Surviving the Super Bowl

Despite the fact that we live in Brooklyn — all of which is now plastered with NY Giants paraphernalia — our family is rooting for the Patriots in Sunday’s Super Bowl. My husband grew up in Boston and is a HUGE Patriots fan. He excitedly bought Tom Brady jerseys for the girls (N wasn’t enamored with hers because it wasn’t pink, but she says she will wear it on Sunday anyway).

For our family, this Super Bowl isn’t just a game. Thanks to the Patriots, our house on Sunday will be a cauldron of stress starting around noon, when the pre game shows start. (Actually, the tension is already simmering!)

I have been thinking strategically about how to make it through this weekend without killing each other. I came up with a few ideas for a Super Bowl “Survival Guide” — as of yet untested, but in theory it should work for Giants fans too.

SUGGESTIONS FOR SURVIVING SUPER BOWL XLVI:

1) Kick various members of the family out of the house at different points throughout the weekend. On Saturday morning I’m taking N to a kids’ film festival; Saturday afternoon, G is running his errands; on Sunday morning I will briefly escape to shop for a swimsuit for our upcoming Florida trip. (Come to think of it, not sure that’s really the most relaxing thing I could do with my time. But at least we won’t be sitting around in the same tense room for two days straight, driving each other crazy.)

2) Completely lower expectations for any housework or chores. Accept that G will not hammer down those pesky nails on the stairs that keep popping up, that we may not finish the laundry and that this weekend we will not be at all productive. I must keep reminding myself that the only thing on my “to do” list is to be zen and not strangle any members of my family.

3) Try to keep N busy and engaged in the kitchen rather than bouncing back and forth between me and G, trying to get one of us to play with her. On the menu: homemade chocolate chip cookies, homemade pizza — and maybe a game of “water princesses” in which N fills up a mixing bowl with water and splashes her princess figurines around in it.

That’s all I can think of right now, but I may be adding to this list as the weekend progresses. And any recommendations (or interventions!) are most welcome!!!

 

 

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