From being a kid I’ve always enjoyed playing computer games. I was first introduced to gaming as a child when I was bought my PlayStation 1. I would spend many hours flying around with Spyro, running from giant boulders with Crash Bandicoot and exploring caves as Lara Croft. As girly as I was, some would say I could be quite the ‘Tom boy’ as well. Over the years I’ve enjoyed playing many games on the PlayStation 2 such as GTA, Timesplitters, No-one Lives Forever and many more. The Sims 2 for PC was my all time favourite for a long time and I loved playing the Nintendo DS as well.
But when I started High School a girl who played computer games wasn’t considered ‘cool’ so I would hide the fact that I enjoyed gaming and after a while even stopped playing them altogether. That was until I met my partner who also enjoyed gaming. We were both 15 years old and we would just hang out, he was my best friend (still is!) and just play the Xbox 360 for hours. This was when I first discovered Bethesda the creators of Fallout 3 and Skyrim and found my love for gaming all over again…
After almost 9 years of being together, 3 house moves on, 1 engagement and 1 baby later, we’re still together and we still love playing computer games. Except since becoming a mum, gaming for me is something I don’t have a lot of time for at all anymore and something I feel embarrassed of admitting that I like to do.
I’m sure I don’t need to explain to you why I find it hard to find the time for gaming, I’m a mum and I find it hard to find the time to do anything but the reason I feel embarrassed to admit that I like gaming is because the idea of a nearly 24 year old mum wanting to play computer games seems weird to some. I don’t know any other mums who enjoy gaming, in fact none of my friends enjoy it either. So when the other mums are complaining about their partners playing Call of duty or Fortnite or when they say things like ‘I just don’t understand what they like about games’ I feel like I have to nod and agree. Or when someone asks me what will I do now I’ve finally got some time whilst Kory is taking a nap, I don’t feel like ‘gaming’ is an acceptable answer. Once again I am hiding my enjoyment for this hobby because I’m worried I’ll be judged and the only person I’m lying to is myself.
It’s like High School all over again…
But why should I feel ashamed because I like playing computer games? Because gaming like any of my other hobbies such as reading, crochet, crafts and blogging allows me to escape day to day stresses.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m done pretending I don’t enjoy something when I really do! I’m a mum who likes computer games and if that makes me a weirdo then I’m okay with that. I have a young son who is nowhere near ready to play computer games yet but when he is and if he wants to, I will encourage him to and I hope he won’t mind when his mum grabs a controller and joins in the fun too.
So the next time someone asks me what I’ll be doing when I get a spare minute, I’m going to proudly say ‘I’m going to fire up the PlayStation 4 and I’m going to roam the commonwealth with dogmeat find some loot and shoot some ghouls.’ Because when my child finally takes a freaking nap, if playing a computer game is what this mum wants to do then playing a computer game is what this mum is gonna do.
I’m proud to be a gamer mum!
Life as The Lonsdales 