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Go Fish



We got a card game for the trip. But now we are back home and I am trying to teach Asher how to play “go fish.” The outside of the box says “for ages three and up” so I figured Asher would follow the rules as long as I explained them to him.

The cards are shaped like fish and come in seven colors, tourquoise, yellow, orange, red, jade green, lavender, dark purple, and blue.

“Okay," I say, "I ask you if you have a card and if you have it, you give it to me. Like this, do you have yellow?"

"Yes I do!" exclaims Asher.

"Great," I say, "Now you ask me."

"No. I don’t want to." says Asher.

"Okay," I say, "I will ask again. Do you have purple?"

"No" he says, although I can see he has two purple fish.

"Okay," I say "you say 'go fish' and I will pick a card."

"No, I think I get a card now! Here fishy fishy. " Asher squeals.

"Oh, look!" I say, with all the mom-patience I had heard about pre-child, but never thought I would have, "I have a pair, so I will put them down in front of me."

"A pear? asks Asher, "Pears are yummy!"

"Yes, I agree "pears are yummy, but I mean a pair, two of a kind!"

"Do we have pears mamma?"

"No," we have apples."

"But pears are yummy."

"Okay," I continue, trying to distract him, "now you ask me for a card again. "

"Do you have blue?" asks Asher, in his only attempt to play the game as it is written.

"Yes, I do!" I say happily, as I hand it over. "Now you put the two blues together in front of you like this."

"No," he says wrinkling his brow. "I think they want to stay with their friends" And he hugs his cards tightly across his chest.

Comments

riversgrace said…
Totally love how you capture this. It's so hopeful, those moments when we think they can follow logic, only to be reminded, once again, in that ever-present, only-present way, that they play a different game.

He's such a sweetie!
February 19, 2008 at 9:29 PM
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