Overheard on the road to Tupelo

“He cant come and play with us because his dad is upset with him” Willow said.

“I feel like his dad punished him without warning him what would happen if he continued,” I said, then curious for my own performance evaluation I asked “Do I give you enuf warning before I punish you?”

“Yes” and then after a pensive pause, “but really you don’t punish me hardly at all.” Says my son as I carry him up the dirt road to Tupelo, his head huddled in my shoulder, mop top of blonde hair flopping gently in the breeze.

And my heart sings. That is what I hope he says 20 years from now when he is talking to his councillor or to his boyfriend when he is telling his life story.

I feel like we are cutting this huge dynamic deal. With the home school Heroes Game there are times when he objects to the reality which I have described. The goblins didn’t attack in the woods, they attacked in the city. Most adults would push their point, Games Masters are notoriously controlling of the fantasy worlds they describe – players simply can’t disagree with the GM.

But the purpose of the game is teach geography (today we did the tallest mountain from base to summit and the river with the largest flow today) and multiplication. The reality of the game can morph. If they want to be in the city, or for the cheetah to have not died last game, then it’s fine to twist the world that way. As long as he can find the capital of California on the world map.