C.l.a.s.h. of W.i.l.l.s

Mutual fun, or folly?

     What happens when three strong wills collide, with three opposing ideas, for mutual family activity? Add to the mix a sugar high from birthday cake and striving to weary the wired.

     The untrained eye dismisses or overlooks brief mutual moments; but, this writer rehearses a common 4th of July weekend activity. It is the perfect recipe for seizing mutual, especially during the merely imaginably dramatic (no Dramamine required), family game play event ... C.l.a.s.h. of  W.i.l.l.s.

     I hope the boys are old enough to enjoy the bean bag toss game. Could you get the game out of the car's trunk?

     JJ cooperatively heads to the car. Our 3.5-year-old speaks few words as he shadows. The trunk pops open, and a huge box is carefully maneuvered out of the back of the car. A young mind begins to whirl, What dat? He asks.

     It's a bean bag toss game, replies JJ.

     An "enervatively" resourceful mind quietly whirs:  It's as big as me! If it's for the yawd, it must be fun. I'm weddy for a climbing game!

     The box's rope handles allow for somewhat easy transport of a very klunky item. JJ carefully sets it onto the backyard driveway and pops open the hardware, splitting the box into two halves. He takes the first box, pulls down its legs, and situates it.

     WOW! It's a slide. I can't wait to get on it!!

     JJ lifts the second box and walks, meticulously counting aloud one, two, three... 30 feet. He stops, bends, and pulls two legs downward to set up a second structure. It looks just like the first.

     Whirrr, spins one active little mind: Hmmm. I'm wong. They awn't big enough to be slides, so no climbing. How can I play wit dese... wamps!?!

     Now JJ grabs a netted bag, Do you want to take the bean bags out? You toss them into the big holes.

     Ohh. Dat's what makes the wamps fun! Stand on one wamp and thwo a bag to the udder one, thinks a young mind. Hmmmm. That's a loooong way to thwo, but standing on the wamp will help!!

     You're not supposed to stand on the wooden box. You'll break it.

     DeDe and Nana arrive to the backyard, just as the clash of wills begins. DeDe adds to the mix a third clash and exclaims, Those boxes are way too far apart.

Note that wise Nana speaks not a word, observing how this Sumo wrestling match plays out.

     Professor JJ states: The boxes are supposed to be 30-feet apart.

     Out-of-the-box-thinker DeDe replies: Only an adult can throw a bean bag that far. Let's scoot them closer together. (DeDe eagerly heads for one of the boxes, excited for her family to finally play the pricey game).

     He'll break the box. It's too thin for standing.

     If he breaks it, we've had the game more than 5 years and used it only once or twice. I thought that even our 1-year-old could have fun dropping the bags into the holes and climbing on it. Just see what happens, and let's finally play this game.

     Our 3.5-year-old holds claim to the box-dubbed-ramp. He stands on it and throws one bean bag and then another. JJ stands at the opposing "ramp" (literally opposing, because their wills continue to clash)... JJ calmly holds his ground, determined to use the "natural consequence" approach, When I toss the bean bag, it's going to hit you if you don't get off.

     No.  JJ won't hurt me. I'm staying on this wamp!

     Thunk! JJ's bean bag harmlessly hits once, then again, right in the chest. Protective DeDe says, JJ!

     ...and thinks to herself, Noooo! Don't hit him!!! ♫Ain't no mountain high...; ain't no valley low...; ain't no river wide enough, to keep me from♫ .... rescuing our grandson (Diana Ross). But I'll not advertise, that at this moment, JJ and I are anything but in agreement.

     Instead, DeDe watches as a somewhat startled expression appears on our little guy's face. He flinches and wobbles a bit, but holds his quiet ground for another minute. Because ramps are for standing and playing. But maybe these aren't ramps after all. A few more harmless bean bag thunks finally change one determined little mindset.

• Our wee-verbal and sugar-high little guy, unfortunately, had mega-resourceful thinking-time between transport, game set-up, and game-time to create in his own mind an interesting way to play. The structures definitely resembled small climbing ramps. 
• Professor JJ and "outside-the-box" DeDe had their own clashing differences, and could have dramatically stomped away irritated with each other. 
• Three wills clashed but grasped mutual. Somehow, we ultimately, mutually and creatively, conquered dissenting views. Ten minutes of bean bag "toss it underhand" play was priceless. Even the toddling birthday boy worked up a sweat during the activity.
• At the onset of clashing wills regarding DeDe's game, wise Nana deferred, to mutually-minded observation rather than rescue mode.
• We all mutually worked to "LIKE" [one way or another] whatever activities our 4th of July weekend family times encountered.

The End