patience mommy has, balance or lack there of...The value of a level steady table comes to my mind. Then the scavenger hunt when the arch and all the little pieces, that have been plopped into one slot, sends the whole crashing and flying in every direction! But the giggles and squeals of surprise at the drop make me laugh and pause. Working together, just me and my daughter, is the best lesson we learn. That makes it a great game, even if we never roll the dice!