Zoinks!

Zoinks! I have created a monster!!

I have really enjoyed introducing new activities to Tanner over the past few years. At the age of three, I taught him how to fishing and was thrilled to buy him his own pole, provide instruction, and watch as he learned to use it.

He started riding a classic Schwinn Pixie at about the same age, and as he progressed with his riding skills, I upgraded him to a sweet little Gary Fisher mountain bike that he now rides effortlessly. I recall the day he got the mountain bike as if it were yesterday. He was very excited and just couldn’t wait to ride it.

At the age of five, we started focusing on baseball, and I experienced the same joy giving him a glove, his own batting helmet, and cleats as I did with the fishing pole and the mountain bike.

It just feels good to offer new experiences and have him soak them up with delight and enthusiasm.

And then, about three months ago, I introduced Tanner to my Sony Playstation, and as of today, I will start rethinking what it is I bring into his life.

I know. I know. Why did I intentionally introduce video games in our house? Well, at first it started off as a rainy day activity. We have had some big storms this past winter, and after our rain hikes, we would come home and hunker down for the day. With a fire going and hot chocolate poured, we would fire up the PS2 and play a motorcycle racing game that I considered harmless and actually enjoyed even more because Tanner could play along with me. We had some great times, and it was simply another fun way to bond.

Yes. Well. And then I pushed it a bit too far. Not too long ago I started introducing Tanner to all the classic cartoons I used to watch as a kid. Let’s see, there’s The Jetsons, Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones and good ol’ Bugs Bunny to name a few. In particular though, Tanner has taken a liking to Scooby Doo. Looking back, he likes it for the same reasons I did as a kid. There are the creepy monsters, a gang of kids looking for clues to solve the mystery, and then finally the climax at the end where the “meddling kids” uncover who is behind the current mystery. It’s a classic.

Knowing how much he likes Scooby, and motivated by the fact that Tanner has been doing well in school, I couldn’t pass up purchasing a Scooby Doo video game when I came across one.

I will say that it is a cool game. It has a large series of levels that Scooby has to complete. There are clues to find and tools to help you battle the monsters along the way. It’s entertaining and I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I enjoy it too. Aside from that, I just love the excitement he brings to the game along with the fact that he occasionally hands me the controller because he gets too nervous to challenge a Zombie or the Black Knight. It’s a cute reaction.

What’s not cute is that I have officially opened the “Scooby Doo can of worms” and Tanner is now obsessed with the Scooby Doo video game. It’s all he seems to think about.

I picked him up at school a few days back and I hadn’t even given him a hug or exchanged a word with him when he began pressuring me to go home and play Scooby.

This morning he strolled out of his room, looked me straight in the eye and said, “You said I could play Scooby this morning.” Huh? I’m not exactly a spring chicken, but I do think I would remember telling him, right? Who’s playing video games in the early morning before school?! Um, it won’t be Tanner.

What started off as one of those things I had hoped to introduce and place in the mix of “occasional activities” has really turned into a pain in the ass for me. He can’t seem to let it go, and I’m going ding-dong continually telling him that we won’t be playing Scooby in the morning or immediately after school. He hears me, but he isn’t listening and he keeps asking.

So, as of this morning, I’m done with it. I love his passion for the game, the laughs we have playing it together, along with watching him learn the game and progress, but the obsession has now outweighed the fun and I can’t keep saying no.

I’m open to hear from you on my next move because the truth is I’m still trying to figure it out myself. I’m thinking perhaps video games on the weekends only… if he has had a good week in school? I need to think this through a bit more as I have just decided today that there isn’t enough room in this house for the three of us. Scooby Doo just takes up too much room and dominates all or our conversation these days!

Tagged as: kids, single-parent, video-games