You may be familiar with the “punch buggy” game where, while driving, if someone in the car sees a VW bug they can yell “punch buggy!” and slug the person of their choice in the shoulder. Well, we’ve added to that – as I’m sure many families have.
We can also yell, “PT Cruiser, give you a bruiser” (slug) or “Mini Cooper give you a whooper” (slug) and our latest addition “Mustang, boomerang” (swirl hand in front of another’s face, over their head, then whap ‘em in the back of the head).
Two things can go wrong with these games: age and exposure. Age is not a problem in our family since the oldest is just 9 and knows not to truly clobber his 6-year-old sister. But I can see where teenage boys and girls can do some damage. As for exposure, we played this on a road trip to Indiana this summer and by the time we got to West Virginia, our 6-year-old had had it. “I don’t want to play,” she’d plead as her older brother sang the make & model and punched her already-sore shoulder. Over-exposure also occurs when passing a dealership. Fists are flying in the back seat and I’m confused if it’s a comedy or tragedy occurring in my mirror.
I called a Time-Out after that trip. But I’ve since re-instated the game, and here’s why: Siblings show their love in many different ways. And, yes, I feel this is one of them. I honestly believe siblings feel the “he loves me enough to slug me” in addition to the thrill of competing in the game itself. I've been slugged by my brother and pinned and 'tickled to death' by my sisters - and I loved it (in hindsight, of course).
So whether it’s wrestling at home or slugging in the backseat, I want our children to feel the contact of their sibling’s fist from time to time.
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