Not long before Anna died, our babysitter brought the Sims over for us to borrow after Alyssa had seen it at her place. She played it a few times and liked it. I’m relatively strict about TV/computer/Gameboy usage. My kids each get 5 tokens (hours) a week to use on what Ian just calls “electric”. When we came home from South Carolina after Anna died, Alyssa started playing more Sims. No problem with that by me, she was using tokens. I walked by the computer one day while she was playing and I was floored by what I saw: there was a young woman with curly red hair sitting on the lawn in front of the house, playing games with a little brown-haired girl. Alyssa was using this game to recreate the mama-lovins she was so acutely missing in her life right then. You can name your Sims, and, of course, they were Anna and Alyssa. Play therapy through computer games. I was so proud of her. I told her that while she was playing Sims, her tokens counted for double.
I’m Soooo thankful for my kids.
Missy
| 08-Jun-07 at 2:42 pm | Permalink
My daughter loves Sims, too. Modern day dolls?
Alyssa seems to have natural way of working through her grief.
You have wonderful kids, Jase.
Jen
| 08-Jun-07 at 4:10 pm | Permalink
That’s one smart kid you got.
Amy
| 08-Jun-07 at 5:31 pm | Permalink
the sims can be suprisingly good therapy. I played it a lot a few years back. That was in the old skool days of sims one! Alyssa is a great kid.
jessica
| 08-Jun-07 at 9:50 pm | Permalink
I see you are listening to IZ… that’s good therapy, too. Alyssa sounds like she is her own counselor, which children can be often. Whew. Heavy. Brilliant.
Malinda
| 08-Jun-07 at 10:05 pm | Permalink
I used to play Sims(1) in between studying and taking care of my family. It is great that your daughter has found a way to heal herself. You are a very lucky father. Smart kids are the best kids.
thordora
| 10-Jun-07 at 12:27 pm | Permalink
I don’t play the sims anymore. Too addictive. But when it first came out, I wouldn’t stop playing. good thing we had no kids then.
And reading this made me cry. But hey, I spent hours sitting on my mother’s grave crying, so i think Alyssa has a better grip on things.
I’ll have the rabbit and doll out this week sometime. Working up the will to finish the last ear.
bine
| 12-Jun-07 at 7:16 am | Permalink
she’s wonderful. and very brave.
as i think i said on your first “baby, papa, mama” post: your kids will get what they need. they will make sure of that. of course they grieve, and they will miss some things, but they are wonderful, clever kids, they live in a real, healthy family and they have all the opportunities they could wish for.