Conversation Ping Pong

Jumping rope reminds me of the art of pleasant conversation. Both require timing and practice.

As the rope slaps the pavement and whirs overhead, you must find your moment to jump in. There can be no hesitation or the rope falls to an awkward stop. Conversation and jumping rope both require rhythm and guts to enter in to the madness.

I invented a game I called Conversation Ping Pong to give my daughter some extra practice. The object of the game was to keep the conversation alive. We volleyed questions back and forth to each other trying not to let the conversation die in our lap. We pretended to be other people to liven up the dialog when our own lives paled. I'd ask her if her husband liked his new job and what her twins were up to. What were their names again? Our made-up chit chat was not only entertaining, but gave her confidence and taught her the rhythm of a good conversation.