When Parents Share Gaming With Kids

When Parents Share Gaming With Kids

May 8, 2007
At 2old2play you'll find The Impact of Being a Gaming Parent, a touching commentary by a mother who learned how to game with her son:
Being a gaming parent means more quality time with our children and more sharing. It gives us insight to what our children enjoy and gives us control over what our children do.

Progressing through the years from Super Mario 64 to Halo, the author shares the joy of gaming together:
We each would have our attempts at defeating the unbeatable bosses. I shared in the excitement when after 20 grueling tries he would finally beat a level or boss and I would bask in the hugs, kisses and pride when I beat a level or boss he could not defeat. And yes I even spent late nights while he slept looking for hints and walk-throughs.

The article turns thoughtful as the writer ponders the nature of the relationship between parents, kids and video games:
At some point as parents we can choose to let video gaming be another wall between our kids and ourselves or we can pick up a controller or put our hands on a keyboard and become part of our children’s lives... Parents have the opportunity to venture into the world of technology with their kids or stand on the side lines.

I challenge any politician to read this story and tell me that video games are bad for MY son. In fact the opposite is true. What you find in this short story of our lives is an experience of togetherness, love, understanding, friendship and sharing. One simple thing, gaming, it is what makes us closer. For some families it’s sports or music; for my little family it’s video games.
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Comments

Submitted by Chinisu - May 10, 2007 at 8:52 am -0500
I am so happy to see that there is a parent doing exactly that: They are not using the video game as a babysitter, and are instead sharing the much needed quality time with their child. It's bringing back memories for everyone here it seems. My father started me on the easy mode for Wolfenstein and taught me all of the buttons and how to look for secret doors :D and the same for Doom. He only let my brother and I play these games because there was always a parent around and they explained that aiming a shotgun at someone's face is something you can not do in real life. I know some children may have only one parent but as long as they do things like this the child won't grow up blood-thirsty. I love my dad :D He hates the all of this negative video game light too
Submitted by Anthony Gallegos - May 9, 2007 at 2:17 am -0500
You know I think this article pretty much shows exactly what is wrong with the study in the article above it. Socialization problems stem from a parents lack of developing with their child. Parents who game with their children, or at least don't look at their gaming passion in a negative light, can help their children develop to be just fine.
thanks for this.
Submitted by Blake Gripling - May 8, 2007 at 8:54 pm -0500
I agree with that entry, Jack Thompson doesn't know what's he's doing; it seems that he's some fanatic and that he wants to promote his stupid bureaucracy to people - Look, Jack, not all games are bad, you should understand what we kids are doing; I DO NOT delight in killing people in real life, Jack, the reason why you politicians have bad comments about gaming is because you guys HAVEN'T played videogames yet!! Please have a bit of understanding, Mr. Thompson...
Submitted by hayabusa75 - May 8, 2007 at 6:42 pm -0500
For me and my mom, it was Space Invaders for the 2600 all the way. Amidst all the bullsh_t by MC Thompson, this was a terrific respite, and we need to see more of it. This mother is the type of person the poli-punks are trying to get a vote out of, and the more people like her speak out, the less power the politicians will have.
Submitted by Strider_Dan - May 8, 2007 at 5:50 pm -0500
I remeber playing games with my mother. It was great (though I can't rember what we played. It was either on the NES or the SNES) I also played a bit with my father but he never played much.
Submitted by triphide - May 8, 2007 at 4:29 pm -0500
Well the story IS nice, but isn´t anyone reacting over the fact that the dear mother in question was up all night looking for walkthroughs and other hints and cheats? That is a cheating mother, if u ask me...:P
Submitted by Korrd - May 8, 2007 at 2:03 pm -0500
This is an absolutely amazing story. Very heartwarming and inspiring, this is what those of us who get it apsire to accomplish with our kids. Two thumbs up for twistedcaboose.

@ Grahamr
Yes, togetherness. Something wrong with that?
Submitted by Morkoa - May 8, 2007 at 1:35 pm -0500
For me I barly see my father becuas hes military. And when he gets home he is TIERD and the thing is he plays DoD (Day of Defeat, for you non-steamers) and thats the only time i get to realy interact with hi, we only get out like 2 times a month so i play DoD wiht him alot. Its the only way i can get to play with my dad and even my brother who is on the other side of town.

And we can connect this to war. Like the Article in the section gamers at war it says how they play alot over there. wll whay cant they have a internet connection back to home? play games with their friends and famialy. thsi would not just help the moral and hopes of soldiers and famialys alike but it would probalby help the Pro-gamers in ther debates with people like Rock headed JT.
Submitted by Rj - May 8, 2007 at 1:18 pm -0500
I remember playing video games with my dad, we would play Punchout till we developed blisters on our thumbs, then we would leave. He likes games like Ghost Recon and Medal of Honor in which any time I play against him, I get beaten very badly, last game it was like 20kills to 8 before we kit. Makes me proud :D, now we are playing Resistance on Co-op. For reference I'm 21
Submitted by GamerDad - May 8, 2007 at 12:51 pm -0500
GamerDad.com is a site dedicated to what this article is talking about. We've been at it for almost 4 years. That said, a terrific article I would have been proud to publish myself. Thanks GamePolitics for the link!

-GamerDad
Submitted by Kajex - May 8, 2007 at 12:21 pm -0500
This woman ought to be commended for writing such an inspiring piece that details her experience with her child and bonding through a medium that most people would normally disregard as something negative, and thereafter challenging politicians to disagree with her after listing what were only positive effects of these activities.
Submitted by jdmdsp911 - May 8, 2007 at 11:42 am -0500
This was an absolutely fantastic article. My dad and I were the same way when I was youger, playing a baseball game on our old 2600. My mom would sit and watch when I played Ocarina of Time and the PS1 Final Fantasies (particularly FF8) and now that I am married and trying to start a family of my own, this is the type of parent that I hope to be.
Submitted by Sara - May 8, 2007 at 11:59 am -0500
This is great, all these stories about video games being positive instead of negative is what we need to counter all the anti-video game propaganda out there. It seems like a lot of people have had positive gaming experiences in their lives based on this article and the comments posted, not just one person. As video games grow older and become an established form of media we will see more and more parents warming up to video games and playing them with children instead of letting children play alone for hours and then resenting it.
Submitted by GameClucks - May 8, 2007 at 11:30 am -0500
Now THIS is the way to battle the 'protect the childrones' crowd.

I'm reminded of one of my fondest memories from my youth, and in the spirit of the article, I will relay it.

My father was the greatest Pac-Man player I ever saw. We would go to Chuck E. Cheese's and he would get a crowd gathered around the machine just to see the next 'cutscene' where pac-man would get chased by a banana (or whatever.) He knew a trick where he could 'park' the pacman and the ghosts wouldn't find him. He would use that trick to go have a slice of pizza and a drink of pop, which always awed the spectators. I remember thinking, "My dad is the coolest." And he was.

I have other great memories of gaming with my dad, especially on the Atari 2600 (*ugh* did the pac-man ever game suck majorly) -- but to this day there are two games I will never be able to beat him at, Pac-Man and Golden Tee. I asked him why he is so good at those games, and he summed it up nicely. "No buttons to push."
Submitted by Brer - May 8, 2007 at 11:14 am -0500
For my part it was my father that got me into games. Specifically the various Sierra adventure games (I can't remember if The Black Cauldron or KQIII came first for me), then Zork. As the years went on I got more and more into PC (and later console via friends) gaming while my father spent less time doing it because he simply didn't have time and because games weren't structured appropriately for him anymore. As busy as he was (and is) he liked games that presented a mental challenge (like the puzzles in adventure games) he could look at and then solve while away from the computer.
Submitted by SolarisDeschain - May 8, 2007 at 10:51 am -0500
I've played video games with my father and my stepfather since I was a little kid. Our relationships are quite strong when we're playing at that.
Submitted by E. Zachary Knight - May 8, 2007 at 10:35 am -0500
My mom loves to play video and computer games. She plays a lot of RTSs and has a lot of fun. When I was growing up she played many games on consoles. She does not play to many console games any more but she still plays them.

My dad spends his time playing Hearts online. That is the only game I ever see him play.

As for me, I plan on playing lots of games with my kids. I am already starting. Unfortunately there is only so much a 3 year old and a 1 year old can do. They have a hard time controling the karts in Mario Kart :)
Submitted by RaZor - May 8, 2007 at 10:17 am -0500
These are the stories that we need to forward on to the mainstream press whenever they are tempted to say that video games are the cause of all our world's ills. Maybe I'll share this story with my g/f since she keeps saying that she would be worried if I was still playing games when I turned 30.
Submitted by The Random Villain - May 8, 2007 at 10:22 am -0500
@CaptainZM

I too remeber those days, however it took me much longer to beat him.

Too bad my games have gotten to complex for my family.
Submitted by Grahamr - May 8, 2007 at 9:28 am -0500
I like this article but...

"Togetherness"???

Come on, dude.
Submitted by Vael300 - May 8, 2007 at 8:47 am -0500
When I was six years old, my stepdad had a save file on Chrono Trigger that was saved with almost the entire game complete, up to the final boss. I accidentally deleted it, and he coulda killed me :D

Just a year ago we took turns playing through FEAR, taking turns dying repeatedly till we got past all the hard parts. That was fun.
Submitted by Samantha - May 8, 2007 at 9:10 am -0500
Great story, and something I can totally empathise with.

I'm 21 now, and regular gaming sessions with my dad are STILL an absolute must. He first got me into gaming with a C64, and we've been playing successive consoles ever since. I think the ramifications of having a supporting and engaged parent, or pair of them, taking part in the gaming experience cannot be overestimated. My dad and I are extremely close and having shared interests is definitely a huge part of that relationship.
Submitted by David Ikari - May 8, 2007 at 8:29 am -0500
Ah, the loving parent. One who is willing to understand their child's fascination with elements of the world, supporting independence and exploration, rather than caging them within set societal constraints. It's very touching. ^^

My mother was the one who gave me my first gaming console: an Atari 2600 and near on fifty games. She also taught me how games can be taken to excess, when she would play Donkey Kong Jr till one in the morning on the NES, and managed to complete all of the Cups in Mario Kart a week after I bought the game for my (read MY) N64. Now she dominates my DS for Brain Training. :P

If more parents could take in the idea that video games are, for a child, like any other hobby. A child who builds model airplanes, spending time away from friends assembling a pre-made kit alone in the room, pouring money and time into their projects, would be more acceptable than a child who engages in social gaming. It's odd. :/
Submitted by CaptainZM - May 8, 2007 at 8:35 am -0500
Ah, i remember Games when i was young. Playing Super Mario 3 with my Dad. Finally Surpassing him and never looking back : )
Submitted by Terminator44 - May 8, 2007 at 5:48 am -0500
Very inspiring. This is the story all the anti-gamers should read, but never will, as it does not support their agenda.
Submitted by Cerabret100 - May 8, 2007 at 5:57 am -0500
Of course, since when have anti-gamers ever listened to touching pro-game articles like this, or even reason.
Submitted by Greyson Fauchard - May 8, 2007 at 6:48 am -0500
True words. My dad was the exact same - heck, he got ME into gaming when he built a Heathkit, got the family a C-64, and then later moved into PCs and, later still, consoles. We'd spend hours working over games ranging from Frogger, Castlevania and Pilotwings to Doom and Myst.
Submitted by Alevan - May 8, 2007 at 6:51 am -0500
Finally, a parent speaks out!

My mother and I would play video games together when I was little. In fact, she'd read me the text as I cuddled next to her. It was one of the greatest moment of my life and the reason why I play video games a lot.

I hope Jack Thompson reads that.
Submitted by JB - May 8, 2007 at 7:29 am -0500
@ Alevan

Actually I remember reading a series of emails that Jack Thompson had with a mother / gamer and I beleive he responded to her with something along the lines of: "Got it, honey. I'll pray you have no more children."

How very "christian" of him?!
Submitted by dave - May 12, 2007 at 8:42 am -0500
As a parent with 3 kids ranging in age from 12 to 21, gaming is something that we do as a family. I watched my youngest daughter go from a child who had trouble reading to an avid reader in less than a year thanks to games like World of Warcraft. Gaming is a way for my wife, my children and me to bond and spend time together. It doesn't matter if it’s on the gamecube, playstation2 or on the computer playing mmos like WoW. I wholeheartedly encourage ANY AND EVERY parent who’s has a son or daughter to not only see what games they're playing but also to actively play the games with them. :)

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