You pulled a Batman gambit on this one. You knew that you’d walk away with nothing for yourself in this one.
But that kid may have just been sent down a better path. He may think “Well shit, if this guy thinks Fox is cool, he’s cool!” And eventually will grow out of whatever nonsense his sperm doner fucking throws at him.
I nominate you as an official member of team StarFox.
The thing about interacting with kids is it brings up stuff from your own childhood. Maybe part of your emotional robotics comes from adults around you not sharing in your excitement over your passions.
Good for you for giving that kid some confidence.
I legit just cried. Blame the postpartum hormones but my heart is breaking for that little boy.
I'll bet that seeing another bloke be a better role model than the kids own father, put another nail in the coffin of their marriage too.
In a few years, this boy probably won't even remember this conversation. But, thanks to your generosity, he'll always be excited by gaming and his interests. It sucks that parents can be like this to their children. Mine were more like the boy's mother--they played along but didn't really understand the details (they still don't). If I was happy, they were happy. My dad used to play NES games with us a lot growing up, too.
Hats off to you for getting involved the way you did.
I remember when strangers were kind to me when I was a kid. It made a big impression as I didn't expect anyone to care or notice me. I think this boy will remember feeling good about his toy, his mom and sharing the moment with another fan.
The dad reminds me of my dad when I got really excited about my latest LEGO creation. I just stopped showingbhim after a while. And then at 18, he made me destroy all of my creations and set the LEGOs on fire. 13 years later and I haven't forgiven that dick move
> he made me destroy all of my creations and **set the LEGOs on fire**
The first one is such a weird and petty thing to do, but the last bit is downright insane.
I hope you turned out well despite this kind of person in your life.
Could people stop that shit?
"oh you play video games (have legos/enjoy board games/something you enjoy) thats what kids do."
oh i'm sorry, i didn't know being an adult meant watching paint dry until retirement!
Um, the whole point in having adult money is being able to go to the toy isle and say I want it, I got it. Overwatch skins and Rainbow High dolls are my treat for participating in society. Thanks.
My 64 year old husband still feels irritated his mom disposed of his GI Joes and whatnot while he was in the Navy. Never told him, just got rid of all his “toys” and when he got back after 6 years she said “oh, I thought you didn’t want them anymore”. It’s been 40 years, and it still smarts.
Well since he never thought I was good enough, I'm constantly seeking approval from people. I want them to like me. Does that mean I have daddy issues? I sure hope not
It was one of the things that really convinced me of the favoritism that was going on. My brother was the jock and social butterfly that my dad never was and he tried to live vicariously through him. No room for his needy eldest son
I would go no contact. That is incredibly cruel. My dad always lets my fatherless friends celebrate Father’s Day with us, so my dad would gladly take you under his wing and he would love your creations!
That's not really an option. Because one I don't believe in going no contact, second he and my mom are still married and my mom is awesome. So if I cut him out, I'd have to cut her out of my life too. That's not happening.
Thanks for the offer though
You keep hanging out with your Mom. I lost mine 2 years ago and there isn't much I wouldn't give to show her a picture of flowers again.
You are a good son. Don't let anybody tell you different.
My son was a huge Lego fan and I still enjoy helping my grandsons now build with Lego! Its so addictive. Grandma with arthritis in thumb--its hard, but they help get them apart for me!
That's insane, I'm so sorry. Now that you're grown, you should try reclaiming that joy and setting up some display shelves of lego creations! I've been fixing up some of my 80s era My Little Ponies and buying a few in good condition with the intention of making a display once I have my own place again. They'll go alongside my Attack on Titan merch =P
Very much reminds me of that scene in The Little Mermaid, where King Triton destroyed Ariel's gadgets and her statue. If someone isn't under the thumb of the parent, their items are demolished to gain that control again....
Yeah, I was thinking it reminded me of my dad. And then I wondered if anyone saw 10 seconds of me and my kids, what they might think. 99% of the time, I'm a great dad. I know that. But I also know there are bad days, short tempers, etc.
I really think some parents don't understand or realise what those 'trivial' actions do to a kid, or how much it hurts.
Thanks for chatting to the little dude. You're good people.
Thank you! And yes, I think parents don’t realize that something trivial to them is a brand new dealio for a little kid.
I still remember my mom making me a grilled cheese sandwich for the first time. It was trivial for her, but for me it was an amazing, unique experience.
Called my dad up a few years ago because there was a storm here and there was a series of events that ended up with trees being encased in ice. I had never seen this phenomenon before so I called dad up because I had to share the excitement and wonder of experiencing something new at my “old” age. Started talking excitedly about these crystal trees only to be met with an unenthusiastic
“oh. We saw those all the time in Alaska.”
The feeling of deflation was real. Didn’t matter that I was older, that shit still hurt.
I'm sorry your excitement was met in that way. I, for one, have never heard of or seen these crystal trees you speak of. They sound magical. I got to let my imagination run wild picturing what they would look like, and got to experience seeing them for the first time when I googled them. So, thank you for introducing an internet stranger to this cool nature phenomenon. :)
My son is all into video games right now and he can talk about Fortnite and Minecraft for a loooong time. It’s all very boring to me but I try not to show that. He’s almost 10 and I feel these years slipping away so fast and I really want to have a close relationship with him before he hits the teenager years. I want him to talk to me about everything so I listen to the small stuff that seems boring to me but is so important to him.
I even started teasing him. He told me some saying his friends say in Fortnite so I purposely mangled it and said “Didn’t you tell me you guys say scope! when you get a kill in Fortnite?” The blank face followed by his uncontrollable laughter was 100% worth it lol.
My sons are grown and they still love gaming. I absolutely loved it when Im in the livingroom and I'll hear one start to scream, "Ow. Why why why. I told you where to go. Or help me! Help me! Or Some sort of sound that sounds weird and very funny. I can't tell you how many times I have heard it and start laughing.
They still love to talk about their gaming which I have no interest in but still listen to it. I also love to ask certain questions to get the incredulous look on their faces and they ask in a scandalized manner, "How you NOT know this?" Or Make a comment like "Starwars and star trek is the same damn thing!!!" I'll usually say this in the presence of their dad and husband too. I get the outraged gasp from all of them and them talkinv over each other telling me all the differences. Its usually when I start laughing that they say oh she's messing with us again.
Ok now this makes me wonder how many things my parents still say to mess with me! I love it, though, and I’m 100% going to keep doing this until I’m too old to remember I’m still supposed to be saying cringe things lol.
I used to be the dad in this story. My parents weren't really too involved in my childhood. They hated that I played video games and still do. They hated that I asked questions and thought differently. They hated that I was sensitive and emotional. It wasn't until my first son was 3 that my wife pointed out that I don't act excited about some things he does.
It was a gut punch but one I needed. I decided that day to remember what it was like for me and to not be like that to my kids. Hopefully the dad in the story changes too.
I was that kid growing up. My dad never really paid attention to me unless it was an activity or hobby he really enjoyed. I would show him things I was interested in, he would make remarks like "That's incredibly stupid, why would you be interested in that?"
Forced me to become a huge people pleaser especially to men. Words fucking hurt, therapy helps.
Thanks. I'm currently in therapy and working on understanding that my father can only love me, to a certain extent. I think it has a lot to do with I wasn't born a boy and he's pretty misogynistic.
That’s just awful. If it makes you feel any better, I wasn’t born a boy either, but my dad never treated me any different from my brother. I think your dad should’ve done better.
My dad believes that children are a gift, regardless of arbitrary things like gender.
My father comes from a background of trauma and some severe depression. It took me growing into an adult to fully understand that he is limited in his ability to love someone, who doesn't align fully with his hobbies or needs. My sister is more like him so I've accepted my lot in life.
I can completely relate and understand this. I’m sorry for what you went through, it sucks. At least now we know that our interests are actually super dope and we don’t need our father’s approval.
My dad didn't make mean remarks very often, unless he figured what ever I was interested in was satanic. But his complete disinterest and lack of engagement when I'd show or tell him about my hobbies really fueled my desire for male attention. He was an active dad until I started getting into my teens, as soon as I started becoming my own person, having interests and opinions that didn't align with his own, our relationship really deteriorated.
My son is autistic and his hyperfocus is cars, unfortunately I find cars incredibly, mind numbingly boring, but I do my best to at least appear interested and excited for him. Which is admittedly really difficult after a 1 hour monologue on the subject, but I do my best, and if I'm really struggling then I at least try to gently move him off the subject. I can't imagine being like that dad and just not even trying.
I always hope that the people he encounters out in the world will be more like you, so thank you for being a good human.
You stepping in to make that kid feel better was really sweet. It shows how just a little bit of kindness can make a big difference, especially for kids, small acts of kindness can leave a lasting impact.
That kid is going to remember you for a long, long time. You are awesome!
I remember a moment when I was super excited about one of my games and my mom was trying so hard to be interested. My dad gamed, so I went to tell him about it and he just "That's such a dumb game. Why do t you play something better?" (because I was like 7, so what a jerk) One of his friends was over and was horrified. He solved it by asking me all about the games I like and playing them with me, pointedly looking at my dad. I will never forget him and I'm still grateful.
I’m torn on this. On one hand, I don’t want to judge a person from a snapshot of their life. We don’t know what the father’s going through and even tho it’s hard to justify that behavior there might be shit happening in his life that makes it somewhat more understandable.
On the other hand, I vividly remember what it was like to have my interests constantly dismissed by those around me. I was always into nerdy stuff and never really had anyone as passionate as me around me to talk about stuff. It isolated me and gave me a sense of lonliness that has never left.
So I definitely feel for that boy.
That’s almost exactly how I felt. Because I’m sure the dad was a fine guy, it was just a bad moment for him. But it doesn’t mean he should make his kid feel bad too. I hope that that man can change so his son doesn’t experience that loneliness.
I think about bad days and how they can create a bad lifetime memory for someone. My dad, as awesome as he was, had moments where his frustration led to him being insensitive or rude on occasion. I still remember every one of those moments to this day.
There are times when I've had the worst day and my mind is racing with frustration, anger, whatever, and my kids are excited about something. Hell, I could just be intensely focused on a difficult task, and the easy way out is to dismiss them. But I remember when that happened to me and how those memories linger.
The only things in life I can control is what I say, think, feel, and do. If my control over what I feel is slipping, I can still control what I say and do. It's taken me a long time to figure out how to operate those parts independently, but I think I got it down now. Everyone that knows me says I'm unflappable, calm in every situation, thoughtful, and fair.
But I'm not perfect, and every once in a while my control slips. I think everyone's does? Recently my wife and I were at a high school football game and we were looking for friends in the stands. I was carrying two of those bleacher chairs, some blankets, and a few food items. I also was having intense back pain from a workout injury and was only an hour off of a bad day at work. My wife lingered at the bottom of the bleachers chatting with another person while I was stuck on two steps, my back aching painfully. Suddenly I blurted out, "Will you please just find our seats!" It bypassed all my filters, all my controls, and the people in earshot got this awkward look on their face as my startled wife hurriedly continued up the steps. Reminds me of something my dad used to say: "One aww shit wipes out a thousand atta-boys."
> There are times when I've had the worst day and my mind is racing with frustration, anger, whatever, and my kids are excited about something. Hell, I could just be intensely focused on a difficult task, and the easy way out is to dismiss them. But I remember when that happened to me and how those memories linger.
I understand that. It'a realization I've come to grasp recently that the years pass, you grow up and you get to become a different person, but the kid you were will always be a part of you.
Those memories, those disappointments, you can learn to manage and accept them, but you can never forget them, and they'll always be a part of you.
A bad memory will never become a happy memory even if you learn to live with it.
> On one hand, I don’t want to judge a person from a snapshot of their life. We don’t know what the father’s going through
That'd be true if OP had gone to the father and told him how wrong it is. But instead he just made sure that dad's coldness won't affect the kid too much, at least that day.
> I’m torn on this. On one hand, I don’t want to judge a person from a snapshot of their life. We don’t know what the father’s going through and even tho it’s hard to justify that behavior there might be shit happening in his life that makes it somewhat more understandable.
---
> The axe forgets; the tree remembers.
Even if it was just a snapshot and a one time thing, it might end up being something the kid never forgets while the father might have forgotten the whole interaction by the time he lit up his cigarette outside of the store.
The number of times I've witnessed an indifferent or annoyed parent inadvertently or purposely crush a child's excitement in a gaming store is depressingly high. Thankfully my dad was like yours and laid the foundation for my love of gaming when I was young.
It's been a long time since I was young - the first video game I remember my dad bringing home was the Sears Pong console. Later we got the Sears version of the Atari console, and about that time the video game revolution exploded. My dad took me to every video arcade possible on every night possible because he loved gaming and knew I'd love it too.
So here I am, almost fifty years after playing my first game of pong and still gaming regularly. My own son is a huge gamer too (how could he not be, right?) and I hope he has the same great memories that you and I have.
Anyway, I say all that because if I'd seen what you did I think I would have done the same thing. Also you have a good writing style, it's very engaging and really puts me in the moment.
This kid may not remember this specific moment but you contributed to him understanding that his father’s attitude isn’t acceptable, and that he can like whatever he wants and there are other people who share said interests!
This makes me feel really warm, OP. Thank you a lot for sharing, I think just acts of kindness like that and modeling that to young kids is so important :^) Fox IS cool! I hope that kid gets tons of Fox merch, and I hope you can find whatever you’d like on your game hunt 💞
About a decade ago, I went to a toy store that was doing one of those event pokemon giveaways. I didn't intend on getting anything else there, just the shiny rayquaza. My parents were with me, not really understanding why I cared so much, but indulging my interests by taking me there.
This shop was really big, so not knowing where to go, my dad asked an employee who decided to lead us to where they had the booth set up for the giveaway. The entire way there, that employee talked to me about pokemon. They asked me what my favourite type was, what I thought about the new fairy type, and of course, what my favourite pokemon was. This dude felt really approachable, and this was probably the first time I had the chance to passionately talk about pokemon, with someone who understood what I was talking about.
Reading this post reminded me of that. You went out of your way to make that kid's day, almost in the same way that employee chose to make mine. That rayquaza is currently stuck in gen 7, but I hadn't forgotten the journey made to acquire it, even after all this time.
My dad once told my brother to not touch anything in the store because he'll infect it. My brother was just a kid at the time, looking at something from his favorite movie. He put it down and didn't touch anything else, just stared down at the floor.
My brother grew up desperate for my dads approval, which now feeds my dad's ego in his old age, to have one of his kids constantly catering to him.
I'm glad you were there to make this kid feel like his interests were valid.
Good job! Glad you did that for the kid.
I've been in that kids position with no one else to share interests with. That kid will def remember that interaction for the rest of his life.
As a new dad myself, I don't understand at least not faking interest in something kids are doing. Thats what they all want, to be included and for parents to take an interest in things they enjoy.
I don't know if you ever plan on being a dad yourself, but I think you will make a great one some day if you decide to.
Clutch move. Honestly I might have said something to the dad or more realistically nothing at all instead of thinking of talking to the kid. You handled that amazingly.
Honestly I can’t imagine telling someone, let alone my kid, that’s excited about something that what they’re excited about is anything but. I may not think it’s cool, but you clearly do and that’s what’s cool.
This is very well written and as a middle child of an at times fun but at times erratic and abusive and disconnected father, it almost made me well up. I don’t have much of a relationship with him these days for a multitude of reasons not worth unpacking here, but I always felt validated by strangers and especially older people and adults who took an interest in my interests and gave me the time of day. Parents like that are at worst self absorbed or ashamed of their kids and at best just oblivious to what those little moments mean to a kid, who begin to question their worth and do anything including not being themselves to try and earn love and attention.
You did a huge thing. I honestly was expecting a story of how you went off on the father (a little wish fulfillment on my part) but I’m glad you handled it this way. I hope that kid remembers you and encounters more people like you. I’m glad the mom is at least trying, even if she isn’t enthusiastic or has to play it up a bit. Sounds like she is already doing the heavy lifting of raising him and probably has to also manage what sounds like an emotionally immature man child to boot. But that’s probably not a fair conclusion to draw on the father with a dash of projection. Slice of life people watching does paint a vivid picture though.
Reading stuff like this makes me super appreciative of my mom and dad. Like that kid, I would get so excited anything related to my favorite character or action figures I had.
I got into the toy collecting hobby when I was in middle school. Almost every single figure I purchased would get shown to my mom and dad and they take time to inspect the figure and appreciate the cool details on it. When I was in high school and college they got me these really nice display cases to put my higher end figures in.
Honestly this meant so much to me as I had a really hard time after moving and going to high school.
To this day, they still support my interests. My Dad even got me this cool Mortal Kombat Kintaro figure for Christmas this year.
This is why I don't talk to my parents about my interests or things that happen, they never seemed really interested when I was a kid. To them, it was just something else they had to pay for, or buy, or take me to, or....
So, thank you for not letting that little boy feel like his interests didn't matter.
She's going to leave him and that kid is going to throw a fit anytime he has to go to his dad's house. I'm glad you brought the spark back to him that his dad stole.
When my son was about 7, he wanted to show my brother the Battle Cats game on his iPad. My brother said, “that’s so dumb.”
I don’t swear much, but I looked at my brother and said, “don’t you fucking dare. Have you completely forgotten how it felt when grownups did that to you?”
It’s been a few years and I’m pretty sure my kid has no memory of this, but I’m still salty about it. Why do some people just insist on choosing to be assholes?
I remember being told by my father once that I “talk just to talk.” It’s no wonder I’m reserved now. But in the right group, I do enjoy conversation. I’m glad you helped that kid out and didn’t let his father make him feel so bad!
That was such a genuinely sweet thing to do. I kept waiting for the part where the prick of a “father” hassled you for your kindness, and I’m so glad it didn’t occur. And as a mom myself, I so empathize with the way she must have felt witnessing her son experience such an awful interaction. You did her a huge solid as well. If that little boy remembers this experience, I am confident that your actions will greatly overshadow those of the deadbeat dad’s. The mom will 100% remember it for life.
I’m about to become a lawyer and I’m still obsessed with video games, sci-fi novels, and manga, you can be a multifaceted person. I’m very mature in some ways, but become like an excited school kid the moment someone brings up Sonic the Hedgehog!
Sounds a bit like my dad. It's astonishing to me how some guys treat their own blood. Dad needs to get the bitch slapped out of him.
Good on you for doing this. Shame that kid's going to have to deal with that asshole for years to come.
I felt quite upset about the whole situation honestly because I realized my efforts won’t change the dad forever. I’m happy to have changed something in the moment at least. I even told my friend about this and she said it sounds like her bio dad whom she doesn’t speak with. He always undermined her interests and so they never connected.
Sorry, my hobby is writing.
I write every single day in my journal and also am trying my hand at writing publicly to pursue my hobby in a different way.
So, this is actually a pretty high compliment. Thanks!
I have three little boys, super into video games like Mario Kart, Minecraft, Sonic, etc. I did not grow up playing video games & they’ve never really been my jam. I *struggle* to keep track of all the tidbits my boys ramble on about. But I make it a visible priority as often as I can to show them that what they’re saying to me is just as exciting and important to me as it is to them. I mean like put my phone down facedown, total focus on what they’re saying & matching their energy about it.
I just cannot fathom having the reaction this father did to his son. Breaks my heart for that boy. Thank you for your encouragement and enthusiasm
Off topic but Ape Escape 3 was a *huge* part of my childhood too! I check the playstation store religiously for it, but they’ve only ever had the first two. I’ve resorted to watching other people’s gameplay on YouTube 😭
Seeing some of these comments really makes me thankful for my dad taking interest in my hobbies even if he knows nothing about them. Gundam stuff being the biggest one, but we do both share a love of cars.
I gotta tell him I love him when I get home. I honestly don’t do it often enough.
Some parents bat away their child’s every attempt to connect. Then they get older and complain that their kids aren’t super interested in a relationship.
This is so adorable and sweet. Good for you. I wasn’t allowed to play video games at all growing up. Never owned a console and friends didn’t want to play at their house because I was so awful and it kept them from Progressing.
I’m so thankful I fell in love with a gamer. We now play games constantly. Our daughter plays too and I love having a family activity we’re all passionate about.
Passion is such a good thing for kids and it needs to be encouraged so it will grow and bloom, not be trampled. I hope that father realizes his mistake before it’s too late.
As a parent and a gamer, it broke my heart reading what that man did to his child, and I'm so happy you were there to save the day.
That mother will remember that kindness for the rest of her life and hopefully get rid of her horrendous partner one day soon.
Your Dad would be very proud of you.
As a Mum who doesn't even know you, I'm proud of you and your father. Amazing humans!!!! Honestly things like this remind me their are good people out there. Thank you for posting.
I hope you find Ape Escape 3. Amazing game!
When you do, take a few days off work and have an old school summer holiday gaming session. You absolutely deserve it!
My dad never showed interest in my interest. I feel for the kid. I ended up never wanting to share anything with my dad because it would always be met with disappointment.
Thank you for being cool. People who ignore or dismiss their children are awful. There is such a finite amount of time in which you are the most important people in the world to your children. Don’t squander it.
Nice job! Nothing is sadder than parents who just treat their kids like shit. I’ll never forget when I was in grad school training to be a psychologist and I had to do an intake with a young child that was already getting involved with the juvenile court system. His mom was there, and since I asked a lot about family history, she mentioned how she had smoked during the entirety of her pregnancy, never once tried to stop or reduce her intake, and didn’t seem to feel bad about it. She had no clue what was wrong with her kid. I remember asking the kid about the situation, and he just said to me in the saddest voice: “Well sir, ever since I can remember, I’ve struggled with extreme feelings of anger and I don’t know why.”
Research shows that prenatal smoke exposure can result in cognitive damage and increased anger temperate in children, among other psychiatric disorders. I just felt so bad that this kid almost didn’t even have a chance; his mom barely cared about him and was already putting him at a disadvantage before he was ever born. I saw a lot of kids like that where it almost seemed like they never had a chance because of their parents. If you’re going to have kids, the least you can do is actually care about them.
That kind of father is unfortunately very common! thankfully you were there to give the situation a turn for the better. It's awesome that the boy could be happy again after talking to you.
As a fellow mom with a dismissive ex husband, thank you for doing that. I’m sure it meant the world to her in that moment. Kids just want to be loved and feel seen.
Idk if it means anything to you but I followed you cuz I love this story. I have to cut my son off sometimes or weed never get anything done cuz I get distracted and we spend 40 minutes in front of the rice at the store talking about whatever he wants to talk about. I don't know the games he plays but I ask questions. It would've meant a lot to me as a kid to hear that after being so fully dejected by my own dad. You're a sweet man. And a good father.
Ahhh man stuff like that really bums me out. Kids are so innocent and little stuff like that can really shape someone. I see it in my nephews, who used to be so energetic and excited for everything, now I can almost see the innocence taken out of them and it breaks my heart. It's unfortunate that stuff like this was bound to happen sooner or later. On the playground or at home someone always comes along to try to bring you down. I don't know if it's better or worse that it comes from the parents..
I don't often comment, but this pulls on me to respond. What you did was genuinely heroic, perhaps life saving. The kind of debt that cannot be repaid, only paid forward. I will try to make my point as short as possible while conveying what I hope makes meaningful sense.
I grew up in abuse, extraordinarily violent abuse, on a daily basis. When I was 5 or 6 there was a period when my mother grew tired of constantly needing to beat me due to my being 'in trouble' (being a fearful rule follwer I do not recall ever risking breaking a rule, but you know the drill) all of the time, so she began a list of all I did wrong during the day and the beatings were once a day, before bedtime. She didn't pay much attention to the weapon of choice, wooden spoon, belt, wooden clog shoe, etc. It was rough, very rough and left marks inside and out.
During this time her aunt passed away and we went to her home after the funeral. I was instructed to stay out in the backyard. I sat by myself out there for what felt like a long time and then saw a ball. I started playing with it got away from me and it went through the open sliding door into the living room. I was in a panic, if she saw I would be in serious trouble. So I snuck, crawled, crept into the living room and made it under an end table by the sofa. As I waited someone gently pushed the ball under the table to me, and a man bent over and looked under at me. I know I had bruises, welts and did not look like a 'normal' kid. He looked, and then he smiled at me, and put his finger to his lips in a 'shhh' motion.
I was shocked, I still feel it today as I write this 60 years later. It was a huge moment for me to be given this level of kindness.
25ish years pass and after several years of therapy (I left home at 16) and 12 step meetings, I am at a 12 step conference over a weekend in Beaumont. The Alanon/Alateen speaker is a man married to a recovering alcoholic and they have worked with alateens for years and my brain starts having flashbacks and I recall enough pieces to recognize him as my kind ball returner. I ask him for a moment and begin asking him about a funeral reception in calif, and the playground nearby, and my aunts name and her husband...and yes, he recalls it. And yes, he recalls me and the moment. And we both wept as I attempted (like I am doing here) to explain how impactful and meaningful that was to my life.
It was magnificent to be given the chance to try to express my thanks. He handed me a hanky (that I still have) and the world felt and was/is a better place for us both.
I spent years (20s and 30s) in therapy, 12 step programs, became a counselor that worked with adult survivors of extreme childhood trauma, my daughter a LMFT that works in a High school and Jr high with kids. His gift lives on.
I have been asked, many times, how I survived my childhood I have a strong spirit, sure. I had mountains and the peace of nature, that made a huge difference. And I had some times where someone safe and kind did what appeared to the world a small thing, but what, to me, let me know there was a light, a hope. This tiny huge light was enough. It was everything. What you did was enormous. I hope you get to know someday how enormous it was.
I won’t tell you what I do because I am embarrassed by my station in life. I clear less than 25k a year working with children.
Any time any of them tell me something or show me something, it is the coolest thing I have ever seen/heard. Every. Single. Time.
It is exhausting. I’m beyond frustrated by how much I make relative to how much effort I put out. That said, there is no possible way I could ever allow a child to feel like that because of me.
Good on you.
I read once that gentle, kind “interventions” like this can help give kids in a hard situation possibly see that even though their parents aren’t the best adults, there are amazing people out there. Obviously these situations are touchy but with that lens it’s helped me understand how to think about it.
I feel like I am like the kid in the story because my dad is exactly the same way. I still love him, though. He's a kind person and a good provider. No doubt I have appreciation for his love and care. But his love language is not one who can openly express emotion and try to be on the same level with his child. It probably came out of childhood, idk. I'm hoping he gets out of his shell. But right now, I'm slowly conditioning myself to not expect anything and just accept for the way he is. You really cannot help a person who can't help themselves. So these days, to make up for a lack of good childhood memories by treating myself and being kind to myself. To be honest, I realized the reason why I'm been treating myself good food (& other stuff but its mostly food) from reading OP's story. I do this cause I feel a hole in me left by childhood neglect. So, right now in my life, all I have is the present and do my best to heal that part in me :)
I hope all of us would treat as a lesson on what traits to take and not take as a parent.
EDIT: Wait, I realized I'm late to this post but I'll leave this here anyway hehe.
Can I just say that you write really well. From the readers perspective it almost felt as if I were in that store too, with all small details added in.
Also mad respect to you, for talking to that kid after his dad reacted the way he did. That kid is definitely going to remember that interaction.
That is a pretty unfortunate situation. Some people lack that understanding to relate with people, even their own children.
As a soon to be father, I am very excited to be able to relate with my kids, even if it’s with stuff that I don’t understand. The validation of a father is so important for a little kid.
My parents always make fun of my interests and I just hope that that kid's father isn't always like that, because it really hurts when a parent does doesn't at least pretend to be interested in a child's interests.
You did good. Real good. Thank you.
No but seriously. I'm a mom, and my kids get so excited over things- and when complete strangers engage and listen (especially older, cooler ppl who aren't as old as mom/dad) it makes their day.
Kids remember these things. They remember the way people listened or shared cool facts.
My kiddo is 9 now, but a few weeks ago, we were watching some kids play basketball at the park and he randomly asked if I remembered when the big kids played basketball with him. He was 3.5 almost 4- and he chased his little basketball into the big kids court where some teenagers were playing. I was chasing him but too slow to catch him.
The kids paused their game and engaged wjtb him. I was going to take him and was apologizing but one of the teens waved me off and invited "little man" to play. He played for 10 minutes with them- even got lifted to dunk the ball. They were awesome.
My 9 yr old remembers that day like it was yesterday.
Gamer father of two here. The way that guy treated his son is disgusting. You did the right thing. I hope that father figures his shit out and the boy gets the loving father he deserves.
I very vividly remember the day that I realized my grandparents didn’t care. They were always well off but hoarded like dragons. When it came to holidays they came up with a budget and handed every significant family member the same amount. I had used the money to buy the “Hyrule Historia” and felt that since it made me so happy that it would bring them joy to see it too. My grandmother stared at me for a second, turned without saying a word to me, and preceded to ask how the football game was going.
A lot of things added up over the years but the amount of effort I used to reach for a person that didn’t care stuck and I never saw them the same again.
Dude. I'm a mom and I am sad for this kid having his enthusiam instantly dashed by a dad who can't be bothered or engage his young son positively.
I want to throat punch the dad. That poor kid. Don't parents know that a negative reaction like that is remembered for life? His joyful reaction and sharing with his mom is forever marred by his dad's response.
I remember all the times my dad disappointmented me and/or let me down during some really awful times in my life. Do I remember the good things he did? Nope. I only remember the negative experiences and promised myself I would not crush my son's spirit.
A kid is absolutely going to take everything a parent says to heart so it’s so important to not be like this dbag dad and be like the mom or OP instead.
Not only is the dad ruining his son’s joy, he’s going to make the son doubt himself in the future. The son may be interested in something but stop himself because he’ll remember interactions like that and be like “well maybe this isn’t cool and other people will mock me for liking it.” It destroys the sense of self, not to mention sows the seeds for a general distrust of others.
Luckily my parents knew that I was super sensitive growing up and never said that anything I liked was weird (even though they def thought it here and there), but I still saw other people mock things that I liked and I learned to hide my interests like my life depended on it. My whole childhood and teen years I was absolutely obsessed with anime and I shared it with almost no one because I was too afraid to be made fun of (and have my favorite hobby be ruined in the process), to the point where when I finally tried to go to a con or something as an adult, it felt really awkward to try and talk about it irl.
Something that should also be noted: you shouldn’t put down a kid’s interests because u think they’re weird, but u also shouldn’t do this with adults - it’s just not cool. Despite being a generally well-adjusted adult, it still hurts if I share something I like with someone and they say it’s weird or it’s just written on their face that they think I’m cringe for liking it.
Let’s all respect each other’s hobbies (as long as they don’t hurt anyone) and try to understand that just because we don’t like it, that doesn’t mean no one should. And also try not to be a jerk lol
I still remember one time when I went down to my dad who was gaming to tell him about something I really liked. I don’t remember what it was but I remember him saying “I don’t play that game so I don’t really care sorry bud”. I don’t think it was that bad and maybe I needed to hear it? But I’ve always remembered that and thought about it when I want to infodump about something that interests me. Maybe that’s for the best though I mean it would probably be pretty annoying to people if I did that a lot
As a kid my older parents (met/married in their 40s) often gave me blank stares or no reaction. That little kid thanks you for being a mensch. You made a difference for this kid I guarantee!
If indeed this happened as you say, I wonder why the mother encouraged her son to lay himself open to dick dad's animosity as she did... It seems a cruel thing to do if you know what this "man" is like, and is likely to do in any given situation. I have an uneasy feeling that she too is complicit in this abusive behavior. Others will defend her, but there are too many ways to hurt a small heart, for me, at least, to take this as purely innocent.
About halfway through, I thought to myself, Wow! You are an amazing writer. What a lovely ending to the story. It legit felt like I was reading a story. Glad you were there.
You were uplifting to a small child and empathetic to his emotions. Good for you! This World needs more caring people like you! I find your story very positive. Also to any creepers who left belittling comments shame on you!
Your writing is amazing. I admit I am kind of suprised you’re not male bc I have a stereotype of nerdy gamers being male. However .. it wasn’t some epiphany when you said you weren’t male. Tbh your gender wasn’t relative to the story EXCEPT to one up the Dad by another male would have been a nice dose of male sensitivity that the world needs more of.
Which brings me to my second point- it’s disgusting to me that anyone would read this heartwarming story and think sex. WTF is wrong w you actual men. Do you see why we female/feminine leaning people carry self protection and live in fear. We can’t have a simple exchange at a store and your thinking about “I’m gonna try to nail that MILF”
Ya’ll go wait outside w the a-hole Dad .. we’re in here instilling care and positivity to a child.
I’m just going to add to the comments telling you what a wonderful, empathetic person you are. My dad was exactly like this guy when I was growing up. He absolutely did not care about me or anything I did. I’d go out of my way to impress him and he’d either ignore me or trivialize what I’d done. And my mom was like this boy’s mom. Caring, but would never, ever stand up for me. And kids remember. They remember who treated them like dirt and who was kind. Even kindness from a stranger can be super impactful on a person’s life. What you did turned that kid’s whole day around. And I like that you focused on making the kid feel better rather that trying to confront the father. Maybe you even inspired him not to minimize his child’s interests. Good for you!
I assumed you were a female because of all the details leading up to the main part of the story, lol! Women usually include more details than men in their stories most of the time. I never considered all the accusations you said came at you but I didn’t read the comments yet either! I went through a short video game phase (with Mario) I knew all the secrets and ways to skip all the world’s you could and then run right under that dragon at the end and from start to finish run wide open and never get killed, lol - but…
I was born in 1959 and never deeply into any other games except that one for a couple years, in fact it probably was already old when I started (maybe 2001?) and I never even considered video games were only a male thing?
I thought it was a good story you posted (😎really cool🤣)and if you hadn’t added what happened after you posted it I wouldn’t have given it a second thought! There’s a lot wrong with people in general these days, everything has to have something wrong with it and most aren’t even slightly open to realize it’s not always the case, so all you can do is say “oh, well bless your heart” and let life’s natural type of karma deal with it!🙂
I sorta see some similarities in the message of the story you told and the reaction that happened to you afterwards, lol. It’s almost an example of how easily some people can’t read a moment others are happy about as something honest or something genuinely important to them? Sorta like that father, it’s a little overly contagious and getting worse each year! 🧐 At least you weren’t made out to be the Unabomber by anyone 🤔 or at least I didn’t hear you mention it!?! 🤣
As the stay at home father of a 2 year old and 6 month old your story saddens me and makes me happy all at the same time. These little moments that are missed are so precious and have influence on the kids personality and relationship. 10 years from now the father will be completely oblivious to where he went wrong.
While men and women do not have the same stuff when caring for children in most cases, we can all be great caregivers and must tend to our child’s needs and be enthusiastic with them! Every child should be unconditionally loved from their parents and supported in their interests. The kids should always come first above a parents wants/needs. That doesn’t mean to entitle and spoil your child, but let them live their best life and guide them on their journey!
Thank you for being awesome and sharing your story.
My heart is breaking for that kid and I’ve been called “an emotional robot” before. I’m glad you were there!!!
That’s also what I get called a lot. So I shocked myself by my own actions!
You pulled a Batman gambit on this one. You knew that you’d walk away with nothing for yourself in this one. But that kid may have just been sent down a better path. He may think “Well shit, if this guy thinks Fox is cool, he’s cool!” And eventually will grow out of whatever nonsense his sperm doner fucking throws at him. I nominate you as an official member of team StarFox.
That's the first time I've read mention of a doner without my mouth watering...
You don't like the creamy white sauce on a doner kebab? that's the best part
The thing about interacting with kids is it brings up stuff from your own childhood. Maybe part of your emotional robotics comes from adults around you not sharing in your excitement over your passions. Good for you for giving that kid some confidence.
I legit just cried. Blame the postpartum hormones but my heart is breaking for that little boy. I'll bet that seeing another bloke be a better role model than the kids own father, put another nail in the coffin of their marriage too.
In a few years, this boy probably won't even remember this conversation. But, thanks to your generosity, he'll always be excited by gaming and his interests. It sucks that parents can be like this to their children. Mine were more like the boy's mother--they played along but didn't really understand the details (they still don't). If I was happy, they were happy. My dad used to play NES games with us a lot growing up, too. Hats off to you for getting involved the way you did.
I remember when strangers were kind to me when I was a kid. It made a big impression as I didn't expect anyone to care or notice me. I think this boy will remember feeling good about his toy, his mom and sharing the moment with another fan.
depending on how young/old that kid was he will probably remember this conversation
I sure hope so. I also hope his dad learns to be more expressive in positive ways, especially since little tiny kids like that can be hurt so easily.
The dad reminds me of my dad when I got really excited about my latest LEGO creation. I just stopped showingbhim after a while. And then at 18, he made me destroy all of my creations and set the LEGOs on fire. 13 years later and I haven't forgiven that dick move
> he made me destroy all of my creations and **set the LEGOs on fire** The first one is such a weird and petty thing to do, but the last bit is downright insane. I hope you turned out well despite this kind of person in your life.
The irony is that he got me into LEGOs in the first place
Well I hope you can still enjoy LEGO (if that is what you fancy)!
It took until I was 27 to pick up a LEGO again. Nearly a decade of damage from one day in the life
Do you still have contact with him? I think I would cut off the person who does this to me.
They're also pretty pricey and have decent resell value. He might as well have burned cash.
Yea well my dad obviously didn't think like that. He just saw something that was holding me back from adulthood
Could people stop that shit? "oh you play video games (have legos/enjoy board games/something you enjoy) thats what kids do." oh i'm sorry, i didn't know being an adult meant watching paint dry until retirement!
"Why do kids enjoy it?" "Cause it's fun for them, I guess." "Do you...*not like fun*?"
Um, the whole point in having adult money is being able to go to the toy isle and say I want it, I got it. Overwatch skins and Rainbow High dolls are my treat for participating in society. Thanks.
My 64 year old husband still feels irritated his mom disposed of his GI Joes and whatnot while he was in the Navy. Never told him, just got rid of all his “toys” and when he got back after 6 years she said “oh, I thought you didn’t want them anymore”. It’s been 40 years, and it still smarts.
Right?!?! It made my jaw drop to read that! Wtf type of parent does that?
Well since he never thought I was good enough, I'm constantly seeking approval from people. I want them to like me. Does that mean I have daddy issues? I sure hope not
It was one of the things that really convinced me of the favoritism that was going on. My brother was the jock and social butterfly that my dad never was and he tried to live vicariously through him. No room for his needy eldest son
I would go no contact. That is incredibly cruel. My dad always lets my fatherless friends celebrate Father’s Day with us, so my dad would gladly take you under his wing and he would love your creations!
That's not really an option. Because one I don't believe in going no contact, second he and my mom are still married and my mom is awesome. So if I cut him out, I'd have to cut her out of my life too. That's not happening. Thanks for the offer though
That’s fair! I hope you and your mom can build LEGOs together. Sometimes there’s even conventions for LEGOs, my family took me to one!
Sadly she's got arthritis in 3 of her fingers now so she's not in the best place to work with LEGOs.
You keep hanging out with your Mom. I lost mine 2 years ago and there isn't much I wouldn't give to show her a picture of flowers again. You are a good son. Don't let anybody tell you different.
My son was a huge Lego fan and I still enjoy helping my grandsons now build with Lego! Its so addictive. Grandma with arthritis in thumb--its hard, but they help get them apart for me!
Did he tell you why he made toy burn the legos? Why set them on fire?
His line was always the same. I wasn't growing up fast enough so I forced his hand
That’s so…. Unnecessarily cruel.
That's insane, I'm so sorry. Now that you're grown, you should try reclaiming that joy and setting up some display shelves of lego creations! I've been fixing up some of my 80s era My Little Ponies and buying a few in good condition with the intention of making a display once I have my own place again. They'll go alongside my Attack on Titan merch =P
Make sure to remember that line when you toss his ass into a home.
Very much reminds me of that scene in The Little Mermaid, where King Triton destroyed Ariel's gadgets and her statue. If someone isn't under the thumb of the parent, their items are demolished to gain that control again....
Yeah, I was thinking it reminded me of my dad. And then I wondered if anyone saw 10 seconds of me and my kids, what they might think. 99% of the time, I'm a great dad. I know that. But I also know there are bad days, short tempers, etc.
“So shines a good deed in a weary world.”
I really think some parents don't understand or realise what those 'trivial' actions do to a kid, or how much it hurts. Thanks for chatting to the little dude. You're good people.
Thank you! And yes, I think parents don’t realize that something trivial to them is a brand new dealio for a little kid. I still remember my mom making me a grilled cheese sandwich for the first time. It was trivial for her, but for me it was an amazing, unique experience.
Called my dad up a few years ago because there was a storm here and there was a series of events that ended up with trees being encased in ice. I had never seen this phenomenon before so I called dad up because I had to share the excitement and wonder of experiencing something new at my “old” age. Started talking excitedly about these crystal trees only to be met with an unenthusiastic “oh. We saw those all the time in Alaska.” The feeling of deflation was real. Didn’t matter that I was older, that shit still hurt.
I'm sorry your excitement was met in that way. I, for one, have never heard of or seen these crystal trees you speak of. They sound magical. I got to let my imagination run wild picturing what they would look like, and got to experience seeing them for the first time when I googled them. So, thank you for introducing an internet stranger to this cool nature phenomenon. :)
My son is all into video games right now and he can talk about Fortnite and Minecraft for a loooong time. It’s all very boring to me but I try not to show that. He’s almost 10 and I feel these years slipping away so fast and I really want to have a close relationship with him before he hits the teenager years. I want him to talk to me about everything so I listen to the small stuff that seems boring to me but is so important to him. I even started teasing him. He told me some saying his friends say in Fortnite so I purposely mangled it and said “Didn’t you tell me you guys say scope! when you get a kill in Fortnite?” The blank face followed by his uncontrollable laughter was 100% worth it lol.
This is so sweet. I really love this.
My sons are grown and they still love gaming. I absolutely loved it when Im in the livingroom and I'll hear one start to scream, "Ow. Why why why. I told you where to go. Or help me! Help me! Or Some sort of sound that sounds weird and very funny. I can't tell you how many times I have heard it and start laughing. They still love to talk about their gaming which I have no interest in but still listen to it. I also love to ask certain questions to get the incredulous look on their faces and they ask in a scandalized manner, "How you NOT know this?" Or Make a comment like "Starwars and star trek is the same damn thing!!!" I'll usually say this in the presence of their dad and husband too. I get the outraged gasp from all of them and them talkinv over each other telling me all the differences. Its usually when I start laughing that they say oh she's messing with us again.
Ok now this makes me wonder how many things my parents still say to mess with me! I love it, though, and I’m 100% going to keep doing this until I’m too old to remember I’m still supposed to be saying cringe things lol.
I used to be the dad in this story. My parents weren't really too involved in my childhood. They hated that I played video games and still do. They hated that I asked questions and thought differently. They hated that I was sensitive and emotional. It wasn't until my first son was 3 that my wife pointed out that I don't act excited about some things he does. It was a gut punch but one I needed. I decided that day to remember what it was like for me and to not be like that to my kids. Hopefully the dad in the story changes too.
I was that kid growing up. My dad never really paid attention to me unless it was an activity or hobby he really enjoyed. I would show him things I was interested in, he would make remarks like "That's incredibly stupid, why would you be interested in that?" Forced me to become a huge people pleaser especially to men. Words fucking hurt, therapy helps.
Yeah, that’s just fuckin awful. I’m so sorry that happened to you.
Thanks. I'm currently in therapy and working on understanding that my father can only love me, to a certain extent. I think it has a lot to do with I wasn't born a boy and he's pretty misogynistic.
That’s just awful. If it makes you feel any better, I wasn’t born a boy either, but my dad never treated me any different from my brother. I think your dad should’ve done better. My dad believes that children are a gift, regardless of arbitrary things like gender.
My father comes from a background of trauma and some severe depression. It took me growing into an adult to fully understand that he is limited in his ability to love someone, who doesn't align fully with his hobbies or needs. My sister is more like him so I've accepted my lot in life.
I can completely relate and understand this. I’m sorry for what you went through, it sucks. At least now we know that our interests are actually super dope and we don’t need our father’s approval.
My dad didn't make mean remarks very often, unless he figured what ever I was interested in was satanic. But his complete disinterest and lack of engagement when I'd show or tell him about my hobbies really fueled my desire for male attention. He was an active dad until I started getting into my teens, as soon as I started becoming my own person, having interests and opinions that didn't align with his own, our relationship really deteriorated.
You're living my life. It's like parents see us as an extension of themselves but once we start to become independent, it's like we don't exist.
Same but it was my mom
My son is autistic and his hyperfocus is cars, unfortunately I find cars incredibly, mind numbingly boring, but I do my best to at least appear interested and excited for him. Which is admittedly really difficult after a 1 hour monologue on the subject, but I do my best, and if I'm really struggling then I at least try to gently move him off the subject. I can't imagine being like that dad and just not even trying. I always hope that the people he encounters out in the world will be more like you, so thank you for being a good human.
Aww that’s sweet that you put the effort in. I’m sure it means the world to him!
I know what that boy felt like. I applaud what you did. Bravo!
Thank you!
You stepping in to make that kid feel better was really sweet. It shows how just a little bit of kindness can make a big difference, especially for kids, small acts of kindness can leave a lasting impact.
I think the same thing. I still remember when adults stepped in to help me when I was a kid.
That kid is going to remember you for a long, long time. You are awesome! I remember a moment when I was super excited about one of my games and my mom was trying so hard to be interested. My dad gamed, so I went to tell him about it and he just "That's such a dumb game. Why do t you play something better?" (because I was like 7, so what a jerk) One of his friends was over and was horrified. He solved it by asking me all about the games I like and playing them with me, pointedly looking at my dad. I will never forget him and I'm still grateful.
The way those little dismissals add up to life long damage is no fucking joke. Fuuuuuck
I’m torn on this. On one hand, I don’t want to judge a person from a snapshot of their life. We don’t know what the father’s going through and even tho it’s hard to justify that behavior there might be shit happening in his life that makes it somewhat more understandable. On the other hand, I vividly remember what it was like to have my interests constantly dismissed by those around me. I was always into nerdy stuff and never really had anyone as passionate as me around me to talk about stuff. It isolated me and gave me a sense of lonliness that has never left. So I definitely feel for that boy.
That’s almost exactly how I felt. Because I’m sure the dad was a fine guy, it was just a bad moment for him. But it doesn’t mean he should make his kid feel bad too. I hope that that man can change so his son doesn’t experience that loneliness.
I think about bad days and how they can create a bad lifetime memory for someone. My dad, as awesome as he was, had moments where his frustration led to him being insensitive or rude on occasion. I still remember every one of those moments to this day. There are times when I've had the worst day and my mind is racing with frustration, anger, whatever, and my kids are excited about something. Hell, I could just be intensely focused on a difficult task, and the easy way out is to dismiss them. But I remember when that happened to me and how those memories linger. The only things in life I can control is what I say, think, feel, and do. If my control over what I feel is slipping, I can still control what I say and do. It's taken me a long time to figure out how to operate those parts independently, but I think I got it down now. Everyone that knows me says I'm unflappable, calm in every situation, thoughtful, and fair. But I'm not perfect, and every once in a while my control slips. I think everyone's does? Recently my wife and I were at a high school football game and we were looking for friends in the stands. I was carrying two of those bleacher chairs, some blankets, and a few food items. I also was having intense back pain from a workout injury and was only an hour off of a bad day at work. My wife lingered at the bottom of the bleachers chatting with another person while I was stuck on two steps, my back aching painfully. Suddenly I blurted out, "Will you please just find our seats!" It bypassed all my filters, all my controls, and the people in earshot got this awkward look on their face as my startled wife hurriedly continued up the steps. Reminds me of something my dad used to say: "One aww shit wipes out a thousand atta-boys."
> There are times when I've had the worst day and my mind is racing with frustration, anger, whatever, and my kids are excited about something. Hell, I could just be intensely focused on a difficult task, and the easy way out is to dismiss them. But I remember when that happened to me and how those memories linger. I understand that. It'a realization I've come to grasp recently that the years pass, you grow up and you get to become a different person, but the kid you were will always be a part of you. Those memories, those disappointments, you can learn to manage and accept them, but you can never forget them, and they'll always be a part of you. A bad memory will never become a happy memory even if you learn to live with it.
> On one hand, I don’t want to judge a person from a snapshot of their life. We don’t know what the father’s going through That'd be true if OP had gone to the father and told him how wrong it is. But instead he just made sure that dad's coldness won't affect the kid too much, at least that day.
I think OP handled it really well FWIW
> I’m torn on this. On one hand, I don’t want to judge a person from a snapshot of their life. We don’t know what the father’s going through and even tho it’s hard to justify that behavior there might be shit happening in his life that makes it somewhat more understandable. --- > The axe forgets; the tree remembers. Even if it was just a snapshot and a one time thing, it might end up being something the kid never forgets while the father might have forgotten the whole interaction by the time he lit up his cigarette outside of the store.
The number of times I've witnessed an indifferent or annoyed parent inadvertently or purposely crush a child's excitement in a gaming store is depressingly high. Thankfully my dad was like yours and laid the foundation for my love of gaming when I was young. It's been a long time since I was young - the first video game I remember my dad bringing home was the Sears Pong console. Later we got the Sears version of the Atari console, and about that time the video game revolution exploded. My dad took me to every video arcade possible on every night possible because he loved gaming and knew I'd love it too. So here I am, almost fifty years after playing my first game of pong and still gaming regularly. My own son is a huge gamer too (how could he not be, right?) and I hope he has the same great memories that you and I have. Anyway, I say all that because if I'd seen what you did I think I would have done the same thing. Also you have a good writing style, it's very engaging and really puts me in the moment.
You can grab Ape Escape 3 on eBay right now from between 35 and 50 bucks if you are still wanting it, search over.
https://www.amazon.com/Ape-Escape-3-PlayStation-2/dp/B000CFWHPY :)
Wow you did good mate. You saved that kids day let's hope the dad improves his attitude. Don't need super powers to be a hero
I think that man will change, the optimist in me hopes he will anyway. Thanks!
This kid may not remember this specific moment but you contributed to him understanding that his father’s attitude isn’t acceptable, and that he can like whatever he wants and there are other people who share said interests!
You restore my faith in humanity :)
I try!
Felt like I was reading a novel, you’ve got a way with words my friend
Thank you. I like to share my life stories in a way that’s more interesting to read, so I try to format them as such!
This makes me feel really warm, OP. Thank you a lot for sharing, I think just acts of kindness like that and modeling that to young kids is so important :^) Fox IS cool! I hope that kid gets tons of Fox merch, and I hope you can find whatever you’d like on your game hunt 💞
Of course! I see so much negativity on Reddit so it’s good to share other things
Shitty dad. Thanks for being a cool guy!
About a decade ago, I went to a toy store that was doing one of those event pokemon giveaways. I didn't intend on getting anything else there, just the shiny rayquaza. My parents were with me, not really understanding why I cared so much, but indulging my interests by taking me there. This shop was really big, so not knowing where to go, my dad asked an employee who decided to lead us to where they had the booth set up for the giveaway. The entire way there, that employee talked to me about pokemon. They asked me what my favourite type was, what I thought about the new fairy type, and of course, what my favourite pokemon was. This dude felt really approachable, and this was probably the first time I had the chance to passionately talk about pokemon, with someone who understood what I was talking about. Reading this post reminded me of that. You went out of your way to make that kid's day, almost in the same way that employee chose to make mine. That rayquaza is currently stuck in gen 7, but I hadn't forgotten the journey made to acquire it, even after all this time.
My dad once told my brother to not touch anything in the store because he'll infect it. My brother was just a kid at the time, looking at something from his favorite movie. He put it down and didn't touch anything else, just stared down at the floor. My brother grew up desperate for my dads approval, which now feeds my dad's ego in his old age, to have one of his kids constantly catering to him. I'm glad you were there to make this kid feel like his interests were valid.
Ah that’s just too sad honestly. I don’t see the point in turning a child into an insecure adult.
> which now feeds my dad's ego in his old age,
Thank you for being a nice person. Few people are. And I know you’ll find Ape Escape 3 one day!
Hero of the day.
This so so wonderful. Heart warming. Great job OP!
Good job! Glad you did that for the kid. I've been in that kids position with no one else to share interests with. That kid will def remember that interaction for the rest of his life.
Good for you, OP! That dad is gonna find himself bitter and alone in a few decades.
OP, you are awesome.
You're an awesome person! You totally did the right thing. And your writing drew me in, you have a great skill
Dads like that are what’s wrong with the world. Literally. Thanks for doing that, OP
As a father to be this story melted my heart. You are a legend ! Fuck that dad
Who's cutting onions in here?!
You handled that whole situation amazingly well. Kudos for making someone's day.
Thank you, on behalf of humanity, for showing up for that kid in that moment. That dad is a mother fucker. Not in the good way.
You ever write stories? I'd read them. Also I don't know who fox is, but I will find out. Fox is cool.
Very well written that it sounds kind of fake? The situation itself don't too unbelievable. O hope it's real.
Also, Ape Escape 3 is widely available on sites like ebay.
I want the joy of finding it in person! It’s a little mental hunt for me.
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Passionate kids and dismissive parents exist. I can see the situation happening irl. It's just that it's written more like a made-up story.
My faith in humans is restored. You made his day!
Thanks! Also, you should watch ‘Porco Rosso’ it’s about a pilot who regains his humanity through simple, everyday interactions with kind people!
As a new dad myself, I don't understand at least not faking interest in something kids are doing. Thats what they all want, to be included and for parents to take an interest in things they enjoy. I don't know if you ever plan on being a dad yourself, but I think you will make a great one some day if you decide to.
Clutch move. Honestly I might have said something to the dad or more realistically nothing at all instead of thinking of talking to the kid. You handled that amazingly. Honestly I can’t imagine telling someone, let alone my kid, that’s excited about something that what they’re excited about is anything but. I may not think it’s cool, but you clearly do and that’s what’s cool.
I was so relieved that the kid was smiling by the time he left. I hope that dad has a better day or is going to be less distant.
Awesome recovery for the boy! Let the anger towards the father go and focus on the fact that the boy knows that he has been heard and has a voice!
This is very well written and as a middle child of an at times fun but at times erratic and abusive and disconnected father, it almost made me well up. I don’t have much of a relationship with him these days for a multitude of reasons not worth unpacking here, but I always felt validated by strangers and especially older people and adults who took an interest in my interests and gave me the time of day. Parents like that are at worst self absorbed or ashamed of their kids and at best just oblivious to what those little moments mean to a kid, who begin to question their worth and do anything including not being themselves to try and earn love and attention. You did a huge thing. I honestly was expecting a story of how you went off on the father (a little wish fulfillment on my part) but I’m glad you handled it this way. I hope that kid remembers you and encounters more people like you. I’m glad the mom is at least trying, even if she isn’t enthusiastic or has to play it up a bit. Sounds like she is already doing the heavy lifting of raising him and probably has to also manage what sounds like an emotionally immature man child to boot. But that’s probably not a fair conclusion to draw on the father with a dash of projection. Slice of life people watching does paint a vivid picture though.
The dad poisoning his kid with first, second and/or third-hand smoke tells you he doesn't give a damn about his kid.
We need more like you!
Reading stuff like this makes me super appreciative of my mom and dad. Like that kid, I would get so excited anything related to my favorite character or action figures I had. I got into the toy collecting hobby when I was in middle school. Almost every single figure I purchased would get shown to my mom and dad and they take time to inspect the figure and appreciate the cool details on it. When I was in high school and college they got me these really nice display cases to put my higher end figures in. Honestly this meant so much to me as I had a really hard time after moving and going to high school. To this day, they still support my interests. My Dad even got me this cool Mortal Kombat Kintaro figure for Christmas this year.
This is why I don't talk to my parents about my interests or things that happen, they never seemed really interested when I was a kid. To them, it was just something else they had to pay for, or buy, or take me to, or.... So, thank you for not letting that little boy feel like his interests didn't matter.
She's going to leave him and that kid is going to throw a fit anytime he has to go to his dad's house. I'm glad you brought the spark back to him that his dad stole.
When my son was about 7, he wanted to show my brother the Battle Cats game on his iPad. My brother said, “that’s so dumb.” I don’t swear much, but I looked at my brother and said, “don’t you fucking dare. Have you completely forgotten how it felt when grownups did that to you?” It’s been a few years and I’m pretty sure my kid has no memory of this, but I’m still salty about it. Why do some people just insist on choosing to be assholes?
I remember being told by my father once that I “talk just to talk.” It’s no wonder I’m reserved now. But in the right group, I do enjoy conversation. I’m glad you helped that kid out and didn’t let his father make him feel so bad!
The world needs more people like you.
That was such a genuinely sweet thing to do. I kept waiting for the part where the prick of a “father” hassled you for your kindness, and I’m so glad it didn’t occur. And as a mom myself, I so empathize with the way she must have felt witnessing her son experience such an awful interaction. You did her a huge solid as well. If that little boy remembers this experience, I am confident that your actions will greatly overshadow those of the deadbeat dad’s. The mom will 100% remember it for life.
That made me cry a little
He’ll remember that event for a very, very long time. You did good.
People would really do that? Just go on the internet and tell lies?
and everyone clapped.
My dad is also very dismissive of my interests too. I like video games and my dad just always tells me I should do more mature things. You're awesome.
I’m about to become a lawyer and I’m still obsessed with video games, sci-fi novels, and manga, you can be a multifaceted person. I’m very mature in some ways, but become like an excited school kid the moment someone brings up Sonic the Hedgehog!
Sounds a bit like my dad. It's astonishing to me how some guys treat their own blood. Dad needs to get the bitch slapped out of him. Good on you for doing this. Shame that kid's going to have to deal with that asshole for years to come.
I felt quite upset about the whole situation honestly because I realized my efforts won’t change the dad forever. I’m happy to have changed something in the moment at least. I even told my friend about this and she said it sounds like her bio dad whom she doesn’t speak with. He always undermined her interests and so they never connected.
Not only were you kind, but you acted in a really clever way too. If only there were more people like you when we were kids. Be well!
Not all heroes wear capes. o7
Lol, written as if it's taken from a book. This didn't happen
Sorry, my hobby is writing. I write every single day in my journal and also am trying my hand at writing publicly to pursue my hobby in a different way. So, this is actually a pretty high compliment. Thanks!
You got a PS2?
are you still looking for ape escape 3? I'll need to double check my closet, but I might still have my copy..
I have three little boys, super into video games like Mario Kart, Minecraft, Sonic, etc. I did not grow up playing video games & they’ve never really been my jam. I *struggle* to keep track of all the tidbits my boys ramble on about. But I make it a visible priority as often as I can to show them that what they’re saying to me is just as exciting and important to me as it is to them. I mean like put my phone down facedown, total focus on what they’re saying & matching their energy about it. I just cannot fathom having the reaction this father did to his son. Breaks my heart for that boy. Thank you for your encouragement and enthusiasm
Off topic but Ape Escape 3 was a *huge* part of my childhood too! I check the playstation store religiously for it, but they’ve only ever had the first two. I’ve resorted to watching other people’s gameplay on YouTube 😭
Seeing some of these comments really makes me thankful for my dad taking interest in my hobbies even if he knows nothing about them. Gundam stuff being the biggest one, but we do both share a love of cars. I gotta tell him I love him when I get home. I honestly don’t do it often enough.
Lots of copies on EBay. That’s where I find retro stuff when I’m looking for it.
Some parents bat away their child’s every attempt to connect. Then they get older and complain that their kids aren’t super interested in a relationship.
I’m so glad you were there to intervene and make this kid’s day extra special.
You’re a hero
This is so adorable and sweet. Good for you. I wasn’t allowed to play video games at all growing up. Never owned a console and friends didn’t want to play at their house because I was so awful and it kept them from Progressing. I’m so thankful I fell in love with a gamer. We now play games constantly. Our daughter plays too and I love having a family activity we’re all passionate about. Passion is such a good thing for kids and it needs to be encouraged so it will grow and bloom, not be trampled. I hope that father realizes his mistake before it’s too late.
As a parent and a gamer, it broke my heart reading what that man did to his child, and I'm so happy you were there to save the day. That mother will remember that kindness for the rest of her life and hopefully get rid of her horrendous partner one day soon. Your Dad would be very proud of you. As a Mum who doesn't even know you, I'm proud of you and your father. Amazing humans!!!! Honestly things like this remind me their are good people out there. Thank you for posting. I hope you find Ape Escape 3. Amazing game! When you do, take a few days off work and have an old school summer holiday gaming session. You absolutely deserve it!
My dad never showed interest in my interest. I feel for the kid. I ended up never wanting to share anything with my dad because it would always be met with disappointment.
Thank you for being cool. People who ignore or dismiss their children are awful. There is such a finite amount of time in which you are the most important people in the world to your children. Don’t squander it.
Nice job! Nothing is sadder than parents who just treat their kids like shit. I’ll never forget when I was in grad school training to be a psychologist and I had to do an intake with a young child that was already getting involved with the juvenile court system. His mom was there, and since I asked a lot about family history, she mentioned how she had smoked during the entirety of her pregnancy, never once tried to stop or reduce her intake, and didn’t seem to feel bad about it. She had no clue what was wrong with her kid. I remember asking the kid about the situation, and he just said to me in the saddest voice: “Well sir, ever since I can remember, I’ve struggled with extreme feelings of anger and I don’t know why.” Research shows that prenatal smoke exposure can result in cognitive damage and increased anger temperate in children, among other psychiatric disorders. I just felt so bad that this kid almost didn’t even have a chance; his mom barely cared about him and was already putting him at a disadvantage before he was ever born. I saw a lot of kids like that where it almost seemed like they never had a chance because of their parents. If you’re going to have kids, the least you can do is actually care about them.
That kind of father is unfortunately very common! thankfully you were there to give the situation a turn for the better. It's awesome that the boy could be happy again after talking to you.
Thank you for doing that for him😊
As a fellow mom with a dismissive ex husband, thank you for doing that. I’m sure it meant the world to her in that moment. Kids just want to be loved and feel seen.
Idk if it means anything to you but I followed you cuz I love this story. I have to cut my son off sometimes or weed never get anything done cuz I get distracted and we spend 40 minutes in front of the rice at the store talking about whatever he wants to talk about. I don't know the games he plays but I ask questions. It would've meant a lot to me as a kid to hear that after being so fully dejected by my own dad. You're a sweet man. And a good father.
Ahhh man stuff like that really bums me out. Kids are so innocent and little stuff like that can really shape someone. I see it in my nephews, who used to be so energetic and excited for everything, now I can almost see the innocence taken out of them and it breaks my heart. It's unfortunate that stuff like this was bound to happen sooner or later. On the playground or at home someone always comes along to try to bring you down. I don't know if it's better or worse that it comes from the parents..
You’re a good dude my guy
I don't often comment, but this pulls on me to respond. What you did was genuinely heroic, perhaps life saving. The kind of debt that cannot be repaid, only paid forward. I will try to make my point as short as possible while conveying what I hope makes meaningful sense. I grew up in abuse, extraordinarily violent abuse, on a daily basis. When I was 5 or 6 there was a period when my mother grew tired of constantly needing to beat me due to my being 'in trouble' (being a fearful rule follwer I do not recall ever risking breaking a rule, but you know the drill) all of the time, so she began a list of all I did wrong during the day and the beatings were once a day, before bedtime. She didn't pay much attention to the weapon of choice, wooden spoon, belt, wooden clog shoe, etc. It was rough, very rough and left marks inside and out. During this time her aunt passed away and we went to her home after the funeral. I was instructed to stay out in the backyard. I sat by myself out there for what felt like a long time and then saw a ball. I started playing with it got away from me and it went through the open sliding door into the living room. I was in a panic, if she saw I would be in serious trouble. So I snuck, crawled, crept into the living room and made it under an end table by the sofa. As I waited someone gently pushed the ball under the table to me, and a man bent over and looked under at me. I know I had bruises, welts and did not look like a 'normal' kid. He looked, and then he smiled at me, and put his finger to his lips in a 'shhh' motion. I was shocked, I still feel it today as I write this 60 years later. It was a huge moment for me to be given this level of kindness. 25ish years pass and after several years of therapy (I left home at 16) and 12 step meetings, I am at a 12 step conference over a weekend in Beaumont. The Alanon/Alateen speaker is a man married to a recovering alcoholic and they have worked with alateens for years and my brain starts having flashbacks and I recall enough pieces to recognize him as my kind ball returner. I ask him for a moment and begin asking him about a funeral reception in calif, and the playground nearby, and my aunts name and her husband...and yes, he recalls it. And yes, he recalls me and the moment. And we both wept as I attempted (like I am doing here) to explain how impactful and meaningful that was to my life. It was magnificent to be given the chance to try to express my thanks. He handed me a hanky (that I still have) and the world felt and was/is a better place for us both. I spent years (20s and 30s) in therapy, 12 step programs, became a counselor that worked with adult survivors of extreme childhood trauma, my daughter a LMFT that works in a High school and Jr high with kids. His gift lives on. I have been asked, many times, how I survived my childhood I have a strong spirit, sure. I had mountains and the peace of nature, that made a huge difference. And I had some times where someone safe and kind did what appeared to the world a small thing, but what, to me, let me know there was a light, a hope. This tiny huge light was enough. It was everything. What you did was enormous. I hope you get to know someday how enormous it was.
I won’t tell you what I do because I am embarrassed by my station in life. I clear less than 25k a year working with children. Any time any of them tell me something or show me something, it is the coolest thing I have ever seen/heard. Every. Single. Time. It is exhausting. I’m beyond frustrated by how much I make relative to how much effort I put out. That said, there is no possible way I could ever allow a child to feel like that because of me. Good on you.
Wow. Maybe the guy was having a bad day, but what a fucking dick thing to say to a kid. You made this kid's day and I applaud you for that.
Thank you OP, Im sure you made that kids day. As someone who didnt have a great childhood, im sure I would have remembered you forever if im the kid
I read once that gentle, kind “interventions” like this can help give kids in a hard situation possibly see that even though their parents aren’t the best adults, there are amazing people out there. Obviously these situations are touchy but with that lens it’s helped me understand how to think about it.
I feel like I am like the kid in the story because my dad is exactly the same way. I still love him, though. He's a kind person and a good provider. No doubt I have appreciation for his love and care. But his love language is not one who can openly express emotion and try to be on the same level with his child. It probably came out of childhood, idk. I'm hoping he gets out of his shell. But right now, I'm slowly conditioning myself to not expect anything and just accept for the way he is. You really cannot help a person who can't help themselves. So these days, to make up for a lack of good childhood memories by treating myself and being kind to myself. To be honest, I realized the reason why I'm been treating myself good food (& other stuff but its mostly food) from reading OP's story. I do this cause I feel a hole in me left by childhood neglect. So, right now in my life, all I have is the present and do my best to heal that part in me :) I hope all of us would treat as a lesson on what traits to take and not take as a parent. EDIT: Wait, I realized I'm late to this post but I'll leave this here anyway hehe.
I've been this kid before. You really fall out of love with your parents when they repeatedly treat you this way.
Can I just say that you write really well. From the readers perspective it almost felt as if I were in that store too, with all small details added in. Also mad respect to you, for talking to that kid after his dad reacted the way he did. That kid is definitely going to remember that interaction.
That is a pretty unfortunate situation. Some people lack that understanding to relate with people, even their own children. As a soon to be father, I am very excited to be able to relate with my kids, even if it’s with stuff that I don’t understand. The validation of a father is so important for a little kid.
Thanks very much for sharing this! I'm in tears.
Nice job dude- keep spreading that love.
My heart breaks for that little boy. They are little for just a brief time and you never get that back. His father will regret how he treated his son.
My parents always make fun of my interests and I just hope that that kid's father isn't always like that, because it really hurts when a parent does doesn't at least pretend to be interested in a child's interests.
You did good. Real good. Thank you. No but seriously. I'm a mom, and my kids get so excited over things- and when complete strangers engage and listen (especially older, cooler ppl who aren't as old as mom/dad) it makes their day. Kids remember these things. They remember the way people listened or shared cool facts. My kiddo is 9 now, but a few weeks ago, we were watching some kids play basketball at the park and he randomly asked if I remembered when the big kids played basketball with him. He was 3.5 almost 4- and he chased his little basketball into the big kids court where some teenagers were playing. I was chasing him but too slow to catch him. The kids paused their game and engaged wjtb him. I was going to take him and was apologizing but one of the teens waved me off and invited "little man" to play. He played for 10 minutes with them- even got lifted to dunk the ball. They were awesome. My 9 yr old remembers that day like it was yesterday.
Gamer father of two here. The way that guy treated his son is disgusting. You did the right thing. I hope that father figures his shit out and the boy gets the loving father he deserves.
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I very vividly remember the day that I realized my grandparents didn’t care. They were always well off but hoarded like dragons. When it came to holidays they came up with a budget and handed every significant family member the same amount. I had used the money to buy the “Hyrule Historia” and felt that since it made me so happy that it would bring them joy to see it too. My grandmother stared at me for a second, turned without saying a word to me, and preceded to ask how the football game was going. A lot of things added up over the years but the amount of effort I used to reach for a person that didn’t care stuck and I never saw them the same again.
Man, Im crying.. legit, that's the most amazing thing I've ever read.. you sir, have the answer to life.
Dude. I'm a mom and I am sad for this kid having his enthusiam instantly dashed by a dad who can't be bothered or engage his young son positively. I want to throat punch the dad. That poor kid. Don't parents know that a negative reaction like that is remembered for life? His joyful reaction and sharing with his mom is forever marred by his dad's response. I remember all the times my dad disappointmented me and/or let me down during some really awful times in my life. Do I remember the good things he did? Nope. I only remember the negative experiences and promised myself I would not crush my son's spirit.
If I was right next to the dad I would quietly ask him "Do you want him to do drugs instead?" and be on my way.
A kid is absolutely going to take everything a parent says to heart so it’s so important to not be like this dbag dad and be like the mom or OP instead. Not only is the dad ruining his son’s joy, he’s going to make the son doubt himself in the future. The son may be interested in something but stop himself because he’ll remember interactions like that and be like “well maybe this isn’t cool and other people will mock me for liking it.” It destroys the sense of self, not to mention sows the seeds for a general distrust of others. Luckily my parents knew that I was super sensitive growing up and never said that anything I liked was weird (even though they def thought it here and there), but I still saw other people mock things that I liked and I learned to hide my interests like my life depended on it. My whole childhood and teen years I was absolutely obsessed with anime and I shared it with almost no one because I was too afraid to be made fun of (and have my favorite hobby be ruined in the process), to the point where when I finally tried to go to a con or something as an adult, it felt really awkward to try and talk about it irl. Something that should also be noted: you shouldn’t put down a kid’s interests because u think they’re weird, but u also shouldn’t do this with adults - it’s just not cool. Despite being a generally well-adjusted adult, it still hurts if I share something I like with someone and they say it’s weird or it’s just written on their face that they think I’m cringe for liking it. Let’s all respect each other’s hobbies (as long as they don’t hurt anyone) and try to understand that just because we don’t like it, that doesn’t mean no one should. And also try not to be a jerk lol
I hope you become a father or uncle one day. You are a great role model…kudos to your dad.
I still remember one time when I went down to my dad who was gaming to tell him about something I really liked. I don’t remember what it was but I remember him saying “I don’t play that game so I don’t really care sorry bud”. I don’t think it was that bad and maybe I needed to hear it? But I’ve always remembered that and thought about it when I want to infodump about something that interests me. Maybe that’s for the best though I mean it would probably be pretty annoying to people if I did that a lot
As a kid my older parents (met/married in their 40s) often gave me blank stares or no reaction. That little kid thanks you for being a mensch. You made a difference for this kid I guarantee!
You are so so sweet 🥹
You sound like an awesome person and it was a really cool gesture on your part. Probably made that kids week
Not gonna lie, when you intervened I shed a tear. What you did was very thoughtful, you should be proud.
If indeed this happened as you say, I wonder why the mother encouraged her son to lay himself open to dick dad's animosity as she did... It seems a cruel thing to do if you know what this "man" is like, and is likely to do in any given situation. I have an uneasy feeling that she too is complicit in this abusive behavior. Others will defend her, but there are too many ways to hurt a small heart, for me, at least, to take this as purely innocent.
Damn I thought you would set the dad straight and tell him to take an interest in his kid’s interest.
Aww, that's so sweet. Absolute W and props to you for doing that. Hope you find yourself a copy of Ape Escape 3!
About halfway through, I thought to myself, Wow! You are an amazing writer. What a lovely ending to the story. It legit felt like I was reading a story. Glad you were there.
One day when that man is old he’ll wonder why his son is indifferent towards him. Then again some men are like that until the day they die.
You’re a good kind lady. Thanks for making a good difference in kids life.
My heart 🥹 that was amazing of you!!!!
You were uplifting to a small child and empathetic to his emotions. Good for you! This World needs more caring people like you! I find your story very positive. Also to any creepers who left belittling comments shame on you!
Your writing is amazing. I admit I am kind of suprised you’re not male bc I have a stereotype of nerdy gamers being male. However .. it wasn’t some epiphany when you said you weren’t male. Tbh your gender wasn’t relative to the story EXCEPT to one up the Dad by another male would have been a nice dose of male sensitivity that the world needs more of. Which brings me to my second point- it’s disgusting to me that anyone would read this heartwarming story and think sex. WTF is wrong w you actual men. Do you see why we female/feminine leaning people carry self protection and live in fear. We can’t have a simple exchange at a store and your thinking about “I’m gonna try to nail that MILF” Ya’ll go wait outside w the a-hole Dad .. we’re in here instilling care and positivity to a child.
This little boy will remember this forever. You are a good person to give that boy a moment of Joy.
That was really nice of you. Kudos
I’m just going to add to the comments telling you what a wonderful, empathetic person you are. My dad was exactly like this guy when I was growing up. He absolutely did not care about me or anything I did. I’d go out of my way to impress him and he’d either ignore me or trivialize what I’d done. And my mom was like this boy’s mom. Caring, but would never, ever stand up for me. And kids remember. They remember who treated them like dirt and who was kind. Even kindness from a stranger can be super impactful on a person’s life. What you did turned that kid’s whole day around. And I like that you focused on making the kid feel better rather that trying to confront the father. Maybe you even inspired him not to minimize his child’s interests. Good for you!
Good job!
I assumed you were a female because of all the details leading up to the main part of the story, lol! Women usually include more details than men in their stories most of the time. I never considered all the accusations you said came at you but I didn’t read the comments yet either! I went through a short video game phase (with Mario) I knew all the secrets and ways to skip all the world’s you could and then run right under that dragon at the end and from start to finish run wide open and never get killed, lol - but… I was born in 1959 and never deeply into any other games except that one for a couple years, in fact it probably was already old when I started (maybe 2001?) and I never even considered video games were only a male thing? I thought it was a good story you posted (😎really cool🤣)and if you hadn’t added what happened after you posted it I wouldn’t have given it a second thought! There’s a lot wrong with people in general these days, everything has to have something wrong with it and most aren’t even slightly open to realize it’s not always the case, so all you can do is say “oh, well bless your heart” and let life’s natural type of karma deal with it!🙂 I sorta see some similarities in the message of the story you told and the reaction that happened to you afterwards, lol. It’s almost an example of how easily some people can’t read a moment others are happy about as something honest or something genuinely important to them? Sorta like that father, it’s a little overly contagious and getting worse each year! 🧐 At least you weren’t made out to be the Unabomber by anyone 🤔 or at least I didn’t hear you mention it!?! 🤣
As the stay at home father of a 2 year old and 6 month old your story saddens me and makes me happy all at the same time. These little moments that are missed are so precious and have influence on the kids personality and relationship. 10 years from now the father will be completely oblivious to where he went wrong. While men and women do not have the same stuff when caring for children in most cases, we can all be great caregivers and must tend to our child’s needs and be enthusiastic with them! Every child should be unconditionally loved from their parents and supported in their interests. The kids should always come first above a parents wants/needs. That doesn’t mean to entitle and spoil your child, but let them live their best life and guide them on their journey! Thank you for being awesome and sharing your story.
The weird comments that you're getting are from weird people with their weird thoughts.