Overcome evil with WAR!

The boys at home are shy. When strangers come over they hide behind doors, refuse to speak, and stay out of the room. For the entire first week in my new home Zizu, the eight year old, still had his fingers in his ears, as an indication that he would not speak to me. Enzo, the six year old, might have been less shy, but followed the precedent followed by his brother.
But I broke them. After the weekend at the lake, during which I brainstormed thawing ideas with some friends, I broke out my playing cards. “Enzo! Do you want to play a game?” “Um, I guess” I taught him War, and after a few games, Zizu’s curiosity overcame his shyness and he insisted I play a round with him.
Since then, we play war every waking moment that we are both home. The hour that they must spend in the evening with their tutor is sheer agony – which Enzo solves by finishing up as fast as possible, but Zizu prolongs by getting up to come over to me every 5 minutes.
This week the boys are excited to see me in the morning. They answer my hellos and let me wave them off to school. Endless games of War is a small price to pay.