5 Second Rule

 Sometimes the 5 Second Rule is more than just a universally recognized period of time during which food that has fallen on the ground is deemed safe to eat by any reasonably exhausted mom.

It’s a universal truth. If it’s just 5 seconds, you’re good to go!

I however, have a different 5 Second Rule.

It’s actually a secret weapon I bring out when I’m too tired to think of clever things to say or ask my family at the dinner table. I confess. Sometimes I go brain numb after a long day of picking up wet towels from the bathroom floor, fishing underwear and dirty socks out from under the kids’ beds, running our dogs and myself ragged, working to complete projects before the deadline explodes before my eyes, schlepping Max and Abbey to hither and yon and back again and getting a home cooked meal on the dinner table before midnight. On some nights, after those days, inspired conversation is just not happening. That’s when I call in the big guns, my pal, the 5 Second Rule.

You see, the 5 Second Rule is not a rule at all. It’s a family game presumably meant to be played by families gathered round  in the early evening along side a glowing hearth without an electronic device in sight.

While we cherish family game time in my house,  we are rarely under the same roof,  at the same moment, with time on our hands and the urge to exercise our one-up-man-ship over each other. This rarely, if ever happens on a school week night. This is just not my house. In my wildest dreams, I can’t even pretend this will EVER be my house. And yet it is.

You see, some rules are meant to be broken.

 I don’t believe family games must be relegated to the family room.

Family games can, and should, be played during dinner. They are great conversation starters and motivators. And the best part is, mom, you don’t have to initiate any of it! Finally, a parenting responsibility off our plates. At dinner time no less!

Of course there are important things to consider when playing games at the dinner table. You must be mindful of the technical requirements of the game. Are there pieces that need to be handled or maneuvered during the game? If so, it’s probably not a good game to select on a night when you’re serving hot and spicy chicken wings!

As it turns out, the 5 Second Rule is simple to learn and simple to play.

The box says its for ages 10 and up but there are plenty of questions children younger than that can answer. Just modify the question if need be. The game contains a deck of 288 cards with 576 questions and a wacky sounding bright yellow 5 second timer. A designated reader reads the question to whomever you choose to be the first “it” person to answer. Every question is in the form of “Name three___________”. An example would be Name three cartoons, Name three NFL teams, Name three forms of transportation.

In the abstract, the questions sound ridiculously easy. In reality, you don’t realize how tongue tied you get when you’re in the hot seat. 5 seconds goes a lot faster than you think. Of course you can modify the time frame to make it age appropriate if need be. The trick is to not blurt out answers if it is not your turn. If the “it” person fails to name 3 correct answers, the next person gets a crack at the question but cannot use any of the answers that have already been said. The question continues around the table until someone gets all three answers or if everyone has had a chance to answer it. You can rotate question readers as you deem fit.

Since our family is a competitive bunch, we decided to keep a running score for the month. He/she with with most points at the end of the month wins a prize. Surprisingly, all were thrilled at the challenge and potential reward yet no one asked what the prize will be! Something small I’m sure.

The real prize is in the glory, the gloating and the bragging rights. If my son wins, life will be insufferable!

A true testament to the success of the 5 Second Rule dinner experiment occurred when we had a no-school snow day following the first night we played the game. After Max and Abbey rejoiced upon learning of their day off, they asked what was for breakfast and if we could play the 5 Second Rule during it. This, from kids who can barely muster up a good morning mumble. Big smile. Slam dunk.

What table games do you play at dinner time? Please share your secrets in the comments below. Thanks, smiles!

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Serve it up with kickass conversations with your kids. Repeat.