Yesterday we learned a bit about winning and losing. Here is the story...
Child #4 came upstairs crying yesterday morning because his older sister beat him at Diddy-Kong Racing. Child #2 explained that she had let him win three times and decided to beat him the fourth. He cried and cried and cried until we were thoroughly annoyed at him being such a sore loser. We sent him to bed and wouldn't let him come out until he could apologize to his sister. His apology was scripted: "Thank you for beating me. Will you please beat me again?" which he mumbled very quietly through the tears. His long-term punishment was to be beaten all day long. Anytime he raced his older sister, she would beat him. And he would cry. And throw down the controller. And Child #3 would pipe in quite cheerfully, "You can beat me if you want! I'll play!"
I let Child #4 play video games all day long in the dark basement until his eyes were strained, just like his dad's and older sister's when they have an Alien vs. Predator marathon. And he lost. And won when he played by himself against the computer. And I am still amazed at how quickly he picks up these racing games.
