We know it's early for Father's Day, but it is Bowl Season and this message is really good for any time of year.

The Daddy's Day Bowl
by Joanne Reho

Characters
Ruth- An adult, female puppet who is an announcer
Martha- An adult, female puppet who is also an announcer
Voice of Robbie - A teenager (we only hear his voice)
Voice of Mr. Redman – A fatherly type of man (voice only)

(Ruth and Martha are on stage.  A large microphone is between the two puppets.   A scoreboard is near the stage.)

Martha- Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

Ruth- Welcome to the third annual Daddy’s Day Bowl.  This is the game where fathers demonstrate their fathering skills.    Today’s competition promises to be tough.  It may be the best game in the series.

Martha- On the Blue Team, we have Mr. Bob Bates and his six-month old son, Bobby.  This team has had only six months of practice for the Daddy Games, but the team shows much promise.

Ruth- On the Red Team, we have last year’s winner and still champion, Mr. Regis Redman, and his fourteen-year-old son, Robby. The Red Team has had years of practice for this contest.  Both teams have been working very hard on their fathering skills.  I feel that the competition will be tight.  

Martha - Quite right, Ruth.  So, let the game begin!  The Blue Team won the coin toss.

Ruth - That means that the Blue Team is up first.   The team has chosen Diapering the Baby as the first fathering skill.  This is a tough one, Martha.   It not only requires good hand eye coordination, but also a bit of diversion to keep Bobby entertained during the diapering experience. 

Martha- Wow!  Look at that technique.

Ruth - Mr. Bates has removed the diaper, cleaned and powdered the baby, applied a new diaper, and played an amusing game of peek-a-boo all in one minute.  

Martha – Look! Bobby is not only clean and dry but also giggling.  Mr. Bates’ multitasking skills are amazing.  We have the judges’ score…

Ruth - He got nine out of a possible ten points.  Mr. Bates got a one-point penalty for sloppy powdering technique.   Bad luck, but good score anyway.

Martha- I am impressed.  Next up, we have the Red Team.   They have chosen the fathering skill called You Can’t Always Have Everything That You Want.

Ruth – This is a tough one, even for an experienced father.   We hear Robbie asking Mr. Redman for the car keys.   Robbie adds…

Voice of Robby - I’m bored.  I want to learn to drive the car.  All my friends are doing it.

Martha – Mr. Redman hesitates for a minute.   Redman appears to be considering his options. 

Voice of Mr. Redman – Sorry, Robby.  You are too young to drive, but we could play a rousing game of chess.

Martha – And we have a winning suggestion!  Robbie has agreed to play the game.  An exciting game of checkers will end Robby’s boredom.  That was a great diversionary tactic by Redman.  

Ruth – But I’m afraid that hesitation may cost Redman a few points.

Martha – We’ll see.  I think the judges’ are ready.  Yes, here is the score.  Ten points for the Red Team.   The hesitation was a strategic move on Redman’s part.  Answers don’t always come easy when parenting questions arise, Martha.  Redman needed time to consider his answer carefully. 

Ruth – Well, it certainly worked this time.  Way to go, Mr. Redman!  Next up the Blue Team.  This talented duo has chosen Feeding as the next fathering challenge.   As we all know, feeding a baby is a difficult but basic skill.  When it comes to feeding a baby, the baby feeder has to be more than a good cook.
  
Martha – Mr. Bates prepares the food.  It looks like… yes, it is.  Mr. Bates has chosen oatmeal as his cereal of choice. 

Ruth - We might be in for some messy action.  I hope Bobby likes oatmeal.

Martha – I would have gone with oatmeal and bananas.  That worked great with my kids, but we all have our own parenting techniques.  Let’s get back to the action.  He places the spoon next to the Bobby’s mouth.  The baby opens it and…

Ruth - And… it’s a keeper.   Bobby has swallowed.   The second spoon of food goes in the mouth.   Yes, yes, yes.   Mr. Bates makes feeding a baby look easy.

Martha- Or Bobby really likes oatmeal.

Ruth – Here’s the score.   A nine?  These judges are difficult.  They felt Mr. Bates was a little too quick with the second spoon of food. 
Martha – Tough luck, but still a good score.  

Ruth – Next up is the Red Team. They have chosen Fatherly Advice for their category.

Martha – Oh, Ruth, this is a difficult category for any father.  Many relationships and lives have been changed due to good parental advice.  It is an awesome responsibility.  Let’s return to the action.   Robby takes a pack of cigarettes out of his coat pocket.  He takes a cigarette out of the pack.   The cigarette is lit.

Ruth - This is getting serious, Martha.

Martha – Redman walks over to Robby.

Voice of Mr. Redman – Son, put out that cigarette, and give that pack to me.  I’m concerned for you and your health, and I care about you.  Don’t ever smoke again!

Ruth - Great approach, terrific defense, and he showed concern.   The judges’ score is coming up.   Only a seven!  The judges liked the commanding spirit of Redman’s approach, but he should have gone a little more into other reasons not to smoke.  It is indeed a subject that needs more than a few minutes to handle as happens with a lot of fatherly advice. 

Martha – So true, Ruth.  I’m sure Mr. Redman will be earning more points on that and other major problems in the years to come. The Blue Team eighteen, and the Red Team seventeen.  The Blue Team is ahead by one point.  It’s a close match.  We are headed into the final round of competition. 

Ruth – I can feel the tension building.  With only one category left in this year’s Daddy’s Day Bowl a lot hinges on this final category.

Martha – The Blue Team is up, and has chosen Doing Things With Your Child as the final category.  

Ruth – Mr. Bates is picking up some written material and is reading to Bobby.  Oh my!  Bates has chosen to read a sports magazine to his six-month-old son.

Martha - I have to commend Mr. Bates effort.  Reading to children should start at a very early age.  I do feel that Mr. Bates could have chosen a more appropriate book—one with pictures of a ducky or a puppy dog.

Ruth - Let’s see what the judges have to say.  He got an eight, for a total of twenty-six points! 

Martha – Not bad for a first try at the Daddy Bowl.  I still think that cute and cuddly would have earned a few more points.

Ruth – Oh, Martha!  But let’s face it; at six months, Bobby doesn’t know a ducky from a football.  I’m sure Bobby just enjoys the words.

Martha – The Red Team is up.  The category is Appropiate Birthday Gifts.   That is a hard category for any parent of a teenage.  Right, Ruth.

Ruth - It sure is.  As they all are, Martha.  Parenting is a difficult responsibility.  Back to the action.   Redman walks up to his son and says,,,

Voice of Mr. Redman - Happy birthday, Robbie. 

Martha – Redman is passing a present to Robbie.  Robbie tears open the package.  Yes, I see it, folks.  There it is.  I see a smile on Robbie’s face.  He is now the proud owner of a skateboard. 

Ruth  – That could be dangerous, Martha.  Wait!  I see something happening down on the field.  Coming up from behind Redman’s back.  Yes, it is.   It’s another package.  Redman is taking no chances with this category.   He hands the package to Robbie.  Paper is flying everywhere as Robbie tears off the wrapper.  I don’t believe it.  This is an exciting move on Redman’s part. 

Martha – Yes, Ruth.  Redman got his son a skateboard and a helmet for his birthday.  

Ruth – Nice move!   Have fun, but do it safely.

Martha - That earns the Red Team ten points.  The Blue Team scores a total of twenty-six points.  The Red Team has a total score of twenty-seven points.

Ruth – The Red Team wins by one point!

(Party poppers send streamers into the air.  Party horns blow loudly.  As Martha and Ruth cheer and hug, the celebration ends.)

Ruth – Redman and Bates are shaking hands.  I’m impressed!  That is an excellent show of good sportsmanship.  Robby is off on his skateboard—helmet on his head, of course.  And Baby Bobby is falling asleep.   This was a great game.

Martha – Yes, our players did a good job. Just look at those happy kids.   I don’t think we have any losers in this game, Ruth.  With good fathering skills, everyone is a winner.

Ruth - Yes, I’m proud of today’s competitors.

Martha – I like what I saw on the field today, Ruth.   I’m sure after the game both teams will begin practice for next year’s competition.

Ruth – But as we all know, fathering skills take many years to perfect.   The skills and fatherly activities change as the child grows.  With practice, the father and the kids can all be winners.  

Martha – We want to thank all of the players in the Daddy Games for an entertaining and enlightening experience.

Ruth – To all of our fathers in the viewing audience, if you feel you did not win your own Daddy’s Day Bowl this year for whatever reason, there is always next year.

Martha - And the next year.

Ruth – And even the year after that.   Remember, practice makes perfect.

Martha – So, keep practicing those fathering skills.  Thank you for joining us today. This is Martha.

Ruth – And Ruth.  To all of our viewers we want to wish you a Happy Father’s Day.

Martha – We hope to see you for next year’s games.   May God bless all of you!

(More party poppers may be used, if desired.  Puppets exit the stage.)

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