We played a game called “Flags!” on our last family road trip and the kids have become obsessed. I say “Flags!” because in order to do well at “Flags!” one must dominate their opponents both by seeing a flag on someone’s property and shouting “Flag!” but also by being boisterous enough to intimidate all other captains chair passengers.

What’s nice about “Flags!” is that a flag can pop up just about anywhere. Farmers fields, silos, wind turbines, “Free Puppies” stands. It teaches the kids about patriotism but more than that, it can startle you completely out of your seatbelt when you are having a quiet conversation about how a bill becomes a law when someone shouts, “Flag!” and begins their celebratory point tallying. This can only be a positive and undiscovered approach to weight-loss.

What I liked most about our last game is how Chloe reacted to the “Flags!” Firstly, we are uncertain at this point if she knows what a flag is, what it looks like or what it stands for. What she does know is we could be singing, “Twinkle Twinkle” and before anyone wonders what you are up above the world so high a voice louder than a movie theatre intro through a megaphone shouts from the back seat and high-fives anyone willing to accept.

“Twinkle Twinkle…. Flag!”

Chloe: ?

“Little Star…..Flag!”

Chloe: Guys, what are we doing guys?

“We’re playing flags Chloe.”

Chloe: Okay but guys, I don’t know what we’re…..

“Flag!!!”

Chloe: I am clapping for you guys but guys, what are we doing?

We walked Chloe through the process of looking out into field after field “Flag!” and finally “Flag!” after showing some “Flag!” understanding of what was happening, she “Flag!” got into the game. First by shouting “Flag!” immediately after someone else shouted “Flag!” making it seem as though she too was the first to see the flag and secondly by shouting “Flag!” randomly thus confusing the other players into thinking they might have missed a flag or even several hundred.

Then it hit me. The other night during the opening ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympics the flags of the world were flashing on the screen the entire width of the stadium. I thought Chloe was going to have a seizure.

She shouted “Flag!” and clapped until her voice became hoarse. “Flag! Flag! Flag! Ffffffffffflag!!!!”

“Guys, are we still playing?”