You might share the same roof, but how well do you really know your family? Family Matters Board Game is a get to know your family better board game that puts the fun back into family time. Playfully engage your family players aged 6+ to share stories, discover family trivia, do funny things, and win a "Weekend Wish." Creatively explore real life situations ("Fake Family Crises") from totally new perspectives!

Gathering your family into a single room is sometimes hard. Convincing family members to talk plainly and calmly about personal or emotionally charged topics is next to impossible. Effective communication has an amazing positive impact. Lack of communication can lead to serious consequences. So, "family matters" really do matter! Family Matters is a way to playfully facilitate self-expression and encourage collaborative conversation to strengthen families and truly enjoy each family member. Family Matters is the game parents will wish their family played when they were kids. And if you're a kid, you'll be glad yours did.

HOW DO YOU PLAY?
Players pile into the car, each taking turns driving through town, responding to questions and tasks along the way. Once everyone has driven, the car races toward the finish line (the "Weekend Wish") where players see whose idea of family fun will soon come true . . .

WHO CAN PLAY?
For families, friends and/or classmates aged 6 and up!

GAME OBJECTIVE
Players pile into the family car, taking turns driving through town, responding to questions and/or tasks along the way. Once everyone has driven, the car races toward the finish line (Weekend Wish) to see whose idea of family fun will soon come true.

Ages: 6 to Adult
Set Includes: 1 board, 180 cards, 1 playing piece, and 1 die.
WARNING: Choking Hazard! Small Parts. Not for children under 6 years.

REASONS TO PLAY FAMILY MATTERS

Family Matters questions promote increased interpersonal understanding and communication.

Family fun is the happy by-product as the game ends with one player's Weekend Wish (for fun) coming true.

Each player has an equal chance of winning, i.e., having their Weekend Wish come true.

Family Matters playfully addresses a wide variety of carefully-considered, real-life issues (aka "Fake Family Crises").

Fake Family Crises expands horizons as alternative perspectives (to each crisis) are explored.

Family Matters offers blank cards for families to add their very own crises (real or otherwise) to explore.

Family Matters fosters teamwork as all players ride together in the same car (token) - and take turns driving, too.

Competition can be added to the game should your family find it more compelling to play for points.

Here's what Family Matters play-testers said:

"Family Matters is smartly designed, aesthetically inviting and loads of fun. It opens up avenues for real engagement among family members- inviting communication, connection and fun! This is a must have for every family game closet- it gets to the heart of families in a way that matters.
- J. Wurm, educational consultant and writer, New York, NY

"This is such a great game for families to learn to communicate more effectively."
- Susan Meadvin, LCSW, CNM, New York, NY

"A game that finally puts parents and their children on an even playing field. Family Matters lets families deal with important family issues while having fun at the same time."
- L. Perry-Green, teacher/mother of two, Patchogue, NY

"Parents are always looking for fun ways to spend quality time with their kids and Family Matters is it! The game reveals how each of us see the world and opens up the possibility of talking about different issues with kids in a non-traditional context."
- M. Wechsler, mother of two, Brooklyn, NY

"My 11-year old, who hasn¿t found a board game he can't beat me in, really got into this concept of connecting the game to real life. We enjoyed the different kinds of questions and cool things like the "black holes." With other games there is no talking, just "Yeah, I got this card."
- E. Willen, mother of two, Brooklyn, NY

"Great fun! I was surprised by what I didn't know. [We now] see each other in an entirely new and different light."
- E. Sklar, father of two, Brooklyn, NY

"Ingenious! So inviting and bright; it looks like life! And those "fake family crises?" I love the categories."
- D. Franzese and her daughter, Patchogue, NY

"Family Matters validates the meaning of family time. I have been waiting for this game my entire career; it teaches children something I could never give them, not even as a teacher."
- J. Wolford, teacher, Brookhaven, NY

"I think it's a great family game that helps open the lines of communication. It's different than any game I've ever played before; it was actually fun pretending to be someone else..."
- J. Nolan and 13-year old daughter, Brookhaven, NY

"This game was great to play because it presented well thought-out questions and situations in a manner that each of us could play and feel like a winner. I was pleased that the game could teach my family how to think about some of the issues that we all face [in real life]."
- Maxine Lubner, Ph.D./Professor, New York, NY

"We loved the game. It was very interesting to put the kids in our shoes and have them think out a situation."
- S. Hamm, father of 2, Staten Island, NY

"Family Matters is a fun and easy game to play game designed for the whole family. It provides opportunities for important and sometimes challenging conversations to occur while teaching negotiation skills, problems solving and flexibility. It is an invaluable resource that allows for trouble shooting before potentially difficult situations arise. The whole family wins when playing Family Matters."
- J. Basner, mother of three, Brooklyn, NY

Child development product expert Stevanne Auerbach PhD, better known as Dr. Toy (www.drtoy.com), and author of the internationally best-selling book, Smart Play Smart Toys, said, "Family Matters is an innovative game that helps families to relate and communicate better. It is a wonderful new game that will generate greater understanding, a tremendous benefit to all participants - no matter what their age. Family Matters promises to be an exciting and educational game for all families to enjoy."