Once a Gamer, Always a Gamer

When I was a freshman in college we had to list our hobbies, major, etc. for the Who's New catalog that every incoming student was given. I struggled with what my hobbies were and eventually listed film and video games.

My husband says they referred to it as the Who's Hot instead of the Who's New.

He also pointed out that I was the only girl who listed video games as a hobby which was part of the reason he picked up the phone and called me.

So..I'm a gamer. Or I was before the kids. I'm not ashamed. I have arrows imprinted in my thumbs as a result of the hours I spent on Nintendo. Y. and I spent so much time we actually recorded ourselves once. We watched it back later and couldn't stop laughing at our ridiculousness! We yelled at each other, at the screen...we were completely engrossed...and happy.

I don't have the answers to life. I don't know how much "screen time" kids should have. We try to limit it. But how am I supposed to limit video game time when it brought me so much joy? I spent the better part of today researching hack codes for a video game. My son and I watched you tube video of gamers beating Mario Kart and then got online and tried all of the moves, cheats, etc. Do I think that I am helping him change the world? Make a difference? Achieve world peace? Probably not. But it's hard for me to say no when every part of me says yes. This is a world I know. And I love.

When I listed video games as a hobby I wasn't trying to score a date. I was being honest. I can try to pretend I am mother of the year but truth is I have no idea how to hem or bake cupcakes or garden. But I can respect being late for an event if it means beating the next level. My fingers move fast and my eyes move even faster across a screen. I gave up a lot of my video game time b/c I knew it was an obsession and wasn't always healthy for me. I knew I could get lost for hours and I had to beat what was an addiction... but when the 8 year old says,

"Mom, that was a good start. Now if you'll only listen to me and take the shortcuts and not die, you can play this game."

Well, then I know that I gave birth to a gamer. And I'm proud of him. He can change the world... one level at a time.