However, alongside that, there are gamers who have parents that are quite strict, extremely dislike games, and always complain about their gaming habits, and I am one of them.
However, we have to learn how to coexist with the storm, how to get along with our parents while still ensuring our gaming needs are met. It’s not an easy task, but I have found a few key points to help achieve this, so if you find yourself in a similar situation, take a look at my following shares.
BALANCING ENTERTAINMENT AND STUDYING
For parents who are somewhat old-fashioned, studying is of utmost importance in every person’s life, emphasizing “every person” not just us gamers. Therefore, if outsiders are already judged by their academic achievements, we must also meet that “standard” in order to have peace for gaming. Although everyone’s study pace is different, not everyone can bring home good grades every year. Thus, we will employ the strategy of diligence to compensate for intelligence. We must show that we are hardworking and dedicated to our studies, or at least fulfill our academic responsibilities, such as doing homework and attending classes. This way, we can achieve effectiveness. Each of us has our own strategy; I use this one, and if you find it suitable, go for it.
My method is to make my parents see that I am studying as much as possible, so that whenever we “bump into” each other, I am always nose-deep in my books. Specifically, I observe my parents’ habits; in the morning they don’t talk much, and in the evening after dinner, they usually watch TV downstairs. Recognizing this habit, I play games during this time to relieve stress, and by 9 PM when the show is over, regardless of whether there are tests or not, I go to bed and do my homework. After the show, my parents often wander around looking for something to do, and most of the time, they end up checking on me, so if I play games at this time, I’m in trouble.
Normally I would try to avoid these situations, but now I have to wait until I’m in my room to show that I’m “studying”. Once they see that, my “trust level” increases, and when they go to sleep, I can turn on the game again. On weekends, when I’m home all day, I always play games in the afternoon while my parents are napping, and at night just like normal days, while the rest of the time is dedicated to my books. The key here is to understand your parents’ habits, knowing the right times to play and when to disguise it, so that they can see that there’s a balance between entertainment and studying. If they catch you gaming later, they will remember how you studied, and surely won’t complain.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT GAME GENRE
For old-fashioned parents who easily believe in false rumors about games from years ago, they think that if you play MMORPGs similar to “Võ Lâm”, you are addicted, and playing shooting games like “Đột Kích” leads to violence. Those two genres were often criticized in old news (not anymore now). Therefore, if you have parents at home, there’s a high chance they will intervene; you should choose genres that are a bit unconventional. Indie games, third-person perspective games, strategy games — as long as they don’t resemble “Võ Lâm” or “Đột Kích”, you’re good, that’s my personal take.
My parents think the gaming industry is dominated by just those two games; if anyone plays them, they are automatically addicted. There was a time I played “Kiếm Thế”, and they asked if I was going to sell the house to buy stuff and put money into it, in general, it was super annoying. But when I played more violent games like “The Witcher” or “GTA”, they would ask what movie I was watching. Perhaps because the graphics were too stunning, I discovered another trick: playing games with high-end graphics can be a cover. Although they might notice me pressing buttons, if I’m in a cutscene, they think I’m watching a movie, which helps me evade detection occasionally. Therefore, you should pay attention to which genres your parents are “allergic” to, and quickly choose different types to gain their temporary acceptance when they catch you gaming.
BEING A GOOD CHILD
I shouldn’t have to say this; being a good child can get you a lot, let alone being able to play games. I see some friends whose parents gently remind them to play less, yet they are very “determined” to argue, and as a result, they end up with no gaming console and no bed to sleep on. Just kidding, but they would come over to my place, and that approach is very wrong and will only worsen the situation.
What you need to do is show that you are a child that your parents have raised well. This may sound difficult, but it’s super easy; you just need to “put on a show” a little. For example, occasionally eating dinner with the family, after that, you can help wash the dishes, a task that your mom surely hates. Just by washing the dishes twice a week, your mom will be able to relax and watch TV happily during those times, and that achievement will be remembered longer. Or sometimes you can wake up early and clean the house to make it fresh; when your parents come down and see it clean, their son holding a mop is a radiant image. You can even just be polite, saying “yes” and “no” properly, and that’s already great. Just like me, doing that, no one dares to say anything to me. Since applying these methods, I no longer worry about anything, I play at the right times, protecting my health while enjoying games in a positive attitude without fearing interruptions.
Those are the methods I have applied to not only gain permission to play games at home but also help my strict, old-fashioned parents feel more at ease when they see me gaming. How about you all? If you have any good methods, please share them with us so we can apply them too.
According to Gearvn