@bethvogt

I was thinking about life yesterday.

And the children’s game “Mother, May I?”

You remember how to play this one, right?

1. You have one player who is Mother. Other players are, well, just regular players.
2. The regulars line up shoulder to shoulder in front of Mother. Make sure there is plenty of space between Mother and the regulars.
3. Mother than calls on each player one at a time, giving them instructions on how they can move forward. Example: “Beth, you can take 2 giant steps” Or “Tracie, you can take 5 baby steps forward.”
4. The child who is called on must ask, “Mother, may I?”
5. Mother can either say Yes or No. (Fun game, right?)
6. If the child forgets to ask, “Mother, may I?” or steps out of turn, they must start all over again.
7. The first child to reach Mother wins the game.

Y’all know me well enough by now to know this blog post isn’t about a child’s playground game.

I researched Mother, May I? because I wanted to ensure I wasn’t forgetting any major rule. Nope. It’s a simple kids’ game that teaches manners and respect, or so says the online person who outlined how to play it

Okay, I’ll buy that.

The reason I was thinking about Mother, May I? I thought the game teaches some significant life lessons too.

Yes, I learned to ask politely for a turn.

I also learned the Law of Favorites: how one kid who is Mother will pick their best friend to win the game, banking on the chance to be picked when that friend is Mother the next time.

Giant Steps and Yesses? I also learned these were valuable commodities on the playground. We moved forward much faster with Giant Steps and Yesses. No one wanted Mother to grant us Baby Steps or to say No when we oh-so-politely asked, “Mother, may I?”

I’ve unlearned some of those childhood lessons as an adult. Don’t get me wrong. Favoritism still happens, there’s no getting around that even when we’re all grown up and should know better.

But I’ve learned Giant Steps aren’t necessarily the best way to move forward. And a No isn’t always an indicator of failure.

Baby steps add up to significant forward motion. Think about how we cheer on a toddler’s first steps. Small, even wobbly, right? But they’re still progress.

Sometimes a no, even when it’s disappointing or dream-crushing, can lead to a better, unexpected opportunity.

Yes, it’s true we learn things as children, and sometimes we learn lessons that last through the years. But sometimes we unlearn things we learned playing games on the playground — and that’s all a part of growing up too.

Did you have a favorite childhood game? Carryover any life lessons from it?

#'Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tiptoe if you must, but take a step.' #Quote by @naeemcallaway #forwardmotion #encouragement Share on X

I’m so excited you can now spend the holidays with the Thatcher sisters! My Christmas novella released this week and stay tuned for a blog tour giveaway starting next week!