Playing together
Why We Play Games
From a 56k modem connection with my dad to the games I share with my kids. On curiosity, growing up, and making time for each other.
A phone line and the sound of a modem. Illustration.
One of my fondest memories from childhood starts with the sound of a modem.
My dad and I would dial up to each other to play Duke Nukem. We had 56k modems, and I loved hearing the connection happen: the dialing, the tones, that strange burst of noise while two computers worked out how to talk. I knew what was waiting on the other end. My dad was there, and we were ready to play.
The sound of connecting
Dialing tones, whistles, and the unmistakable modem handshake.
Even now, remembering that sound takes me back. I remember the excitement of getting connected, and the feeling that we were doing something amazing together.
A connection that stayed with me.
At the time, we were using the latest technology. A phone line could connect our computers and put us in the same game. I wanted to understand how that worked. How could something happening on one screen show up on another? What else could computers do?
That curiosity helped shape the direction of my life. It pointed me toward computer science and a lasting interest in how technology works. Games gave me a reason to be curious, and playing with my dad gave that curiosity a memory to hold on to.
I think about that now that I’m a father. Time spent sharing something you enjoy can stay with a child for a long time. I’m still carrying those evenings with me.
Now I get to share it with my kids.
My oldest son is seventeen. We still hang out and play games together. I’m grateful for that. He has his own interests and his own life taking shape, and we still have something we both enjoy making time for.
Playing gives us a place to spend time together without needing a special occasion. We have something to do, something to talk about, and a reason to keep coming back. Sometimes we’re concentrating on the game. Sometimes we’re just hanging out while we play.
I hope that continues as my children get older. Our schedules will change. There may come a time when we don’t live under the same roof. A shared game can still give us a place to meet, catch up, and do something together. I like knowing that the connection we’re building now can keep growing with us.
Learning to figure things out together.
Games give us problems to solve. We have to understand what’s happening, decide what to try, and work out why a plan succeeded or fell apart. When something doesn’t work, we get another chance to approach it differently.
A team adds another layer. We have to explain what we’re seeing, listen to each other, and work toward a goal together. One person may notice something the rest of us missed. Someone else may have a better plan. We learn to make room for both.
There’s practice in handling frustration, too. Losing gives us a chance to talk about what we could do better and how we treat each other when we’re disappointed. A shared win feels good because everyone had a part in getting there.
Problem solving, communication, patience, and cooperation all have a place in those moments. I value being there to practice them with my kids, learning alongside them instead of always having the answers.
There’s room for friends, too.
Kids See Games includes the people we play with. Some are adults, and many are my kids’ friends. They’re part of the experience we’re building together.
Playing gives me a way to share in something my children care about and get to know the people they enjoy spending time with. We get to laugh together, help each other, and learn how to be good teammates. Those friendships are part of what makes coming back worthwhile.
I hope my kids remember these times the way I remember playing with my dad.
Why we keep playing.
I believe playing together makes our family happier. It gives us shared experiences and memories that belong to all of us. There’s a lot of happiness in having something to look forward to with the people you love.
Being present with each other is what gives that time its value. I want to listen, take an interest in what my children enjoy, and keep making room for them as they grow. Games are one way we do that.
That’s why I wanted to build Kids See Games: a home for the games we play, the things we make, and the experiences we share with family and friends.
A modem connecting me to my dad helped open a whole world for me. Now I get to share that world with my own children. I hope that years from now, they’ll look back on our time together with the same feeling I get when I remember that sound.