Being a Dad...and a Gamer - - DubTrey1's Blog

DubTrey1's Blog

Being a Dad...and a Gamer -

Posted on November 24, 2008 at 03:09 PM.

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Let me first start by saying that I have been a daddy for 5 and a half years - And it has been all good. I am blessed with 2 awesome kids. One boy (mini-me) & one girl (mini-mom).

The other day while watching some show about gamers and how the words "fanboy, gamer etc." have become a part of the lexicon of our day and age - It really got me thinking deeper about what games mean to us and our generation. I thought back to the days when I was a kid coming up in the late 80's and early 90's before I had a license to drive and had to pedal everywhere I wanted to go - and thought, How in the world did I keep myself from being bored all the time? My parents did not buy me a gaming system until I was around 14 or so, and even then it was only moderately entertaining at best. I still loved to go outside and ride bikes, play street football etc.

So now from that time going forward, the NES's and Sega Saturn's of the world came along and once I had a decent job and disposable income - I got on the gaming bandwagon. I have not looked back since.

Flash forward to the last 10 years of my life and I have a wife, kids, house cars bills blah, blah and am still engrossed and games, rosters, sliders, leveling up, perks, kill streaks and all that - And loving every minute of it. It sometimes seems like I have managed to have a great life despite of my gaming addiction.

Now I sit down to play and look to my left and see my son playing his DS and going to town on that thing, and periodically asking me to play Castle Crashers on the 360 - and we do. Surprisingly he does well at playing and manages to cruise right along with me (albeit button mashing away....) And It really becomes so very apparent as to how much the world has changed in what seems like such a short time. Gone are the days of father and son playing the ol' ball & catch in the backyard or tossing around the pigskin after school. This is where it's at. Me and him sitting on the couch playing games together and giving high fives to one another after we beat another boss together. It's awesome.

I mean sure, he's only 4 and things will change I am sure at some point and I will encourage him to actually get outside with me to play some sort of outdoor activity - but in the day and age of both parents working and kids being at daycare all day, they like to unwind too it seems. Heck, my little girl is only 2 and likes to just watch my son as he plays his games and giggles right along with him.

Maybe it's just me and my kids, but at their ages right now - I feel like I can really get into their world meld with them on things. They get to play with Daddy and at the same time have fun on their own. Seems like a win/win. Just thought I would share -

Comments

# 1 SHAKYR @ Nov 24

I feel you here. I have a seven year old and he's my gaming buddy. I just hate my wife always watching to see if I'm playing one of my shooting games...

# 2 DubTrey1 @ Nov 24

I hear you there too - I have to wait until he goes to sleep before I play GTA. I play COD:w@w but he does no have any real interest in that. Heads always down in his DS on that one. The only rule I have is mute everyone before the match starts....or plug in my headset and mute it.

# 3 RAZRr1275 @ Dec 12

Nice looking kids you have.

# 4 videlsports @ Jan 21

First of all this was a well written blog. Your Children or Beautiful as well. I think that's alot of us too. I was running all day outside and then the NES came and I fell in love with games. But i still did outdoor activites too. But THose systems you mentioned I had them too and man did I spend man of days on the couch LOL.

# 5 DubTrey1 @ Feb 3

Thanks videl. He is coming around fast. He got a Wii for Christmas and his sister got a DS. He loves the Wii like crazy, but still likes to peep out what I am playing too. Kids are so lucky (spoiled) these days. I mean, I did not get my first system until I was well into my teens. He has had a DS since his 4th birthday.... Crazy man, just crazy. I mean, and it must be the world we live in now cuz' the other day while he and his sister were sitting on the couch, he popped in Mario Kart and set up a wifi connection on his sisters DS so she and he could play together - THAT IS CRAZY - !! I do not even know how to do that and I work in IT man. SMH LOL!