We spoke with a mother-son duo who game and stream online together. They told us about the beginnings of their shared gaming adventures and give tips on what parents should pay attention to when it comes to gaming.
Since its inception, gaming has rapidly spread as a hobby and has now become part of the mainstream of entertainment media. For many kids, it is part of their everyday life.
They play themselves, exchange ideas with friends, or watch their favorite gaming YouTuber or Twitch streamer. For Christmas or birthdays, they might wish for a new console or the latest cool game that everyone else is playing.
These are wishes that many parents simply cannot understand. For many parents who did not grow up with gaming, it is difficult to comprehend their kids’ enthusiasm for gaming. Nevertheless, many of them make an effort, including Stephie (via Twitter).
To better understand her son, Moritz, she started gaming herself in 2020. We at MeinMMO had a conversation with both of them.
The lockdown in 2020 opened new doors
MeinMMO: Hello you two! Briefly introduce yourselves to our readers.
Stephie and Moritz: Hello, we are Stephie (38 years old) and Moritz (13 years old) from Cologne. Moritz is currently in the 8th grade at a secondary school. In-game, you can find him under the gamertag Evilking_1337. Stephie is a trained office communication clerk and has been a single mother for nearly 12 years. In-game, you can find her under the gamertag Nachttreue.
MeinMMO: Stephie, you started gaming just a few years ago. What was the trigger for that?
Stephie: Junior was sent into homeschooling in March 2020. This meant that we had to spend 24/7 time together. One afternoon, I grabbed his Nintendo Switch and created an account for Fortnite.
I wanted to know what Junior finds so interesting about the game. And I was looking for a distraction from the very demanding media at the time; I thought my Junior’s hobby was a good idea.
MeinMMO: Moritz, how did you find your mother’s decision? Had you tried to persuade her to game before, or was it a surprise for you?
Moritz: I thought it was great that my mother suddenly got involved with my hobby and could get excited about gaming. I wasn’t really surprised because we often talked about my favorite games.
But from the moment she started playing the game herself, she suddenly understood much more about what I had been telling her before. And my friends at school are still jealous that I have a mom who games and now also streams on Twitch.
MeinMMO: How did the early days look like?
Moritz: It all started with Fortnite. At that time, besides Minecraft, it was my main game. I basically gamed every afternoon after school with my friends or alone. In between, I would tell my mother about the tasks I had completed in the game. That made her curious eventually.
Stephie: I often discussed his favorite game Fortnite with him. After some initial head shaking, I got caught up in his enthusiasm, and one afternoon I sat down at the PC and created my own account for Fortnite. However, I quickly realized that my PC was unsuitable for that, and from then on, I had to borrow his Nintendo Switch.
MeinMMO: What were the biggest challenges for both of you in getting started?
Stephie: That we only had one Nintendo Switch console at the beginning. We had to coordinate with each other. Which wasn’t bad per se, but as a duo, we couldn’t play together. A few months later, I bought a second console, a PS4, on eBay.
After that, the only challenge was getting used to each other’s play styles. However, that went pretty quickly because we think very similarly. From then on, we were a very harmonious gamer duo.
“In-game chats are the new playground meetups”
MeinMMO: What advice would you give parents who want to do more with their gamer kids?
Stephie: Show much more interest in the children’s hobbies. If possible, try gaming together. This ideally creates a new connection between you. Video games are no longer to be ignored today. During the lockdown in 2020, it maintained the exchange between Moritz and his friends. In-game chats today are the new playground meetups. This should not be belittled, but seen as an opportunity to exchange ideas with each other.
Moritz: Don’t ask stupid questions, but show interest, have patience, and stick with it.
MeinMMO: Stephie, in your experience, how is the best way to get started with gaming?
Stephie: Just do it. In the beginning, you will probably be completely overwhelmed, but most kids will surely enjoy helping with the first “steps.” Additionally, I’ve been told that it’s cool to be able to say, “My mom or dad games with me X.”
MeinMMO: Moritz, how can kids make their parents’ first gaming experience fun so that everyone can enjoy it together?
Moritz: Be patient with your parents and don’t throw them right into the hardest level of the game.
MeinMMO: What should non-gaming parents pay attention to?
Stephie: Show interest! Definitely seek conversation, even if you don’t want to game yourself. It is incredibly important to stay in dialogue with the kids. So that you can address the negative aspects, the dangers that unfortunately lurk in in-game chats, and ensure that they communicate with you if they ever have negative experiences.
MeinMMO: Many parents are worried about introducing their children to video games that have a lot of violence and microtransactions. What are your thoughts on this topic?
Stephie: I can understand it well. We often have conversations about in-game purchases, what makes sense, and how much has already been invested. In my opinion, the most important thing is to talk and explain together.
Also, regarding the content of the various games. I am very tolerant; Junior is allowed to play many games that are above his age. But only because I know that he handles it properly and we talk about it.
Moritz: I am aware that the violence in games should only be exhibited there and not in real life. As for in-game purchases: what my mother says! (laughs)
We sincerely thank Stephie and Moritz for the interview and wish them lots of fun gaming together!
About how dangerous online gaming can be for children and how parents can best protect them, we spoke with a cyber criminologist:
Crime in Online Games – What can be done about it? Find out in the MeinMMO podcast
