GAMING 101

Adam Barnes formulates the perfect gaming education for his kids

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Back when my kids were small(er), we'd agreed mutually that they should have a wholesome, unconnected upbringing. They've a lifetime to settle into phone addiction and an ever-digital life; better to keep them separate from it while we can. That meant wooden toys and no screentime, whole foods and connection with nature. Any parent will tell you, such values are the first to slip away when lack of sleep and a moody toddler barrage your sense of self.

What I'd failed to overlook is the fact that my job has always been in and around videogames, and with home office so commonplace it was frankly naive to think a total block on screentime was ever viable. More recently, I've been working on a WWII RTS game and it did often occur that both my kids would gleefully shout, “Tanks! Tanks! Tanks!” as they ran over to watch me playing it.