[Melissa]

I adore this story. I think it was a stroke of genius that your father inserted this “ game-changing” strategy into competitive play. One minute you are “on the top” and perhaps “gloating” ( always annoying) and then suddenly the game board rotates, and “voila”,  you are suddenly confronted with a  a whole new reality and perspective-and how you react is everything. It doesn’t necessarily  build character—but it sure reveals it!  And over time, if you stay in the game, it builds resiliency. All families should play this version of a board game together and also discuss how changing the game board, suddenly,  without warning makes one feel and how it relates to life’s events. The discussion is important and parents need to talk about how they feel too-and share their own strategies for coping and thriving in spite of how “unfair” or “shocking” it is. How does one grieve, regroup, and move on to play another day?