I really do like when my children develop a passion, but when do you question whether passion has become obession?
Both of my two cubs have gone through the usual boy passions of transporation, construction, arachnids and insects. The older offspring followed his father into a love of role playing video games, but until a few months ago, my younger son was my Uno buddy. Uno branched off into several other great card games, and I was sure I'd have a kindred soul to enjoy my love of games of the non-electric variety. Then one day, I was asked why I didn't enjoy playing video games.
As I thought about my answer, I remembered years ago, BC (before children), I enjoyed playing a video game called, "Zombies Ate My Neighbors." In the game, you run around trying to rescue people and dogs from Zombies, Werewolves, man eating plants, snakeoids, giant ants, chainsaw Texans, ooh aah dolls (think Trilogy of Terror with Karen Black), Martians, mummies and sea monsters. Your only defense to start with, is a squirt gun, but you collect other weapons such as silverware (werewolves and silver don't mix), soda pop (I guess monsters don't like carbonation), magic potions, weed whackers (good for the man eating plants), and shoes that make you run faster. The game really is quite creative as you work your way through the different levels. DH and I have always thought it would make an excellent movie.
As I recalled my joy of playing Zombies Ate My Neighbors, I wondered where this old game had gone to. I found it weeks later looking for something else. It was hidden away in the dark, unfinished part of the basement in a place I would never look for it. I presented the find to my family with great excitement. Little had I known what was yet to come of this discovery.
We hooked up the game and DS7 plugged in. He became passionate about playing. He'd work up a sweat even as he jumped around with the controller in his tight grip. To my amazement, he far surpassed my abilities in rescuing babies, cheerleaders, tourists, soldiers, and Fido. He switched from weapon to weapon, knocking down the undead left and right. DH found cheat codes online so our little Zombies Ate My Neighbors Wizard could move right through the different levels, experiencing bigger and badder monsters. Soon, he didn't use the cheat codes anymore. Then the day finally came when he mastered all 48 levels. I thought the passion would have run its course and he'd be onto the next new thing. I was wrong.
We've been here before. We feed our children's passion, making their passions our own to enjoy the experience with them. At one point in my life I could have named every Thomas the Tank engine train friend, explained how diggers and backhoes work, and amaze you with my spider trivia,(my favorite being, you are never more than 3 feet away from a spider.)
Now for awhile I re-embraced Zombies, but for me, its run its course. I keep waiting for the day DS7 will decide this game is tomorrow's news. I guess that's the hard part about letting your child follow his interests. I feel like he's seen and done everything there is to do with the game. I feel its time for him to move on and grow into another passion. I guess I have to step back and let him figure that out for himself. Its all about his timing, not mine.
We're watching Jurassic Park last night and during the scene where Jeff Goldblum is in the back of Jeep with the T-Rex bearing down, DS8 says, "Is that Sylvester 
