Like most families in Silicon Valley, my kids have busier social schedules than their parents. Every afternoon it seems like they have some kind of sports game, music lesson or other afterschool activity; when they’re free, there’s always some friend clamoring to have a playdate. Stay-at-home parents and working parents alike find themselves spending time with their kids while shuttling them from activity to activity, or from afterschool care to home. A friend of mine with a girl in middle school is bemoaning the fact that her daughter now prefers to study at the school library with her friends rather than at home. My kids are still in elementary school, and I can already relate — sometimes I feel like it’s a wonder we see them at all!
With so much going on, it takes a real effort to carve out time in our schedules for some family time — but spending time together is more important than ever. Even just eating meals together on a regular basis has been linked to numerous benefits, including better grades in school, reduced risk of obesity, and lower rates of substance abuse, and most experts agree that the family that plays together, stays together. Whether it’s a monthly ping-pong tournament, a weekly movie night, a Wii dance showdown, a game of catch-and-throw at the park or a trip to the beach, you’ll be improving your children’s self-esteem, building lifelong bonds and creating lifelong memories.
Giveaway!
EA Games is teaming up with Best Buy for a Family Game Day at Best Buy Santana Row on December 4. It’s a chance for families to spend time together, playing board games, trying out the latest edition of Family Game Night, and competing as a family to win fabulous prizes. And to celebrate Family Game Day and the release of Family Game Night 4, EA Games is offering a fantastic gift pack to one lucky Silicon Valley Mamas reader! The gift pack includes:
* A copy of Family Game Night 4 for Wii, XBox or Playstation Move (winner’s choice)
* A Hasbro board game
* A deck of playing cards
* A t-shirt
To enter, leave a comment below, and one lucky winner will be randomly selected December 8. Entry deadline is midnight PST, December 7. For an additional entry, Like our Facebook page. For a second additional entry, tweet about this giveaway (the tweet MUST include a link to this giveaway post, our twitter name @svmamas and the hashtag #FGN4).
Bonggamom has been trying to beat her kids at a videogame, any videogame, for several years — if she ever succeeds, she’ll be trumpeting her success on her personal blog, Finding Bonggamom.
Disclaimer: The giveaway prize was provided by EA Games. No compensation was received for running the post or hosting the giveaway.
we love playing games
nannypanpan at gmail.com
We love playing games and are always on the lookout for family appropriate video games. Thanks for the chance!
justicecw@hotmail.com
Tweeted at https://twitter.com/#!/justicecw/status/142630847911178240
Thank you for the great giveaway!
I like you on Facebook as Elena Istomina
http://twitter.com/#!/ElenaIstomina/status/142736723456167936
Would LOVE to win!!! 🙂 We love playing games as a family!
i tweeted= http://twitter.com/#!/vivaciousgold/status/143133492954411008
I like traditional games transformed on game playing devices.
I liked on facebook as livivua!
I liked you on FB = christine wember
I would love to win this for our family, and we have a Wii console to play it on!
I like Silicon Valley Mamas Facebook page
tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/kjmaje/status/144196010158198784
Family game night was special when my kids were small and now that they are adults getting together for a family game night with them and the grands makes everyone happy and builds many good memories.
sewingmema1720@yahoo.com
Like your FB page – Tina S Rath
Tweeted @sewingmema
http://twitter.com/#!/sewingmema/status/144204029491286016
What a great giveaway. thanks!
My nieces would love this game! tracietrump@yahoo.com
Like you on FB! tracietrump@yahoo.com
this game is defiantly on my family’s Christmas wishlist..
looks like so much fun =)
dollhousecreation(at)gmail(dot)com
like you on fb
Teh Doll
dollhousecreation(at)gmail(dot)com
tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/mommyluck13/status/144520105894756352
@mommyluck13
Sha t
dollhousecreation(at)gmail(dot)com
This sounds great, I’d love to have some games to play with my family. Liked and tweeted!
We love to play games together!! Crazy, zany fun. Frauds friends join the action. Love it!
Like you on fb!
We would love a game for our kids. Plus, my hubby and I can play when the kids aren’t looking. My in laws came over and did family game night with the kids. It was funny. It always is. My two youngest kids “pretend” to play with each other when we’re not supposed to look…but I do. Lol.
Congratulations to Melissa P! She won the giveaway!