The Bean Bonanza Bites the Dust

The epic saga surrounding The Bean Game continues…

I described the original version, as well as some of the more advanced and elaborate versions, in this post a few months ago. I also mentioned that it seemed Will was ready to join in as an equal (receiving no special treatment on account of his age) participant when Tom and I, along with our parents and siblings, came together around the kitchen table on Family (Bean) Game Night.  

While at the Lodge, Hallie decided that she too was ready to participate fully in Bean Uno, the version of the week. 

Bean Uno

At the end of each game of Uno, every player except the winner eats Uno Bean (see what we did there? Bean Uno, Uno Bean? No reason why the game shouldn't also educate the kiddos in a foreign language) that they shake blindly out of the box. 

We explained the rules to the kids beforehand, and informed them that if they wanted to play, they were expected to follow the exact same rules as the adults. After they observed a few rounds - and thoroughly enjoyed watching us choke down our terribly flavored beans - they agreed.

Dirt.

Rotten egg.

Will full-on celebrated when AJ had to eat a vomit bean.

Could he be more excited?

Tom was pretty thrilled as well. 

Just two boys, sharing a celebratory
hug at their sister's/aunt's expense.

Round one of Bean Uno went smoothly, at least until Hallie won and Will was expected to eat a bean. He cried huge, crocodile tears and pled his case valiantly, but rules are rules and we gave him a choice to either eat the bean or go to bed. He went to bed.

Will pleading his case.

Me giving choices. 

After Will turned in for the night (it was past his bedtime anyway, which may have factored into the crying), round two began. This time Hallie lost, and as a result, she LOST. HER. MIND. She too cried huge, crocodile tears and begged for a get-out-of-jail-free card, but we'd upheld the rules for Will and had to do the same for Hallie. She continued melting down…down…down…into the floor, where she eventually to rest and sobbed into the linoleum for 10 minutes.

The Bean Game is tough.

I don't think they're quite ready after all.

To be clear, we have never forced our children to play The Bean Game or to eat strange and/or disgusting flavors of Bertie Bott's Beans.