By Momof2Boyz — Raised by the 90s, powered by Mario
Listen.
Before I was somebody’s mom…
Before I had responsibilities, bills, laundry, and people asking me what’s for dinner every day…
I was a video game kid.
And if you grew up in the 90s, you already know:
That was a lifestyle.
Mario Was (and Still Is) My Guy
For me?
It was Mario.
Classic, old-school, side-scrolling, jump-over-the-goomba, don’t-fall-in-the-hole Mario.
That was my world.
Whether it was:
Beating levels
Racing through Mario Kart
Fighting over turns
Or spending hours trying to unlock or beat one thing
We could lose entire chunks of time playing and never regret a second of it.
And honestly?
That part of me never left.
Adult Me Still Loves to Play
A lot has changed since the 90s.
But one thing hasn’t:
I still love video games.
And no, I don’t mean:
“Oh haha, I’ll play once every six months.”
I mean I genuinely still enjoy it.
Because gaming is still:
Fun
Relaxing
Nostalgic
Competitive
And one of the few things that can instantly take me out of “adult mode” for a little while
And as a parent?
That kind of escape matters.
My Kids Think They’re Better Than Me
Now of course, my kids are fully convinced that they are the superior gamers in this house.
And to be fair…
When it comes to some of the newer stuff?
They are.
They know:
The latest games
The newest controls
The fastest tricks
The current gamer slang I’m too old to care about learning
And I’ll give them that.
Sometimes they really are better.
But Then I Turn On Old School Mario…
And that’s when things get interesting.
Because the second I put on:
Classic Mario
Old-school side scrollers
2D levels
Real platforming with actual timing and consequences
They get confused real fast.
Suddenly it’s:
“Wait, where do I go?”
“Why is this so hard?”
“This is annoying!”
“Why can’t I just—”
Exactly.
Welcome to the era where you had to:
figure it out and suffer a little.
No giant arrows.
No endless hints.
No hand-holding.
Just vibes, instincts, and a whole lot of falling into holes.
And honestly?
Watching them get humbled by old-school games is one of my favorite things.
The Weekend Parent Gamer Problem
Now here’s where it gets funny.
Because every once in a while, on a weekend, my husband and I will be in the middle of playing…
Actually enjoying ourselves…
And then the kids emerge from their rooms like cave creatures seeing daylight for the first time and hit us with:
“Uh… are we eating?”
As if they haven’t been alive in this house all day.
And somehow we’re the problem because:
We’re playing games
We didn’t immediately switch into “serve everyone mode”
And they are suddenly starving after disappearing for half the day
The audacity is honestly impressive.
Gaming as a Parent Hits Different
There’s something really fun about still loving something you loved as a kid.
Because it reminds you:
You didn’t stop being you just because you became a parent.
You’re still allowed to have hobbies.
You’re still allowed to enjoy things.
You’re still allowed to have fun.
And I think a lot of parents forget that.
Somewhere between:
Work
Dinner
Cleaning
School stuff
Keeping everyone alive
It’s easy to lose the parts of yourself that existed before parenthood.
Gaming helps me hold onto one of mine.
Why I Love Being a Gamer Mom
And honestly?
Being a gamer mom helps me connect with my kids too.
Because even if we don’t always play the same things…
I still get it.
I understand:
Why they get into it
Why they care
Why they get competitive
Why they can spend so much time focused on one thing
Because I was that kid too.
And in a world where parenting can sometimes feel like you’re constantly trying to understand a new generation…
That little bit of overlap matters.
Final Thoughts From the Mom Holding the Controller
So yes…
I’m a mom.
And yes… I still play video games.
And no, I’m not giving that up just because I’m an adult now.
Because sometimes:
It’s nostalgic
Sometimes it’s competitive
Sometimes it’s hilarious
And sometimes it’s just a reminder that fun still belongs in your life too
Even if your kids think they’re better than you.
Until Mario comes on.
Then suddenly they learn respect.
Momof2Boyz Reminder 💙
You’re allowed to still love the things you loved before kids.
And if one of those things is video games?
Pick up the controller.
Especially if it means humbling your children in old-school Mario.
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