Parenthood and gaming

I recently came across a topic on the GiantBomb forums concerning the fact that most game journalists do not seem to have kids. Like most good topic's on the Internet it quickly went off topic. The main question seemed to become if one should have children at all. One side of the argument raising the point that children are nothing but a nuance and destroy your life. The other side calling them childish and irresponsible. In short, your usual internet flame war where nobody listens to one and other. Still as somebody who became a father a little over 2 months ago it drew my attention.

Especially the idea that being a parent would just be for people who a) are wealthy enough not to have to spend their entire day on taking care of them or b) had little better to do and need kids to make them happy. These points can be summarized in the fact that somehow becoming a parent would mean ones 'normal life is over'. Just as one probably thinks of ones own parents as just 'parents' and not so much as individuals. But that is just me guessing.

I will be the last the argue that having children does not impact your life. The impact is pretty much like dropping a nuclear bomb on your life. No matter how much you prepare for it, it will impact your life more then anything else in life generally speaking. Especially as a man being an outsider to a 9 month pregnancy the impact of suddenly having a small life that you need to take care of in your arms is huge.

Of course I myself have experienced that our daughter needs a 'wee bit' of attention. But I found that, in terms of how much I game, it changed very little. A much bigger impact in my life was when I changed from being a student to working full time and serious relationships (living together, getting married). In short, growing up and having (other) responsibilities. Being 35 now most of these life changers are way behind me now. Gaming long since pays a backseat burner role due to these. Children are another responsibility. And perhaps they are scary because you can not simply walk away from them. A job you can quit, a house you can sell, a wife you can divorce (not that I am planning to, I love my wife! :P). A child you can not abandon. Well, at least not when you have any moral sense. And perhaps that is what the fear for children comes from more then these other things?

What I have found in terms of gaming is that now I have an interest in how other parents look upon gaming or combining their gaming hobby with children. For example; while I do not believe the anti-violence politicians, how do I handle playing ultra violent games with a small child in the house? But this question is no different from a parent wondering when they can watch more mature movies or tv-shows.

I belong to one of the first generations who grew up playing videogames (and never stopped). Ask yourself, did your parents stop watching tv, stop listening to music or stop reading books because you where born? Playing videogames belongs to this type of entertainment in my eyes. This view is not commonplace yet because videogames are still too often seen as something for children. This while the majority of games is made for adults and are played by adults. But if you view games for what they are, it's not that strange that when you become a parent playing games as home entertainment does not stop. It's no different for me than the thing gaming replaced years ago... watching tv.

Nicely written. It's inevitable as more people growing up playing games that there are going to be more 'gamer' parents.

Good read, I can't wait to have a kid and teach him/her how to Headshot a fool or get Phat Lewts while using none of those words.

I look after children, the ones that are 4 know who Mario is.

A good read. Hopefully, I'm a long way off being a parent because I'm still in college but I plan to game if I ever do have children.

Nicely written. Personally I know alot of gamer parents (both old and young) who regularly sit down with their kids and actively encourage them to play games via Kinect or the Wii.  Whereas this is not "regular" parent child bonding it is still bonding time. It also teaches the kids hand-eye coordination and other cognitive skills at an early age, as long as the gaming doesn't replace other aspects of the childs development  i don't see a problem with gamer parents. 

I remember when I was a kid I used to play Super Mario Brothers on the SNES with my Dad, passing the controller back and forth.  
 
When im ready to have kids i will definitely be a gamer parent.

Thanks for the nice comments. I also think she will for sure grow up playing videogames. And unlike 'non gamer' parents I do think I will know a bit better what will be suited for her and what not. Ironically causing her to perhaps just not easily fooling me into buying a game that really is not suited for her. You sometimes hear things like a parent or grandparent buying Grant Theft Auto or Call of Duty of a child around the age of ten.

I also am seriously looking at things like Kinect. Things like Kinectimals and Once Upon a Monster look great. But I think by the time she will be old enough to play around with them a newer version will be available. So waiting for that. And perhaps also will educate myself in the kids consoles like V-tec Smile. :)