Family night,
What do you all do when you make the children eat at home and spend time with their relatives (including parents)? I generally prepare a dinner meal 6 days a week. Thursday through Tuesday as Wednesday is my go and waste time at the office day.

Normally, after dinner we sit and play games... but these are getting repetitive. The children are 14 and 10 but normally, one or more of my sisters kids are over (ages 21, 18 and 11) and often various friends. So the games have to be "expandable" and easy enough for the younger kids, without being to silly for the older ones.

what is a available:
Board games: monopoly, life, trivial pursuit (jr, yuppie and normal versions), risk and parcheesi as well as chess and checkers.

Card games: uno, blink, mille bournes, apples to apples

Naturally, we have lots of regular playing cards and play the following games: Rummy, Gin, Canasta, poker (mainly with the older ones), cribbage (we will play tournaments depending on the number of people available)

All these games allow for a fair amount of socialization while playing which is my point. I am an evil parent and only allow 2 tv sets in the house, one is for watching tv and the other is for playing games (usually) they are in the same room, as is a billiards table (10x5) and a few card tables and four computers (I'm the only one who gets to use a computer in a private setting (my office) helps to keep people honest. seems like a lot in one room but 20 years ago the house was used as a bed and breakfast and my family room is the old dining room that they added on... 50'x40', it still seems kind of empty.

So with winter fast approaching... what do other folks do to amuse the children when the weather is not fit outside? or do you simply let them hide in their rooms and not socialize?

They are not always at home but i like the interaction with them and the various people who eat at my table.

I often will set a table and clean and hone razor when everyone just wants to watch tv. if i could just get everyone interested in polishing and honing my life would be easier.

Any comments? this topic is should be more polite than the religion and politics ones, i hope.