Confessions of a Gamer Mom

It’s 8:30 a.m. and I’ve just finished off the evil Maester Seymour in a tough boss battle fought on the frozen crest of Mt. Gagazet. I’ve also managed to level up all of my playable characters and have gained three new abilities to boot. Now, I’m looking toward the ominous ruins of Zanarkand to learn more about the true nature of my main character. But first, I’ll make my kid breakfast.Yes, I’m a thirty-something mother and wife, but I also proudly wear another title—gamer. “But video games are so awful.” Just like Elvis, rock music and MTV, huh? I’ve heard the litany of negative accusations pointed toward the video game industry , but I’m not convinced it’s time to throw out the console and erase the memory cards just yet.

Children who grow up without the “influence” of video games are better off. For what? I myself am a child of the eighties when Atari and MTV were all the rage. I might add that we had none of these in our household. My childhood was filled with backpacking and whitewater rafting trips, which left me, as an adult, with a healthy appreciation of nature and a tremendous desire for all things “techy.” Computers, video games, digital music—I love it all! Should my family go camping or compete in multi-player mode on SSX3? My answer is: why not both? There’s room for gaming in any healthy childhood. It’s up to us to find the balance.

Video games contribute to the growing problem of childhood _________(insert health ailment here). I tend to think this accusation may have some merit—if your child (or anyone for that matter) spends countless hours playing video games everyday without the benefit of physical activity that requires more than dexterous thumbs. Just like limiting television, parents have to find a balance for their children. Will my kid play hide-and-go-seek outside or will he attack Crimson Guards on Jak II? Well, if I’ve made it clear that “game time” is not an option yet, the choice is obvious. Which would he prefer? Probably gaming. But like many kids who have tasted the fruits of fast-food, he would also prefer a Happy Meal to a turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread. Again, it’s up to parents to set limits and, for ourselves, to exercise self-control.

Video games are too violent for kids. Do you know why? Video games that have lots of blood, gore, killing and other mature themes aren’t made for kids. The gaming industry has done an exceptional job of establishing content ratings with age appropriate guidelines for virtually all games that are released. The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) goes to great lengths to spell out the details of game content (much better than, say, the movie industry does). The fact is, if you allow your six-year-old to play M-rated games like True Crime: Streets of LA or Silent Hill, you’ve only yourself to blame when the nightmares and bedwetting starts. Content ratings are beautiful things—read them!

Parents who play video games are missing out on quality time with their children. “Quality time” is one of those nauseating catch phrases that I find hard to stomach—mainly since the term means different things to different parents. Sure, I could take my kid to the pool or sports practice and spend “quality time” watching him adoringly from a folding chair. There’s nothing wrong with that. But for me, competing against my child on a simulated racetrack while discussing our strategies and sharing lots of laughs in the process is quality time. As for adults, many of my own peers and colleagues like to chalk up “grown-up gaming” as simply a means of reliving childhood or a way to enjoy a delayed adolescence. Tell that to my mother who, at age 53, is a proud gamer and Playstation owner. The truth is some of us like to blow off steam by playing a few rounds of golf; others revel in an afternoon of shopping at the mall. And for gamers like me, nothing beats a few hours of exquisite graphics, a compelling storyline and solid gameplay. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some leveling up to do.

Laura Gulledge, M.Ed. Mother, wife, gamer Teacher of journalism/media studies at Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City, AL