What do your parents think about your gaming?

[rossatdi]

Most of us gamers started when we were reasonably young. Games consoles and games were always the big Christmas present my brother and I would ask for jointly every few years. So I suspect that most of you have a long relationship between your parents and your gaming.

Mine have actually been pretty good. When I was young I was set some pretty strict rules: 30 minutes a day during the school week, two 30 minute sessions each weekend day. Any gaming before Mum woke up on either days was free (hence getting me up early at the weekends).

As I got older I showed my Mum some of the more complex story games (Shenmue) which she was amazed by. She also enjoyed watching me and my brother playing together (either competitively or cooperatively) and similarly with my friends. My Mum is a teacher of primary level children (she teaches 8-9 year olds) and has defended games in her staff room several times.

Later on my Mum was a bit more disdainful of my brother's heavy Unreal Tournament obsession but that was more about the obsession than the game.

How about you lot? Been in screaming matches for one more game of sonic or are the folks relatively mellow about mario?

 

[oliveira8]

My mother always said "As long its not drugs or something that will get you arrested do whatever you want.". This reflected in the many times I left the country alone to go concerts, Dublin,London,Madrid.(yes as a minor you can travel in Europe with just a parents approval.)

 

[ROFLross]

Mine don't seem to care much, when I was younger and had a tv in my room I would just stay there and play on my own or with someone else - as long as I wasn't getting into trouble it was fine.

At the moment, I share the bigger tv with my family, so I can only play it either when they are all busy, when they are not there or during the night.

They don't seem to be bothered how long I spend on them either, and when they do confront me about me about the amount of time I spend playing games I use the excuse "at least I'm not out and about causing trouble, taking drugs and drinking."

Money wise they don't like me buying video games so often, lately I've been trying to get a game at least once a month, I try to rent video game regually; I prefer to spend my money on a video game than something like alcohol, since the games last longer.

 

[rossatdi]

My mother always said "As long its not drugs or something that will get you arrested do whatever you want.".

I always got the impression that mine were vaguely disappointed they never had to yell at me for anything like that!

 

[ROFLross]

I forgot to mention, when I was younger I was slightly obsessed with the Final Fantasy games, and I was damn sure I made them know about it.
So now, when I want a new game and it's from the Final Fantasy series, they know I'm not going to quit bugging them until I get enough money to get it.

 

[Stakhanov]

I got my dad into Shogun Total War when it came out. We're both big history readers so it wasn't a hard sell. I think he enjoyed the 'slaughter the prisoners' button more than anything else though.
When I was little my parents also said that I had to write a program in BASIC before I could play games and each program had to be more complicated than the previous one. Genius. That was almost enough to make me a coding junkie...

 

[thiosk]

being a social outcast > teenage pregnancy

 

[jsd379]

I really couldn't bring it up, my mom used to hate video games, she wouldn't forbid me from playing but anything I wanted video game wise I would have to get myself. Its funny but now she has actually watched me play a few games and realizes how complex many of them are and how much thye make you think. Personally I believe that I obtained a larger vocabulary because I used to play a lot of text heavy RPGs but who knows(sorry off topic but it was a point I explained to my parents)?

 

[oliveira8]

My mother always said "As long its not drugs or something that will get you arrested do whatever you want.".

I always got the impression that mine were vaguely disappointed they never had to yell at me for anything like that!

Oh and smoking! Smoking was the worst. She said to me once. "If I ever ever ever! catch you smoking I will beat you so much that I swear to God you will never be able to recognize yourself". See cocaine and muder is just disapointement but smoking is another level.

I think its cause I spend most of my time when I was at home complaining about her smoking...

 

[darrinwright]

Heck, my folks encouraged it since I was five. When I was young, they used them as incentive for me to do well in school (good grades = new game). My grandpa played almost as much as me, and I suspect he bought the NES for himself more than me.

 

[somekindawizard]

My mother always said "As long its not drugs or something that will get you arrested do whatever you want.". This reflected in the many times I left the country alone to go concerts, Dublin,London,Madrid.(yes as a minor you can travel in Europe with just a parents approval.)

Who did you see in dublin?

 

[kellenheller]

My mom actually encouraged it because it developed my hand/eye coordination very well. I've been playing games since I was like 9 and still do and don't plan on stopping. I've never had any complaints from my dad either, considering he plays them as well, lol.

 

[oliveira8]

My mother always said "As long its not drugs or something that will get you arrested do whatever you want.". This reflected in the many times I left the country alone to go concerts, Dublin,London,Madrid.(yes as a minor you can travel in Europe with just a parents approval.)

Who did you see in dublin?

I was there for 2 nights of Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band. I also saw Bruce in Madrid and Bilbao with the E Street Band. In London I saw Rush on the Wembley Stadium and if I managed to win a Led Zeppelin ticket I would have seen them to.

 

[O277]

I'm so Ninja they don't know *shifty eyes*

But in all seriousness, they never gave a tiny rats ass.

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

My mum reckons gaming makes you more aggro. If my brother and I start arguing over a game, she immediately blames the game/console.
Other than that, she doesn't really pay much attention

 

[Medic Heavy]

My parents?

God they hate that I play games. Every time I talk to them about how Fox or CBC are doing terrible journalism against video games they defend CBC or Fox. After they realized I play video games quite a bit they just stoped buying games for me. Because I'm under 18 I get my brother to buy me M games (nice guy).

They always try to convince me to play football or more hockey or maybe even some hockey lessons I don't think my parents have come to grips yet that i really enjoy playing video games and that my being more sportive is gonna make me hate video games all of a sudden.

 

[Magic Murder Bag]

My parents were always cool about gaming although I get the feeling they were faintly disappointed that I wasn't outdoorsy and sporty. I had a Commodore 64 from very young, then a Megadrive from about 9 or 10 and they were always generous with the time they'd let me play.

My mum especially doesn't get why I like games like GTA now though but then that's because she tends to believe what the Daily Mail says about gaming (I don't know what the US equivalent would be, Fox news maybe?).

 

[Insomniactk]

My dad hates it... ALOT... Mum doesn't care so much I think.

 

[Wormthong]

\care