Can't. Stop.

Emma came home from school a few days ago and had a new game app she wanted to download.  She said one of her friends had showed it to her at school and she thought it was fun.

"I think you'd like it too," she said.

I said something noncommittal like "hmmm" because I don't like games and usually have about 30 seconds of attention span to devote to them.

I got her the game.  It's 2048.  Then I downloaded it too.  And it's like crack cocaine.

She and I both played it and then Braeden wanted to know what the big deal was so I downloaded it for him too.

The next night Braeden came home from school with all kinds of 2048 tricks up his sleeve.  I said, "How did you get so GOOD at this?"

He said, "I had teenagers telling me all day how to do it."

Since he was telling me some of the secrets to success, I chose to ignore the fact that he--and all his friends apparently--were playing 2048 all day at school.

(Why is America falling behind in test scores?)

Later that night we were all sitting around playing 2048 (Adam was out of town).  I said, without looking up from my phone, "Mark!  Why aren't you playing this game?!"

He said, "I don't have it."

I stopped the game I was playing and quickly downloaded it for him.

Emma sat in the chair across from me and I had a boy on either side of me and we were all playing 2048.

The zombie Apocalypse in our living room.

I decreed that as soon as the last person lost their game we'd stop and read scriptures and they'd go to bed.

The next morning Mark and I decided to just play 2048 for school.  I said, "There's math."

He said, "Tons of math!  And reading!"

"Yes," I said, "And history.  You have to remember what you did last time.  Learn from your mistakes."

"And science!" Mark said, "There's definitely a science to the game."

"Yes," I said.

Mark waggled his finger triumphantly, "And P.E."  Surely all that finger swiping counts for physical activity.

I took my walk and then we got assembled for school.  Mark said hopefully, "I know you were joking about 2048 being school..."

Yes.  I was.

(Adam is home and he has the game now too.  It's only a matter of time until he's better at it than I am.  Against my better judgement I told him Braeden's secret to success.  I should have enjoyed being better at something for just a little longer before giving him help.)