Fellow 30 Rock fan. My son is 10, disabled and I help him with everything. When I'm not spending time with my wife, cleaning or running errands, I do my hobbies while he's at school or after he goes to bed. He's not interested in games so we don't play together. You can still make time for your hobbies just have to work on time management.
I am a 45 year old gamer dad and i have four kids from 15 to 24. I gamed all through that time and still do and now i game with them. It was and is our time together. Happy mothers day.
As a gamer Dad, I have found my tastes have changed. I can't get into open world games anymore. They are too daunting. I stick with arcade-style games and retro games/handhelds. Happy Mother's Day!
Interesting, I am in the opposite situation. After becoming a dad 4 years ago I have been playing jrogs almost exclusively. The kid goes to bed and it is time for me to relax with a jrpg. Short arcade games or FPS games stress me out too much.
As a gamer dad, taking care of my kid is extremely rewarding. It also just hammers home the point I made 10 yrs ago that open world design, today, sucks. Just big games with nothin to do. If anything raising my kid gives me more excuses to not play those types of games anyways. 😂 (And if you say anything else regarding what I said about raising my kid and how I should want to raise my kid instead of playing video games, etc... Then don't bother. I won't read it and I won't waste my time on such a waste of a person)
Yeah that's the problem with modern gaming in general. Games being 20 + hours or longer. When you are a kid these things are fine. When you are an adult you don't want to be playing games for that long.
Before my wife and I lost my son during childbirth I was worried about how life would look after becoming a parent. My parents always would say " your life is over after you have a kid, you don't get to be you anymore." After everything we went through I don't really worry about this anymore, though I know my past self who was worried about this would have found this video really nice to hear. Thank you for sharing this for anyone who is afraid of becoming a parent and not being able to still be themselves. I am sure I wasn't the only person who grew up hearing that. 🖤
I am so so sorry for your loss. I really appreciate you sharing your story. Don’t worry, no matter what you do in life, always stay true to yourself! :)
@@femtrooper Thank you for your kind words and for saying that. I really appreciate that and I won't ever forget to never stop finding things I enjoy in life.
I’m a video game mom with 2 boys between 9 to 13 and working full time. I definitely dont have as much time as I’d like to play games, so I typically play weeknights from 9 to 11:30pm. Sometimes I will get a couple of hours each weekend day as well. I will say that even though my kids are older than yours, I still get mom guilt whenever I play. I feel like I should be spending even more time with them. It’s always hard for moms to prioritize their passions and interests!
I love this topic for a video. Me and my wife are planning to have kids and all any of my friends have told me is, "You're not going to be able to game anymore!" like ok, we'll see about that 😂
Happy mother's day Paige. I have a 18 year old son and he was only a couple of years old when the 2008 recession hit. Between "losing your identity" as a new mother and the world wide recession I missed a big section of gaming, predominantly the PS3 and Xbox 360 era. Considering JRPG's are my go to genre I didnt miss too much at least. Gotten back into gaming over the last 5 years, as well as my other hobbies, and you are correct that you need to make time for it. Very important to remember all the different parts that make you you. Fantastic video ❤
I also started gaming more after having the responsibility of being a parent. Pretty much took the same approach. Went all in on gaming and pretty much cut out some other hobbies but, i dont regret it because i also got into making content during that time. Great video!
I'm 29 and when i was pregnant two years ago, before my miscarriage, i always talked to my mom about being nervous about leaving my hobbies behind. Video games, comics, music, and theme parks are what i love the most. But she always told me that i wouldn't have to give them up or my identity. So many people told me my life would be over and she told me to not listen to those people. I look forward to the future of raising kids while still being myself. ♡
Wow, thank you for sharing your story! I’m so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. If you do ever have kids, you still remain YOU. I promise! I’m still the same nerd I always was haha 😃❤️
Happy Mother's Day 💐 Before becoming a Mom my gaming style of choice was World of Warcraft on the PC. I definitely wasn't able to game the same way with kiddos. The way I got back into gaming was rediscovering my love for handheld gaming. I can play here and there without disrupting the game. For example, while waiting for the school bus or I even sometimes play standing in the kitchen as I'm cooking 😂 Learning to find the little moments for yourself is important.
I know exactly who you were talking about when you said you’re not sure how people without kids say they have no time 😂 Happy Mother’s Day! Our Gamer Parents Hangout Discord is the greatest thing ever, thanks to you.
❤️❤️❤️ That means so much to me! It’s been going strong for almost four years now! Can you believe it? Literally one of my favourite things to check and maintain every day. So glad you’re a part of it! Happy Mother’s Day to you too!!! :)
Really well said! You spoke a bit to it but I feel like one of the biggest adjustments a kid brought into my life was making me much more aware of how I'm spending time. I don't just kinda laze around or scroll on my phone for an hour and then start something. Now, once that kid is asleep, I'm immediately starting something and maxing my time
48, father of 2 (19 and 16). I had to stop gaming 25 years ago because I moved to another country. Had to learn 2 new languages, the country 's culture, make new friends, find better jobs... Could get back to gaming 4 years ago as the kids could manage themselves. The portability of the Switch helped big time too 😊 Great video again, important topic.
Same stuff for me here! I find I might have more quality time to play games now than before. It's always been a juggle but I don't play "my" games when my son is awake, I always wait until after bedtimes for that! He and I will play games together which is awesome but I also try not to overdo it on screen time. I might have less time now as a parent but I'm so rich with happiness being a dad, wouldn't change it for anything.
Spinoff: Discussion about being a RUclipsr parent, balancing that aspect of life. (Kid walks in in the middle of filming a video) I don't have kids myself and don't have any plans for the future. Though if it ever does happen I know some gaming habits are going to change.
Happy Mother's Day, Paige! Love this. Being a dad is also why I go so hard with mobile gaming. People online poopoo on the Switch, but I was like 99% gaming on the Switch for most of it's life in handheld. The Steamdeck and PS Portal helped me switch it up a bit, but that's only because they now give me handheld options. Sitting on my butt in front of a TV just doesn't seem as viable as it was before kiddos. So I'm SUPER glad the market is trending in this direction!
And I know how the Dragon Quest Mom goes *The More You Know* For real, this was well done and I think any gaming parent might learn a trick or two from this 👍
Happy Mother's Day! 🌺 This was really interesting hearing your thoughts and insight being a gamer parent, even though I'm not one myself 🤣 Great video, Paige!
4:03 Wow this totally sounds like my college years. I didn't have much time outside of necessary coursework and socializing. Video games have always been my primary hobby, but my college schedule made pretty much anything outside of games fall by the wayside. It wasn't a strategy for me or anything, just kind of worked out that way. This was fascinating to hear the perspective of someone in such a drastically different situation than my own. Happy belated Mother's Day!
I appreciate this video so so much! I'm a mom who has gotten back into gaming the last couple of years and it's been so so fun! I went almost a decade not realizing there were so many games I would like and missed out on and I'm catching up now (I grew up playing and loving Final Fantasy games 1-10). I currently have two cute girls, ages 7 and 4 and have been still trying to get over the mental hurdle that a can fully enjoy video games without the guilt that I'm spending too much time on it or that I should be doing other things instead. My awesome husband always encourages me to do things I love to do and to simplify (since I try to do to much). It's so helpful to hear you talk about this topic and get validation in having confidence in what you love to do and not apologizing for it. Thanks so much Paige!
Dad here. My daughter is turning 3 this year. In the beginning when my wife and I were figuring how to adapt I rarely played any games. Only in the last 6 months have I really found a groove to fit gaming in, mostly at night after my daughter goes to sleep. Even then, it’s difficult to stay up as I approach the 40 year old mark. Looking forward to her getting into gaming and helping me with my back log. 😂 After 2 years I finally beat Elden Ring. It’s really about working with your significant other to make time for your hobbies. Communication is key. Great topic!
I only started gaming seriously about 5 years ago when my son was 11 but I found being a lot more regimented afforded me the ability to game. I have too many hobbies. I love to paint, I love to game, I love videography and our RUclips channel, I love working out, spending time with my family and our puppy Teddy. Basically as boring as it is, I have to have a time frame to get things done or else if the schedule is too loose I get nothing done because I have no plan. I don't feel like I can do just one thing because each of those things fill my bucket. I gamed harder last year and this year I've only completed 11 or 12 games so far (mind you I had a few RPGs in there that ate up some time). Much love to a fellow gamer mom. Always enjoy your upbeat nature and I'm always happy to see female gamers slayin!
It’s amazing how much time you realize you have in life when you become more focused and present. We tend to waste HUGE amounts of time when we have a lot of it. Then when we are forced into some kind of structure we didn’t have before often we find that structure focuses us to pick and chose what to do and thus can have the amazing benefit of focusing us on our values and how to spend our life. At least I feel this is the case with me. I often now struggle the most emotionally when I have too much free time on my hands that I have not decided beforehand what to do with. Love your videos btw!
Omg, this is soooooo true! I feel like I totally wasted my time before I had my son. Now I really go for it and try not to be silly with my time. And thank you!!!
Dad of a 20 month old here. I’m mainly playing from 6-7:30am (before my daughter wakes up) and an hour or so during nap time. She’s got a pretty reliable routine. I really try to not play in front of her, but one day she found my PS5 controller, pointed at the TV and said “Tifa!” 😅
Haha, that’s awesome! You’re in the thick of it with a 20 month old - I know how it is! I was still somehow beating games then though so good job for having a routine!
What gets me in terms of time management and deciding on what to do, i'm absolutely addicted to youtube, be it entertainment or informative towards my hobbies. The thing i need to do is work and the gym, because i'm into powerlifting, but my wants are gaming and youtube, but youtube truely just absorbs my time, i think i've been addicted to youtube ever since AVGN era lol, but now there are so so many content creators online i love to watch, their is litteraly not enough hours in the day to follow them all, from gaming channels like yours and Johnny to strongman/powerlifting channels, before i know it i put on another video to learn or entertain myself put it on pauze to get some stuff done back into watching stuff. I can go without, but as soon as im behind my desk instead of launching up steam or a console on my coach im watching youtube!! Now ive slowly switched to still have youtube in the background but have my switch in handheld mode on all the time. With a kid in the mix the time management to game is even crazier because you can allways just have youtube on and pasively listen/watch it while child minding/playing. Fun video, my best friends just had their second baby, and their so happy with their 2 little monsters, but their game time has definetly been cut in half to say the least, but they will help each other out so they can get to play their favorite games when they release, he loves Zelda and she loves pokemon, so they switch around their tasks to help each other get more time. Thanks for the video =]
@@femtrooper Definetly, i need to get over my youtube adiction, i went on workholiday for a while and brought my switch with me and beat so many games like persona 5 royal & Nier automata, that ive been meaning to get to for ages. Once home, back to youtube it is! I'm definetly going to put in more effort playing games instead of watching so much youtube, besides your videos offcourse... And Happyconsolegamer... and... Oe AVGN just posted a video~~ (Apreciate the reply, love your videos =])
The coolest thing about being a gamer dad was when the kids were old enough to join in. Some of my absolute best memories are playing games with the kids 😊
Thanks for this video! ☺ I'm due in August and a little concerned as to how it will affect my ability to game, something I've loved since I was 4 years old. Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to becoming a mum but I'm also worried about losing a part of myself. This is a conversation I had with my own mum recently as I realised - "hey you never really shared your hobbies with us". Hearing her say she gave up so much of herself to look after the 3 of us made me feel a bit sad really, and I hope to not repeat this myself. I remember one of your older videos saying how you sometimes got some down time between naps and played either Xenoblade or Dragon Quest. I'm looking forward to seeing how I adapt to this big life change.
Firstly, congrats!!! When you first have a baby, gaming is pretty much gone. Everything is. Don’t worry though, it comes back. Babies are tough, but it’s ONE stage that doesn’t last long. But I won’t lie, it’s hard and it’s mostly cause you’re not sleeping lol. My son used to nap as he got older (like toddler stage) and so I would play lots then! Now he doesn’t nap anymore but I just play at night. Parenting is wonderful but it has its challenges. You are going to do amazing!!!
@@femtrooper Thanks, I'm currently too tired to play much at the moment or even concentrate as the exhaustion has kicked in again. Been trying to play shorter games and a bit at a time when I have enough energy to do so. 😴 But yeah, deffo expecting it to not happen much when they arrive for sure.
Happy Mothers Day Paige. 5 yrs old kiddo time flies. The passion you bring towards gaming will rub off on him in a great way. He is a lucky boy having you as his mom. I am binge watching shows. Just finished the Bear season 2. I also watched murders in the building. Watching Under the bridge and Death and other details. Death on the edge of the World. Playing Devil in me. Looking forward to SH2 remake and Until Dawn Remaster.
Awesome topic! My kids are grown 23 and 19 so I have all the time in the world to play video games, well after work and adult responsibilities but still more time than before however I find myself playing less games than when my kids were little! This video helped me realize why. My time has been divided into so many hobbies I don’t put enough emphasis in any of them! After listening to you and your advice and the things you do, I need to pick a hobby and go hard! Also the how long to beat advice is really good! 😊 I can apply this to reading too! Thanks for a great video and Happy Mother’s day!😊
Im a new father of a 6 month old daughter. Lets just say its been such an adventure so far. I am also a huge nintendo gamer. finding time to play my favourite games, work a full time job, as well as run a small Nintendo youtube channel is something that has been a challenge, but I would never change what I have now. The last 6 months have been amazing and I can't wait to start sharing my gaming experiences with my daughter. You don't really become a gamer until you can honestly say you're living life to.
Wow! Yeah, having a baby is WILD. I put my RUclips channel on hiatus for a few years once my son was initially born but now that he’s old I’m totally back into it more than I ever was before!!!
Thanks for sharing! I find it wild that you also find time to put up content consistently on youtube too, on top of being a mom and gaming! i’m not a mom of a kid but a puppy but yeah i also have a hard time finding time to sit down and just game what with all the house chores i have to do, too 😂
I’m a mum to an 18 month old and I struggled at first with losing myself and my hobbies, but as time goes on and he got into his proper routines I manage to game most evenings if I choose to. As you say, I’m sure the future will bring weekend gaming marathons again but for now a couple of hours each evening is more than enough!
I‘m not a mom and I don’t want to become one but I think everybody can overthink how to spend their time. I often have the feeling that I don’t have enough time for the things I love but I think I can optimize a little, thanks for making me think about that! And happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms here! 💗
As a father with a 10 month old daughter I greatly appreciate your advice. I would always get jealous when I saw how often you post about games you beat lol. I’ve been trying to balance between binging shows, playing games and working out all in a single day. Now I see why I haven’t made much progress on either. Maybe I better start just dedicating days to just 1 hobby and rotate daily. JRPGs are also my favorite genre but I’ve only beaten one since my daughter was born which was Final Fantasy 16. Maybe I should start playing some shorter games also. Keep up the great content, and I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day!
It all depends on what you want really - if you wanna beat a ton of games, you gotta slow down on the other stuff but if you don’t care, just do what you want! It’s also hard with a really little kid, so I understand!!! You’ll get more time, I swear!
This is a fantastic topic most don't discuss enough here. My gamer wife and I do not have kids and are in our 40s now so it's not going to happen. Along with our jobs as an executive and as an training professional/elected city official, we don't have a lot of dedicated time to game as we'd like to either. As you mentioned, making time and making some sacrifices seems to be the main challenge. We do love to game with our nephews and our friend's kids, and I understand this is not the same, but we still enjoy it immensely. It is so much fun to experience and discuss the hobby that we love with them even though we don't have our own children. Props to you and your husband as gamer parents and Happy Mother's day to all the gamer moms out there!!!
I have a 16 year old and a 13 year old. Finding the time is hard when they are small, but it gets easier and easier. We have an annual tradition of playing through Super Mario 3D world 4 player mode. Around thanksgiving we start and usually finish mid December. It’s such a blast and we have made so many great memories doing it. Gaming with your kids is the best!
I'm a gamer dad and my son is 8 now.I introduced my son to gaming with Mario and Zelda around his 5th birthday.He loved Zelda de windwaker and now playing Breath of the wild,Tears of the kingdom and Ocarina on the 3DS on regular basis.He play's other games but i'm glad he wil remember Zelda and Mario for the rest of his life.My gaming habits did not change as a parent but i don't get enough sleep ;-)
Happy Mothers Day Paige. I loved this video and your insights. I am inspired by how you can complete so many games and do RUclips videos. I'm a father of 5. My kids all play different video games. I have been playing video games since the beginning. I'm 59 this year. I loved how uou filmed this video all dressed up. Your look is awesome. I'm glad you and your husband have individual hobbies and ones that you do together. I look forward to the future hearing about your family sharing games. It brought us all together. FYI. Your kids get better and surpass you in games. Its coming. I love to watch them play together. Having all 4 sons play Helldivers 2 has bern fun. I can't play shooters. I really appreciate your content. Thank you.
Fellow gamer mom (and runner) here. My kids are 5 and 8 and I started gaming during covid when they were 1 and 4. I play A LOT. I mostly stopped watching series and movies, that's where I found the time. And on the train to and from work.
Great video! As father of 3 kids (4, 2 and newborn baby) I mainly game when they are sleeping, starting around 8 pm. For me, the main difference is that I mostly switch to easy mode if a game is too hard. I don’t wanna waste my time restarting levels.
Like yourself, I found that I play a bit more than before my son came along. Routine helped with that. Kids force you to have a routine, and I find it's more awesome. Time is seen way more valuable as we get older. My son is almost 10 now and is a cancer survivor (which made routine even more important), we play a lot of games together, especially Minecraft, lol. My game time comes after he goes to bed and my wife is settled in to do her thing. So, I catch an hour or two most nights. But sometimes I choose a show or movie, or maybe my wife wants to stay up and watch something with me. Being a parent is awesome because it teaches you so many things.
Wow! I had no idea your son was a cancer survivor but so glad to hear about the positive outcome. That is absolutely terrifying so I’m sorry you and your family went through that. Sounds like we have a similar thing going on with how we game - I love it!
When my daughter was newborn, I played the crap out of my vita, sleeping on my chest while I played. Once she got older it was pretty much just early morning before she woke and at nights. Now that she is in school I pretty much game while she is at school and late at night. Switch was most definitely a game changer.
I was hoping to see a video on this topic from you! I am a mom of two littles (almost 1.5 and almost 3) and I realize I *need* gaming now to help me decompress from the constant stimulation of motherhood. Before kids I already had high functioning anxiety but I notice without even just 2-30 minutes of gaming a day, I get over-everything so quickly. Gaming lets me be a better mom to my girls. I am only just now the last couple months able to find the time after they go to sleep.
Happy belated Mother's Day. Good conversation to bring up. It really brings up the conversation that if you focus on one particular hobby in this case, you will be better at that hobby but you're sacrificing other hobbies. Parenthood amplifies that principle.
Happy Mother's Day, my friend! I love your viewpoint and commitment about gaming. I do feel that if there's a will, there's a way, and that if a person wants to do something, they'll work to make the time to do it. It sounds like you got that with video games and I really applaud your tenacity to do it! And very cool to know another fellow runner!
Really enjoyed this topic. My kids are 16, 13 and 11. We all like gaming but prefer different genres however i would say through my elder 2 getting into it, this reinvigorated my passion for gaming, and I think I enjoy the hobby more than I ever have
I'm 50, I have 2 teenagers, 15-17 and I've being a gamer since 1980...I saw eveyrthing coming out since then...so it's 44 years now!!! We begin playing together at video games like 10 years ago by playing Minecraft in building mode...it was like making lego, building castle and secret caves!!! I always continued my passion..I'm a magician (yes since I was 18!) so I continued reading, learning, practicing and performing magic, I'm passionnate about movies with about 1500 DVD collection (all bough before becoming a father!)....and video games off course!!!
you're getting to the point where he can start gaming some with you. my son is 5.5 and we've bonded over playing some simples games that he's now into. just have to set boundaries bc he can go allllll day
I'm probably what some would consider an old dad, I'm 37 and set in my ways - my daughter is just over one month old. I've realized things have changed in regards to playing videogames, and my free time overall. I honestly just like going into my game room now and sitting. I feel zen not even playing anything. So, I guess I am no longer set in my ways. I'm hopeful to share my hobby with her one day.
My God this video is everything! I am also a mom of a 4y old kid and I have the same feelings as you about hobbies and free time. I also just gave birth to my baby girl but this time its different, I have my Switch loaded with games and I play a bit whenever I have a little free time and it is helping me a lot to keep my sanity 😅. Love this video!
I'm 45 now but I remember when my son was 6 years old. We use to game a lot together and now he's 25 we may jump in and play. I mentioned him being 6 because I had to make a decision about the type of games I was playing. I was playing San Andreas around him and he was imitating things on the screen. One day he asked me, "Dad you want some hot coffee?" 🤣 That's when I knew at that time anything M rated had to go. I never let him play M rated games until he was an adult. So I loaded up about 50 games and sold them off. lol Now when he was much younger I pretty much had no time to play because it was all dedicated to him. As he got older and went out with friends then my time went up.
As a dad, I can vouch for everything youve said here. You have to schedule hobby time and you have to make choices between which hobbies to focus on. All my kids (14, 12, 10) play games, but they mostly have pretty different tastes than me. So, we are able to bond over games and share our different perspectives. It's really fun when our tastes overlap or one of us try something based on recommendations or watching the other play (my daughter is playing FF7 Remake based on my recommendation, and shes really enjoying it!). I'm able to get first hand exoerience of what Lethal Company, a game I would have never sought out, actually is because my son played a ton of it over the holidays last year. This stuff can be a lot of fun when your kids get to the age when they are finding themselves and developihg their identities.
Picking a set time, even if it's limited, works for me. There's a good solid 45 minutes between when my wife and kids leave for work/school and when I have to leave for work. I at least get that 45 minutes every day.
I have completed 5 games fully so far this year (platinum trophy) Prince of Persia The Lost Crown, Yakuza Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth, Persona 3 Reload, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Stellar Blade. I am currently playing Eiyuden Hundred Heroes. It is great to hear your take, doing things you love is really important!
Hey Paige, thanks for the video! Happy mother day(in advance)!! yeah I understand quite well you have to make time to do your hobbies but your right you have to make time for our family too! Take care!
I found it hard to play games when my son was a newborn and not sleeping through the night. Once he did start sleeping though…that’s when it all changed! It will come back, I promise!!!
Man this is such a cool episode. My daughter will be born in July and I'm mentally prepping to play games less. My fitness/business has taken priority recently and I can't see those taking a backseat to gaming even though I'd love to do them all with a newborn. Love how you say your time comes back bc I'll just have an even more enticing backlog to dive into 😁
My daughter is turning 10. Here’s something unique I thought I’d add to the gamer parent conversation: as a 90s kid I grew up with Pokemon games and I loved the story, now as a parent the other day I popped in Pokémon Yellow and what immediately struck me was how unconcerned Ash’s mom was about sending her child into the wilds filled with roaming monsters. Parental perspective moment.
I have 11y and 13y old boys they are totally into gaming and the best thing is we play together games like unrailed or TMNT. Good luck hang in there it is worth it.
I know it's not the same thing, but having a brother who was 11 years younger than me who was around me constantly while our dad and his mom were working, one of my favorite memories was all the time we spent gaming together. We'd do the 2-player thing on Final Fantasy VI about the time he turned 5, but even before then, we'd play Mario Kart or Spyro, or he'd just hang out when I was playing Xenogears or whatever and just constantly ask questions. I really cherish looking back at that time. Anyway, happy early Mothers' Day!
I really appreciated this video cause my son is a high energy toddler, has never slept well so been struggling for forever to reclaim myself and actually made it a goal this year so I've been playing more cozy games before bed cause I just feel so spent at the end of the day but occationally push myself to play something more demanding. But another way I've incorporated gaming is by finding games my son finds entertaining. He adores Kirby so I've done complete runs on Kirby forgotten world and dreamland deluxe. I just finished Mario 3D world and now finishing up Bowsers fury. I kinda want a second kid but I kinda like the routine we've fallen into and am a little afraid to hit reset back into survival mode with an infant.
Yeah, do what you think is best!!! Which I know can be hard. I’ve always known I just wanted one kid since I’m an only child myself so it was easy for me.
Not a parent. I do notice that I get a lot more done on a work day than a weekend day. So in a sense, when I have less time, I work more efficiently. On a work day, I get up early, eat breakfast in 20 minutes, clean the bathroom in 30 minutes, I go about my work day, I cook dinner, fold my laundry and do some dusting and then I have 2 hours left for gaming. On a weekend, I get up late, breakfast takes 40-60 minutes because I keep seeing interesting youtube videos. I get distracted while cleaning the bathroom and suddenly it's lunch time. Then I fall into a rabbit hole of music video reactions. I proceed to do some gardening and then call it a day. I game a little bit, cook dinner and game some more. And then I'm like: How is it possible I did roughly the same amount of housework as on a working day? But I guess it's also important to have those kind of lazy days. Because on a work day, everything is on a tight schedule which can be a bit stressful, especially when you think you're falling behind. While during the weekend it doesn't matter, so I can take a little bit of extra time to better clean the corners, or to rearrange my wardrobe. I think that's what would be hardest for me, if I would be a mom. Because being a mom means everything is on a schedule, everything needs to be planned out. Except if your kid is going to act up (having a bad day, or injures themselves or is sick), your schedule is ruined and there's nothing you can do about it.
I have two kids under 4 and I remember the time before but I don't remember having all the free time. I know I had lots of free time but I didn't appreciate it. I'm excited when the kids are slightly older and maybe get into gaming and enjoy this thing I love with them. If not, if they don't like it, that's OK. We have other activities to enjoy. My game time is basically my lunch break at work, haha. My backlog is out of control.
Can’t speak for my Husband, but I’m actually enjoying the restricted time I play now, compared to the endless hours we used to (of course there’s days I miss 24 hr binge sessions) I’m still playing the same style of games aswell. The most rewarding thing is seeing our baby grow every day, and the excitement of in the future hoping they will be into games as much as we are.
I been gaming since I was 3 my mom plopped me in front of the TV with a ps1 while she was on the Nintendo 64 sitting right next to me had 2 TVs right next to each other games helped me start on reading and basic math moms and games r awesome 😎
I have a 3 year old, and I game more and finish more games now because I am more intense about managing my time. I also found playing games that are easier to pick up and put down easily helps, so for me that looks like more racing, fighting and shooting games, and less RPG's.
Gamer Dad here! I like beating games too. Probably about 10 a year and mostly JRPGs so they take quite some time. I usually play early or late on weekdays. And then on weekends. Also, i usually settle into games and take my time but once i get past the half way mark I focus hard on playing daily so I can finish. Also try to pick like one or two JRPGs a year to play with my kids like Super Mario RPG and Tales of Vesperia.
Mine are older now (one is in college, and one still lives with us, but has his own career), so it is somewhat easier than when they were younger. I was very much involved in their activities when they were young (cub scouts, soccer coach, referee, gs cookie dad, etc) so I wasn't exactly knocking it out of the park in finishing games then or playing many JRPGs back then. So, yes... I know the challenge. Did they get into gaming? My son is a PC gamer, and my daughter takes after me involving herself into too many activities. She does game on the PS4 though.
My wife and I don’t have kids. We have fur babies two cats and a puppy. We don’t care to have kids it does not work for us. But respect for those who are parents and gamers
I'm a gamer dad of 2 girls one is almost 4yrs autistic and the other is 4 months today I can't really get into newer games nowadays I mostly play my polymega and retro titles I understand what your talking about I maybe play a couple hours a day but it's fine I enjoy being a father since I didn't have one growing up everyone needs time to themselves every now and then
Wishing you Femtrooper and to all the mother's a Happy Mother's Day and keep gaming or if your child is old enough, game with them, and hopefully that bond will develop and grow
God this is too relatable. I love having kids but geez have my freedoms changed over the years from the blessings 🙂 I wouldn't change it for the world tho
I delve into game collecting once I became a dad. I have a 10 year old daughter. The beginning was very challenging. She was interested and I had to fight the urge to not give up the controller lol. Now we bond over certain games but she has her own interests now and I've cut back on collecting but I still get a game or two in apex😄
For me it's gotten worse as they get older. Have 2 kids one of which is autistic and we do 4 different therapies. When you add in regular appointments like dentist etc, I can have up to 5 appointments per week, sometimes I have appointments every day and on top of that working full time. I used to try to game after they were in bed, but I was missing out on too much sleep even trying to get 1 hour of gaming in per night. I don't do anything else, definitely don't watch TV shows. I now have to wait until the weekend to do anything I want to do - and by then I'm exhausted. And the only way to get any time to game on the weekend is to ignore my whole family.
When they are older they'll look at games like: "eeeew that's lame, imagine being a nerd like mom" or they'll worship video games, there's no inbetween.
Now that both my kids have hit school age I do have time to game. Mostly handheld on my Switch. It makes it easy since my boys are into gaming too, so I'll play with them as well.
Love your perspective. I don't have children, but three dogs, and my wife and I also look after our mothers and so on and so forth So gaming or reading happens at night, from around 8 to 9. That is our time. By the way, as per your recommendation I have begun to play Harvestella. Thanks for convincing me that it isn't a farm sim
Its amazing how you are a mom and can still play hundreds of hours of video games. It really amazes me. While I have no plant to get married and/or have kids anytime soon for my whole life, its interesting to see the day and life of a gamer parents, or in this case, gamer mom. I guess I better spend the time I have while can because life and time are precious. Also, does your husband play video games as well. I'm curious. Also, happy late mothers day!
As a dad and working full time I find games that me and my kids can play together so we play a lot of the souls game together I have two kids 7 and 10 and both of them like the souls.
![CENTRAL CEE - GEN Z LUV [VERTICAL VIDEO]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VIbidJm9q34/mqdefault.jpg)
Fellow 30 Rock fan.
My son is 10, disabled and I help him with everything. When I'm not spending time with my wife, cleaning or running errands, I do my hobbies while he's at school or after he goes to bed.
He's not interested in games so we don't play together. You can still make time for your hobbies just have to work on time management.
100%!
I am a 45 year old gamer dad and i have four kids from 15 to 24. I gamed all through that time and still do and now i game with them. It was and is our time together. Happy mothers day.
Thank you!
As a gamer Dad, I have found my tastes have changed. I can't get into open world games anymore. They are too daunting. I stick with arcade-style games and retro games/handhelds. Happy Mother's Day!
Yeah, that can change for sure!
Interesting, I am in the opposite situation. After becoming a dad 4 years ago I have been playing jrogs almost exclusively. The kid goes to bed and it is time for me to relax with a jrpg. Short arcade games or FPS games stress me out too much.
I'm the same way. Open world doesn't work for me anymore.
As a gamer dad, taking care of my kid is extremely rewarding. It also just hammers home the point I made 10 yrs ago that open world design, today, sucks. Just big games with nothin to do. If anything raising my kid gives me more excuses to not play those types of games anyways. 😂
(And if you say anything else regarding what I said about raising my kid and how I should want to raise my kid instead of playing video games, etc... Then don't bother. I won't read it and I won't waste my time on such a waste of a person)
Yeah that's the problem with modern gaming in general. Games being 20 + hours or longer. When you are a kid these things are fine. When you are an adult you don't want to be playing games for that long.
Before my wife and I lost my son during childbirth I was worried about how life would look after becoming a parent. My parents always would say " your life is over after you have a kid, you don't get to be you anymore." After everything we went through I don't really worry about this anymore, though I know my past self who was worried about this would have found this video really nice to hear. Thank you for sharing this for anyone who is afraid of becoming a parent and not being able to still be themselves. I am sure I wasn't the only person who grew up hearing that. 🖤
I am so so sorry for your loss. I really appreciate you sharing your story. Don’t worry, no matter what you do in life, always stay true to yourself! :)
@@femtrooper Thank you for your kind words and for saying that. I really appreciate that and I won't ever forget to never stop finding things I enjoy in life.
I’m a video game mom with 2 boys between 9 to 13 and working full time. I definitely dont have as much time as I’d like to play games, so I typically play weeknights from 9 to 11:30pm. Sometimes I will get a couple of hours each weekend day as well. I will say that even though my kids are older than yours, I still get mom guilt whenever I play. I feel like I should be spending even more time with them. It’s always hard for moms to prioritize their passions and interests!
I definitely understand the mom guilt thing! My son is too young still to play around him - so only play when he’s sleeping.
I love this topic for a video. Me and my wife are planning to have kids and all any of my friends have told me is, "You're not going to be able to game anymore!" like ok, we'll see about that 😂
Oh, you can still game! I game tons but just in a different way.
Happy mother's day Paige.
I have a 18 year old son and he was only a couple of years old when the 2008 recession hit. Between "losing your identity" as a new mother and the world wide recession I missed a big section of gaming, predominantly the PS3 and Xbox 360 era. Considering JRPG's are my go to genre I didnt miss too much at least. Gotten back into gaming over the last 5 years, as well as my other hobbies, and you are correct that you need to make time for it. Very important to remember all the different parts that make you you. Fantastic video ❤
Thank you!!! Really appreciate it!
I also started gaming more after having the responsibility of being a parent. Pretty much took the same approach. Went all in on gaming and pretty much cut out some other hobbies but, i dont regret it because i also got into making content during that time. Great video!
Oh my goodness I didn’t know you were a parent too! Amazing!!!
amen!
I'm 29 and when i was pregnant two years ago, before my miscarriage, i always talked to my mom about being nervous about leaving my hobbies behind. Video games, comics, music, and theme parks are what i love the most. But she always told me that i wouldn't have to give them up or my identity. So many people told me my life would be over and she told me to not listen to those people.
I look forward to the future of raising kids while still being myself. ♡
Wow, thank you for sharing your story! I’m so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. If you do ever have kids, you still remain YOU. I promise! I’m still the same nerd I always was haha 😃❤️
Happy Mother's Day 💐
Before becoming a Mom my gaming style of choice was World of Warcraft on the PC. I definitely wasn't able to game the same way with kiddos. The way I got back into gaming was rediscovering my love for handheld gaming. I can play here and there without disrupting the game. For example, while waiting for the school bus or I even sometimes play standing in the kitchen as I'm cooking 😂
Learning to find the little moments for yourself is important.
Absolutely!
I know exactly who you were talking about when you said you’re not sure how people without kids say they have no time 😂 Happy Mother’s Day! Our Gamer Parents Hangout Discord is the greatest thing ever, thanks to you.
❤️❤️❤️ That means so much to me! It’s been going strong for almost four years now! Can you believe it? Literally one of my favourite things to check and maintain every day. So glad you’re a part of it! Happy Mother’s Day to you too!!! :)
Really well said! You spoke a bit to it but I feel like one of the biggest adjustments a kid brought into my life was making me much more aware of how I'm spending time. I don't just kinda laze around or scroll on my phone for an hour and then start something. Now, once that kid is asleep, I'm immediately starting something and maxing my time
Yep, you have to!!! And thank you! :)
48, father of 2 (19 and 16). I had to stop gaming 25 years ago because I moved to another country. Had to learn 2 new languages, the country 's culture, make new friends, find better jobs...
Could get back to gaming 4 years ago as the kids could manage themselves. The portability of the Switch helped big time too 😊
Great video again, important topic.
Wow! Thank you!
Same stuff for me here! I find I might have more quality time to play games now than before. It's always been a juggle but I don't play "my" games when my son is awake, I always wait until after bedtimes for that! He and I will play games together which is awesome but I also try not to overdo it on screen time. I might have less time now as a parent but I'm so rich with happiness being a dad, wouldn't change it for anything.
Totally agree! It’s such a fun experience being a parent so I wouldn’t ever change anything! I can’t wait to start gaming with my son!!!
Spinoff: Discussion about being a RUclipsr parent, balancing that aspect of life. (Kid walks in in the middle of filming a video)
I don't have kids myself and don't have any plans for the future. Though if it ever does happen I know some gaming habits are going to change.
Yes, having the channel is another added thing to deal with so it’s tough but I try and stay consistent to a schedule!
Happy Mother's Day, Paige! Love this. Being a dad is also why I go so hard with mobile gaming. People online poopoo on the Switch, but I was like 99% gaming on the Switch for most of it's life in handheld. The Steamdeck and PS Portal helped me switch it up a bit, but that's only because they now give me handheld options. Sitting on my butt in front of a TV just doesn't seem as viable as it was before kiddos. So I'm SUPER glad the market is trending in this direction!
The Portal has been life changing! I play so many more PS5 games now! It’s amazing!
And I know how the Dragon Quest Mom goes
*The More You Know*
For real, this was well done and I think any gaming parent might learn a trick or two from this 👍
Thank you! :)
Happy Mother's Day! 🌺 This was really interesting hearing your thoughts and insight being a gamer parent, even though I'm not one myself 🤣 Great video, Paige!
Thanks, dude!
4:03 Wow this totally sounds like my college years. I didn't have much time outside of necessary coursework and socializing. Video games have always been my primary hobby, but my college schedule made pretty much anything outside of games fall by the wayside. It wasn't a strategy for me or anything, just kind of worked out that way.
This was fascinating to hear the perspective of someone in such a drastically different situation than my own. Happy belated Mother's Day!
Thank you! I do understand that college can be nuts lol I did that too! You try and make the time you have for the things you love though!
I appreciate this video so so much! I'm a mom who has gotten back into gaming the last couple of years and it's been so so fun! I went almost a decade not realizing there were so many games I would like and missed out on and I'm catching up now (I grew up playing and loving Final Fantasy games 1-10). I currently have two cute girls, ages 7 and 4 and have been still trying to get over the mental hurdle that a can fully enjoy video games without the guilt that I'm spending too much time on it or that I should be doing other things instead.
My awesome husband always encourages me to do things I love to do and to simplify (since I try to do to much).
It's so helpful to hear you talk about this topic and get validation in having confidence in what you love to do and not apologizing for it. Thanks so much Paige!
Really appreciate the kind words!!! So glad people can relate!
Dad here. My daughter is turning 3 this year. In the beginning when my wife and I were figuring how to adapt I rarely played any games. Only in the last 6 months have I really found a groove to fit gaming in, mostly at night after my daughter goes to sleep. Even then, it’s difficult to stay up as I approach the 40 year old mark. Looking forward to her getting into gaming and helping me with my back log. 😂 After 2 years I finally beat Elden Ring. It’s really about working with your significant other to make time for your hobbies. Communication is key. Great topic!
I totally understand!!! Thank you!
I only started gaming seriously about 5 years ago when my son was 11 but I found being a lot more regimented afforded me the ability to game. I have too many hobbies. I love to paint, I love to game, I love videography and our RUclips channel, I love working out, spending time with my family and our puppy Teddy. Basically as boring as it is, I have to have a time frame to get things done or else if the schedule is too loose I get nothing done because I have no plan. I don't feel like I can do just one thing because each of those things fill my bucket. I gamed harder last year and this year I've only completed 11 or 12 games so far (mind you I had a few RPGs in there that ate up some time).
Much love to a fellow gamer mom. Always enjoy your upbeat nature and I'm always happy to see female gamers slayin!
Thank you so so much! :)
It’s amazing how much time you realize you have in life when you become more focused and present. We tend to waste HUGE amounts of time when we have a lot of it. Then when we are forced into some kind of structure we didn’t have before often we find that structure focuses us to pick and chose what to do and thus can have the amazing benefit of focusing us on our values and how to spend our life. At least I feel this is the case with me. I often now struggle the most emotionally when I have too much free time on my hands that I have not decided beforehand what to do with.
Love your videos btw!
Omg, this is soooooo true! I feel like I totally wasted my time before I had my son. Now I really go for it and try not to be silly with my time. And thank you!!!
Dad of a 20 month old here. I’m mainly playing from 6-7:30am (before my daughter wakes up) and an hour or so during nap time. She’s got a pretty reliable routine. I really try to not play in front of her, but one day she found my PS5 controller, pointed at the TV and said “Tifa!” 😅
Haha, that’s awesome! You’re in the thick of it with a 20 month old - I know how it is! I was still somehow beating games then though so good job for having a routine!
🤣
What gets me in terms of time management and deciding on what to do, i'm absolutely addicted to youtube, be it entertainment or informative towards my hobbies.
The thing i need to do is work and the gym, because i'm into powerlifting, but my wants are gaming and youtube, but youtube truely just absorbs my time, i think i've been addicted to youtube ever since AVGN era lol, but now there are so so many content creators online i love to watch, their is litteraly not enough hours in the day to follow them all, from gaming channels like yours and Johnny to strongman/powerlifting channels, before i know it i put on another video to learn or entertain myself put it on pauze to get some stuff done back into watching stuff.
I can go without, but as soon as im behind my desk instead of launching up steam or a console on my coach im watching youtube!!
Now ive slowly switched to still have youtube in the background but have my switch in handheld mode on all the time.
With a kid in the mix the time management to game is even crazier because you can allways just have youtube on and pasively listen/watch it while child minding/playing.
Fun video, my best friends just had their second baby, and their so happy with their 2 little monsters, but their game time has definetly been cut in half to say the least, but they will help each other out so they can get to play their favorite games when they release, he loves Zelda and she loves pokemon, so they switch around their tasks to help each other get more time.
Thanks for the video =]
RUclips is awesome but gaming to me comes first! You just have to look at your hobbies and decide which one takes priority! :)
@@femtrooper Definetly, i need to get over my youtube adiction, i went on workholiday for a while and brought my switch with me and beat so many games like persona 5 royal & Nier automata, that ive been meaning to get to for ages.
Once home, back to youtube it is!
I'm definetly going to put in more effort playing games instead of watching so much youtube, besides your videos offcourse... And Happyconsolegamer... and... Oe AVGN just posted a video~~
(Apreciate the reply, love your videos =])
The coolest thing about being a gamer dad was when the kids were old enough to join in. Some of my absolute best memories are playing games with the kids 😊
I cannot wait for that!
Thanks for this video! ☺
I'm due in August and a little concerned as to how it will affect my ability to game, something I've loved since I was 4 years old. Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to becoming a mum but I'm also worried about losing a part of myself. This is a conversation I had with my own mum recently as I realised - "hey you never really shared your hobbies with us". Hearing her say she gave up so much of herself to look after the 3 of us made me feel a bit sad really, and I hope to not repeat this myself.
I remember one of your older videos saying how you sometimes got some down time between naps and played either Xenoblade or Dragon Quest. I'm looking forward to seeing how I adapt to this big life change.
Firstly, congrats!!! When you first have a baby, gaming is pretty much gone. Everything is. Don’t worry though, it comes back. Babies are tough, but it’s ONE stage that doesn’t last long. But I won’t lie, it’s hard and it’s mostly cause you’re not sleeping lol. My son used to nap as he got older (like toddler stage) and so I would play lots then! Now he doesn’t nap anymore but I just play at night. Parenting is wonderful but it has its challenges. You are going to do amazing!!!
@@femtrooper Thanks, I'm currently too tired to play much at the moment or even concentrate as the exhaustion has kicked in again. Been trying to play shorter games and a bit at a time when I have enough energy to do so. 😴
But yeah, deffo expecting it to not happen much when they arrive for sure.
I needed this video. Kid is under 2. Thank you so much for your perspective as a gaming parent.
Oh thank you! That means a lot!!!
Happy Mothers Day Paige. 5 yrs old kiddo time flies. The passion you bring towards gaming will rub off on him in a great way. He is a lucky boy having you as his mom. I am binge watching shows. Just finished the Bear season 2. I also watched murders in the building. Watching Under the bridge and Death and other details. Death on the edge of the World. Playing Devil in me. Looking forward to SH2 remake and Until Dawn Remaster.
That’s awesome!!! Love to hear all of this!
Awesome topic! My kids are grown 23 and 19 so I have all the time in the world to play video games, well after work and adult responsibilities but still more time than before however I find myself playing less games than when my kids were little! This video helped me realize why. My time has been divided into so many hobbies I don’t put enough emphasis in any of them! After listening to you and your advice and the things you do, I need to pick a hobby and go hard! Also the how long to beat advice is really good! 😊 I can apply this to reading too! Thanks for a great video and Happy Mother’s day!😊
I’m glad I can help!!! :)
Im a new father of a 6 month old daughter. Lets just say its been such an adventure so far. I am also a huge nintendo gamer. finding time to play my favourite games, work a full time job, as well as run a small Nintendo youtube channel is something that has been a challenge, but I would never change what I have now. The last 6 months have been amazing and I can't wait to start sharing my gaming experiences with my daughter. You don't really become a gamer until you can honestly say you're living life to.
Wow! Yeah, having a baby is WILD. I put my RUclips channel on hiatus for a few years once my son was initially born but now that he’s old I’m totally back into it more than I ever was before!!!
Thanks for sharing! I find it wild that you also find time to put up content consistently on youtube too, on top of being a mom and gaming! i’m not a mom of a kid but a puppy but yeah i also have a hard time finding time to sit down and just game what with all the house chores i have to do, too 😂
Anything is possible when you make the time! :)
Thank you for this video! As someone hoping to embark on this journey soon, it’s very resonant.
Oh great!
Best part of being a gaming parent to me was playing the games with the children. It was real good times. I miss those times.
That does sound really amazing!
OMG Such good B-Roll in this video. The DBZ shot got me 🥲Your channel is so awesome, I look forward to every upload!
Aw thank you!!! :) 🙏
I’m a mum to an 18 month old and I struggled at first with losing myself and my hobbies, but as time goes on and he got into his proper routines I manage to game most evenings if I choose to. As you say, I’m sure the future will bring weekend gaming marathons again but for now a couple of hours each evening is more than enough!
Perfectly said!
I‘m not a mom and I don’t want to become one but I think everybody can overthink how to spend their time. I often have the feeling that I don’t have enough time for the things I love but I think I can optimize a little, thanks for making me think about that! And happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms here! 💗
Thanks!
This explains why I often see large amounts of video games at yard sales.
As a father with a 10 month old daughter I greatly appreciate your advice. I would always get jealous when I saw how often you post about games you beat lol. I’ve been trying to balance between binging shows, playing games and working out all in a single day. Now I see why I haven’t made much progress on either. Maybe I better start just dedicating days to just 1 hobby and rotate daily. JRPGs are also my favorite genre but I’ve only beaten one since my daughter was born which was Final Fantasy 16. Maybe I should start playing some shorter games also. Keep up the great content, and I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day!
It all depends on what you want really - if you wanna beat a ton of games, you gotta slow down on the other stuff but if you don’t care, just do what you want! It’s also hard with a really little kid, so I understand!!! You’ll get more time, I swear!
This is a fantastic topic most don't discuss enough here. My gamer wife and I do not have kids and are in our 40s now so it's not going to happen. Along with our jobs as an executive and as an training professional/elected city official, we don't have a lot of dedicated time to game as we'd like to either. As you mentioned, making time and making some sacrifices seems to be the main challenge. We do love to game with our nephews and our friend's kids, and I understand this is not the same, but we still enjoy it immensely. It is so much fun to experience and discuss the hobby that we love with them even though we don't have our own children. Props to you and your husband as gamer parents and Happy Mother's day to all the gamer moms out there!!!
Thank you so much!
I have a 16 year old and a 13 year old. Finding the time is hard when they are small, but it gets easier and easier.
We have an annual tradition of playing through Super Mario 3D world 4 player mode. Around thanksgiving we start and usually finish mid December. It’s such a blast and we have made so many great memories doing it.
Gaming with your kids is the best!
It sounds amazing!
I'm a gamer dad and my son is 8 now.I introduced my son to gaming with Mario and Zelda around his 5th birthday.He loved Zelda de windwaker and now playing Breath of the wild,Tears of the kingdom and Ocarina on the 3DS on regular basis.He play's other games but i'm glad he wil remember Zelda and Mario for the rest of his life.My gaming habits did not change as a parent but i don't get enough sleep ;-)
That’s so awesome!!!
Happy Mothers Day Paige. I loved this video and your insights. I am inspired by how you can complete so many games and do RUclips videos.
I'm a father of 5. My kids all play different video games. I have been playing video games since the beginning. I'm 59 this year.
I loved how uou filmed this video all dressed up. Your look is awesome.
I'm glad you and your husband have individual hobbies and ones that you do together. I look forward to the future hearing about your family sharing games. It brought us all together. FYI. Your kids get better and surpass you in games. Its coming. I love to watch them play together. Having all 4 sons play Helldivers 2 has bern fun. I can't play shooters.
I really appreciate your content. Thank you.
Wow! I love hearing all of this! And thank you! :)
Fellow gamer mom (and runner) here. My kids are 5 and 8 and I started gaming during covid when they were 1 and 4. I play A LOT. I mostly stopped watching series and movies, that's where I found the time. And on the train to and from work.
100% get this!
Great video! As father of 3 kids (4, 2 and newborn baby) I mainly game when they are sleeping, starting around 8 pm. For me, the main difference is that I mostly switch to easy mode if a game is too hard. I don’t wanna waste my time restarting levels.
Yep, I play a lot on easy. Yes, I don’t have the time but b) I just don’t care anymore lol no shame. I just wanna have fun and enjoy myself.
Like yourself, I found that I play a bit more than before my son came along. Routine helped with that. Kids force you to have a routine, and I find it's more awesome. Time is seen way more valuable as we get older. My son is almost 10 now and is a cancer survivor (which made routine even more important), we play a lot of games together, especially Minecraft, lol. My game time comes after he goes to bed and my wife is settled in to do her thing. So, I catch an hour or two most nights. But sometimes I choose a show or movie, or maybe my wife wants to stay up and watch something with me. Being a parent is awesome because it teaches you so many things.
Wow! I had no idea your son was a cancer survivor but so glad to hear about the positive outcome. That is absolutely terrifying so I’m sorry you and your family went through that. Sounds like we have a similar thing going on with how we game - I love it!
When my daughter was newborn, I played the crap out of my vita, sleeping on my chest while I played.
Once she got older it was pretty much just early morning before she woke and at nights.
Now that she is in school I pretty much game while she is at school and late at night.
Switch was most definitely a game changer.
The Switch is a MUST! I also love my Vita!
I was hoping to see a video on this topic from you! I am a mom of two littles (almost 1.5 and almost 3) and I realize I *need* gaming now to help me decompress from the constant stimulation of motherhood. Before kids I already had high functioning anxiety but I notice without even just 2-30 minutes of gaming a day, I get over-everything so quickly. Gaming lets me be a better mom to my girls. I am only just now the last couple months able to find the time after they go to sleep.
YES! When you take care of yourself, you can take care of others better!
Happy belated Mother's Day. Good conversation to bring up. It really brings up the conversation that if you focus on one particular hobby in this case, you will be better at that hobby but you're sacrificing other hobbies. Parenthood amplifies that principle.
Thank you for checking it out and listening! Means a lot! :)
Happy Mother's Day, my friend!
I love your viewpoint and commitment about gaming. I do feel that if there's a will, there's a way, and that if a person wants to do something, they'll work to make the time to do it. It sounds like you got that with video games and I really applaud your tenacity to do it! And very cool to know another fellow runner!
Thank you!!! And yay! I just started running three years ago and it has become my go to for exercise!
Really enjoyed this topic. My kids are 16, 13 and 11. We all like gaming but prefer different genres however i would say through my elder 2 getting into it, this reinvigorated my passion for gaming, and I think I enjoy the hobby more than I ever have
Thank you!
I'm 50, I have 2 teenagers, 15-17 and I've being a gamer since 1980...I saw eveyrthing coming out since then...so it's 44 years now!!! We begin playing together at video games like 10 years ago by playing Minecraft in building mode...it was like making lego, building castle and secret caves!!! I always continued my passion..I'm a magician (yes since I was 18!) so I continued reading, learning, practicing and performing magic, I'm passionnate about movies with about 1500 DVD collection (all bough before becoming a father!)....and video games off course!!!
Love all of this!
Wow that's really impressive. 1500 dvd collection.
Even though I'm not a parent, this video had some good tips for even the non-parents.
Glad to hear!
you're getting to the point where he can start gaming some with you. my son is 5.5 and we've bonded over playing some simples games that he's now into. just have to set boundaries bc he can go allllll day
I love hearing this!
I'm probably what some would consider an old dad, I'm 37 and set in my ways - my daughter is just over one month old. I've realized things have changed in regards to playing videogames, and my free time overall. I honestly just like going into my game room now and sitting. I feel zen not even playing anything. So, I guess I am no longer set in my ways. I'm hopeful to share my hobby with her one day.
Hang in there! They aren’t little for long, before you know it she’ll be talking to you and running around!
This is an important video, even for non parents. Thanks for making it!
Yay! That means a lot!
Thanks for the tips, Paige. You're awesome! 👍🏼
Aw thanks!
My God this video is everything! I am also a mom of a 4y old kid and I have the same feelings as you about hobbies and free time. I also just gave birth to my baby girl but this time its different, I have my Switch loaded with games and I play a bit whenever I have a little free time and it is helping me a lot to keep my sanity 😅. Love this video!
Thank you so much! I know exactly what it’s like!!! Keep gaming as much as you can!
I don't know if I could handle having kids, my 2 cats are a handful as it is. Props to the gamer moms and dads out there
Haha, it is a LOT of work but it’s great!
I'm 45 now but I remember when my son was 6 years old. We use to game a lot together and now he's 25 we may jump in and play. I mentioned him being 6 because I had to make a decision about the type of games I was playing. I was playing San Andreas around him and he was imitating things on the screen. One day he asked me, "Dad you want some hot coffee?" 🤣
That's when I knew at that time anything M rated had to go. I never let him play M rated games until he was an adult. So I loaded up about 50 games and sold them off. lol
Now when he was much younger I pretty much had no time to play because it was all dedicated to him. As he got older and went out with friends then my time went up.
Haha that’s awesome!
As a dad, I can vouch for everything youve said here. You have to schedule hobby time and you have to make choices between which hobbies to focus on.
All my kids (14, 12, 10) play games, but they mostly have pretty different tastes than me. So, we are able to bond over games and share our different perspectives. It's really fun when our tastes overlap or one of us try something based on recommendations or watching the other play (my daughter is playing FF7 Remake based on my recommendation, and shes really enjoying it!). I'm able to get first hand exoerience of what Lethal Company, a game I would have never sought out, actually is because my son played a ton of it over the holidays last year. This stuff can be a lot of fun when your kids get to the age when they are finding themselves and developihg their identities.
That’s so cool!!! I can’t wait until my son plays games like that.
Picking a set time, even if it's limited, works for me. There's a good solid 45 minutes between when my wife and kids leave for work/school and when I have to leave for work. I at least get that 45 minutes every day.
Awesome to see you take advantage of that time slot!
I have completed 5 games fully so far this year (platinum trophy) Prince of Persia The Lost Crown, Yakuza Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth, Persona 3 Reload, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Stellar Blade. I am currently playing Eiyuden Hundred Heroes. It is great to hear your take, doing things you love is really important!
That’s fantastic!!! Keep it up!
Hey Paige, thanks for the video! Happy mother day(in advance)!! yeah I understand quite well you have to make time to do your hobbies but your right you have to make time for our family too! Take care!
Thank you!
Very cool to see your pov as a gamer mom.
Awesome! Thank you!
I'm a Gamer Grampa....been playing Mario Kart 8 with my 6 year old granddaughter....WHAT A BLAST
That’s amazing!!! I love to see it!
Happy Mother's Day Femtrooper. I have 2 kids and a wife. Wife doesnt let me play. 😆
Haha, oh no! 😅
Thank you for sharing your experience, Fem. ❤
Happy Mother's Day btw!
Glad to share it! And thanks!
I have a 4 month old and my gaming time has definitely taken a hit. She's just now starting to sleep the whole night so now I see the light!
I found it hard to play games when my son was a newborn and not sleeping through the night. Once he did start sleeping though…that’s when it all changed! It will come back, I promise!!!
Man this is such a cool episode. My daughter will be born in July and I'm mentally prepping to play games less. My fitness/business has taken priority recently and I can't see those taking a backseat to gaming even though I'd love to do them all with a newborn.
Love how you say your time comes back bc I'll just have an even more enticing backlog to dive into 😁
Yeah, your game time will dip and take a backseat for awhile but then it comes back!
@@femtrooper appreciate your perspective! I was just a college student when I started watching you now I'm married and a whole father lol
My daughter is turning 10. Here’s something unique I thought I’d add to the gamer parent conversation: as a 90s kid I grew up with Pokemon games and I loved the story, now as a parent the other day I popped in Pokémon Yellow and what immediately struck me was how unconcerned Ash’s mom was about sending her child into the wilds filled with roaming monsters. Parental perspective moment.
Haha, I totally agree!
5:02 Amen!
I have 11y and 13y old boys they are totally into gaming and the best thing is we play together games like unrailed or TMNT. Good luck hang in there it is worth it.
That sounds amazing!!!
I know it's not the same thing, but having a brother who was 11 years younger than me who was around me constantly while our dad and his mom were working, one of my favorite memories was all the time we spent gaming together.
We'd do the 2-player thing on Final Fantasy VI about the time he turned 5, but even before then, we'd play Mario Kart or Spyro, or he'd just hang out when I was playing Xenogears or whatever and just constantly ask questions.
I really cherish looking back at that time.
Anyway, happy early Mothers' Day!
That sounds fun actually!!!
This is such a cute and wholesome video.
Thank you!
I really appreciated this video cause my son is a high energy toddler, has never slept well so been struggling for forever to reclaim myself and actually made it a goal this year so I've been playing more cozy games before bed cause I just feel so spent at the end of the day but occationally push myself to play something more demanding. But another way I've incorporated gaming is by finding games my son finds entertaining. He adores Kirby so I've done complete runs on Kirby forgotten world and dreamland deluxe. I just finished Mario 3D world and now finishing up Bowsers fury. I kinda want a second kid but I kinda like the routine we've fallen into and am a little afraid to hit reset back into survival mode with an infant.
Yeah, do what you think is best!!! Which I know can be hard. I’ve always known I just wanted one kid since I’m an only child myself so it was easy for me.
Not a parent. I do notice that I get a lot more done on a work day than a weekend day. So in a sense, when I have less time, I work more efficiently.
On a work day, I get up early, eat breakfast in 20 minutes, clean the bathroom in 30 minutes, I go about my work day, I cook dinner, fold my laundry and do some dusting and then I have 2 hours left for gaming.
On a weekend, I get up late, breakfast takes 40-60 minutes because I keep seeing interesting youtube videos. I get distracted while cleaning the bathroom and suddenly it's lunch time. Then I fall into a rabbit hole of music video reactions. I proceed to do some gardening and then call it a day. I game a little bit, cook dinner and game some more. And then I'm like: How is it possible I did roughly the same amount of housework as on a working day?
But I guess it's also important to have those kind of lazy days. Because on a work day, everything is on a tight schedule which can be a bit stressful, especially when you think you're falling behind. While during the weekend it doesn't matter, so I can take a little bit of extra time to better clean the corners, or to rearrange my wardrobe. I think that's what would be hardest for me, if I would be a mom. Because being a mom means everything is on a schedule, everything needs to be planned out. Except if your kid is going to act up (having a bad day, or injures themselves or is sick), your schedule is ruined and there's nothing you can do about it.
Ohhhh I get it. My work days are definitely a break for me.
I have two kids under 4 and I remember the time before but I don't remember having all the free time. I know I had lots of free time but I didn't appreciate it.
I'm excited when the kids are slightly older and maybe get into gaming and enjoy this thing I love with them. If not, if they don't like it, that's OK. We have other activities to enjoy.
My game time is basically my lunch break at work, haha. My backlog is out of control.
I feel this!
Can’t speak for my Husband, but I’m actually enjoying the restricted time I play now, compared to the endless hours we used to (of course there’s days I miss 24 hr binge sessions) I’m still playing the same style of games aswell. The most rewarding thing is seeing our baby grow every day, and the excitement of in the future hoping they will be into games as much as we are.
Oh, it’s super rewarding for sure!
I been gaming since I was 3 my mom plopped me in front of the TV with a ps1 while she was on the Nintendo 64 sitting right next to me had 2 TVs right next to each other games helped me start on reading and basic math moms and games r awesome 😎
That is amazing! Yay 90s!
@femtrooper she still plays mario kart 64 on a limited edition pokemon Nintendo 64 but my ps1 long since broke 😅
I have a 3 year old, and I game more and finish more games now because I am more intense about managing my time. I also found playing games that are easier to pick up and put down easily helps, so for me that looks like more racing, fighting and shooting games, and less RPG's.
Yeah, the Switch is great for that!
We see that background🔥the TRUE gamer sheesh.
Gamer Dad here! I like beating games too. Probably about 10 a year and mostly JRPGs so they take quite some time. I usually play early or late on weekdays. And then on weekends. Also, i usually settle into games and take my time but once i get past the half way mark I focus hard on playing daily so I can finish.
Also try to pick like one or two JRPGs a year to play with my kids like Super Mario RPG and Tales of Vesperia.
That’s fantastic!!!
Great topic
Thank you!
Mine are older now (one is in college, and one still lives with us, but has his own career), so it is somewhat easier than when they were younger. I was very much involved in their activities when they were young (cub scouts, soccer coach, referee, gs cookie dad, etc) so I wasn't exactly knocking it out of the park in finishing games then or playing many JRPGs back then. So, yes... I know the challenge. Did they get into gaming? My son is a PC gamer, and my daughter takes after me involving herself into too many activities. She does game on the PS4 though.
That’s awesome to hear!
My wife and I don’t have kids. We have fur babies two cats and a puppy. We don’t care to have kids it does not work for us. But respect for those who are parents and gamers
Thanks! Yeah, no one has to have them. 100% a personal choice! :)
I'm a gamer dad of 2 girls one is almost 4yrs autistic and the other is 4 months today I can't really get into newer games nowadays I mostly play my polymega and retro titles I understand what your talking about I maybe play a couple hours a day but it's fine I enjoy being a father since I didn't have one growing up everyone needs time to themselves every now and then
You sound like an awesome dad!!!
Wishing you Femtrooper and to all the mother's a Happy Mother's Day and keep gaming or if your child is old enough, game with them, and hopefully that bond will develop and grow
Thank you!!!
@@femtrooper You are very welcome. GAME ON!!!
God this is too relatable. I love having kids but geez have my freedoms changed over the years from the blessings 🙂 I wouldn't change it for the world tho
I totally agree! I wouldn’t change a thing but it would be a lie if I said I didn’t miss sleeping in on weekends and just playing games all day! Haha
@@femtrooper amen to that 🍻
I delve into game collecting once I became a dad. I have a 10 year old daughter. The beginning was very challenging. She was interested and I had to fight the urge to not give up the controller lol. Now we bond over certain games but she has her own interests now and I've cut back on collecting but I still get a game or two in apex😄
That’s awesome!
For me it's gotten worse as they get older. Have 2 kids one of which is autistic and we do 4 different therapies. When you add in regular appointments like dentist etc, I can have up to 5 appointments per week, sometimes I have appointments every day and on top of that working full time. I used to try to game after they were in bed, but I was missing out on too much sleep even trying to get 1 hour of gaming in per night. I don't do anything else, definitely don't watch TV shows. I now have to wait until the weekend to do anything I want to do - and by then I'm exhausted. And the only way to get any time to game on the weekend is to ignore my whole family.
Oh man, I’m sorry to hear all of that. It must be challenging but it sounds like you are doing a great job so keep it up. 👍🏻
Great video topic!
Thank you!
When they are older they'll look at games like: "eeeew that's lame, imagine being a nerd like mom" or they'll worship video games, there's no inbetween.
Haha, I know. Guess I’ll see what my son thinks!
everybody needs a awsome mom like you love.
Aw thanks!
Now that both my kids have hit school age I do have time to game. Mostly handheld on my Switch. It makes it easy since my boys are into gaming too, so I'll play with them as well.
I love hearing that!!!
Yay gamer moms/parents unite ❤
Yeah!!!
Love your perspective. I don't have children, but three dogs, and my wife and I also look after our mothers and so on and so forth
So gaming or reading happens at night, from around 8 to 9. That is our time.
By the way, as per your recommendation I have begun to play Harvestella. Thanks for convincing me that it isn't a farm sim
YAY! So happy you’re playing it!
Happy Mother’s Day!❤️
Thank you!
Its amazing how you are a mom and can still play hundreds of hours of video games. It really amazes me. While I have no plant to get married and/or have kids anytime soon for my whole life, its interesting to see the day and life of a gamer parents, or in this case, gamer mom. I guess I better spend the time I have while can because life and time are precious. Also, does your husband play video games as well. I'm curious. Also, happy late mothers day!
Thanks! He plays video games casually actually! I play games to beat them but he just likes chilling with sims or GTA.
As a dad and working full time I find games that me and my kids can play together so we play a lot of the souls game together I have two kids 7 and 10 and both of them like the souls.
That’s so cool!!!