PUZZLES AND GAMES 383 



cause we love them. We do not think, -perhaps, that the 

 result of our disobedience might bring annoyance or even 

 disgrace upon them or others in the family, but such is 

 usually the case. 



In our ideal home father and mother will join in many 

 of our social activities. An evening gathering around 

 the dining table, or perhaps under the cheerful glow of the 

 lamp on the center table in the living room should be a 

 time when we learn to enjoy each other's society through' 

 conversation, story-telling, and games. Here again habit 

 may play a part. Get the habit of telling the funny 

 things that happen to you during the day at school, or else- 

 where. Let father and mother have a good laugh over 

 some of your pranks or jokes, for it is good hygiene to be 

 cheerful at the table. An interesting habit for the family 

 to form is that of picking over some of the interesting hap- 

 penings told about in the newspaper, or perhaps you have 

 learned some new science facts in school and are reading 

 up for a home project. Why not let father and mother know 

 about it? They are sure to be interested. Sometimes a 

 good charade in which two or three members of the family 

 act out some word by syllables will be good fun and will 

 sharpen your wits. An interesting form of home recreation 

 is to try to act out some little story you have read with 

 brothers and sisters. 



Puzzles and games. Perhaps one of the best ways 

 of spending our recreation time in the evening is in playing 

 games. There are a great many kinds of games, arid this 

 is not the place to tell how to play them, but games of 

 skill are certainly the most fun. Checkers, dominoes, 

 and halma are all good games which train us to think 

 quickly, for they are an interesting kind of mental arith- 



