Bowling for Father

Bowling is in our blood. Three of my grandparents were in leagues when I was growing up, my grandpa even toured. My parents have also played in leagues. I love playing but was quite the gutter ball queen when I was little. I was also stubborn and refused to use bumpers so I would regularly get scores of 50. I'm a little bit better now.

I bring this up because Xander has suddenly become obsessed with bowling. I think it was because of an episode of Curious George where they went bowling. Next thing we know, Xander is getting out our bottled water to set up pins and trying out different balls to see which is better at knocking them down. He's very serious about it. If he could write I think he would be taking notes. "When bottles are close together and the Hershey ball is used, the bottles won't get knocked down." (The Hershey ball is a souvenir from Hershey, very small and padded so it doesn't do much but it remains his favorite ball to bowl with.)

Chris decided that for Father's Day yesterday he wanted to bring the kids bowling. Only one game and only the kids would play so that we could supervise.

First, I have to tell you, seeing kids in bowling shoes is pretty darn cute.


Josie found it fascinating at first. She would carry the six pound ball over, set it down and push it. Chris would try to get in an extra push.


Then Josie would check with Dad to see what she was supposed to do.


Then we'd watch some more.



Then Josie would start to get bored and would look around for things to do.


Then she'd realize that something was going to happen and would pay rapt attention.


By the end of the game she would push the ball and then run away and I'd end up chasing her out of the arcade.

Xander was incredibly excited to bowl. He took it very seriously would throw the six pound ball with all of his might. It went a little faster than Josie's ball.

He was pretty upset when the game was over and we only narrowly avoided a meltdown.

While we didn't stress scores, I did try to show Xander how he got points when he knocked down the pins. I didn't mention to him that he and Josie tied at 72. Those bumpers make all of the difference.