Pass the strop

We have a new game in our house. It's called pass the strop.  It's a really, really fun game and the great thing about it is that absolutely anyone can join in; young or old. The rules are very simple.

Firstly, You wait until there is calm and quiet in the house. It is very important to wait until any other players have finished their turn, thus leading everyone else into a false sense of security that this might be one of the rare moments when everyone is in the house is happy and contented. The element of surprise can definitely add to success in this game.

Secondly, find some small insignificant thing to get annoyed about, pick a fight with one of your siblings, decide that the simple thing that another member of the family wants you to do is the equivalent of cutting off your own leg or just generally have an inexplicable meltdown. The real fun of this game is that you can really make up your own rules, the options really are endless.

The next step is the really fun bit and you really can go to town here; have the loudest, biggest, longest strop that you can physically manage. Lie on the floor and wail, slam the door, throw things, be unreasonably mean to anyone who tries to speak to you, whatever you want. If you are in a strop you can do what you want; though the line should be drawn before you start attacking other members of the family, even if they are doing an excellent job of winding you up. Violence never ends well and will not be tolerated.

The length of the strop is important. It is not advisable to finish too early as you will not be taken seriously in the strop stakes and you will not win the game. Eek it out for as long as you can. Make everyone really suffer, you will feel so much better that way.

Finally, return back to normal as quickly as possible. Pretend that nothing ever happened and look at everyone with wide eyed amazement when they make reference to your strops though they are mad. You are fine now, so what is the problem.

We are incredibly good at 'pass the strop' in this house. It is like switching a light on and off; one flicks off and then another begins. It is like there is an invisible baton of stroppiness is being passed around our house.

Let it be said though, when it is my turn, I can strop with the best of them.

Pass the strop is available to play in all good family homes nationwide.