After weeks of invading the app store Pokémon Go still seems to be the latest trend, sweeping through cities near you. As a middle-aged man I remember playing the original Pokémon on a GameBoy, and have seen my children play modern variations of Pokémon on the Xbox or Nintendo. So what do we make of the app?
4. Getting your teens out of bed whilst the sun is still up
You might say getting my thirteen-year-old boy in the summer holidays out of bed before 12pm in itself is a feat… Well a couple of weeks ago, one morning whilst walking the dog around 8:30 I came across a group of six teenagers collecting Pokémon on top of hills. Yep, you heard me right- 08:30… am that is. There is hope yet for our nocturnal teenagers…
5. Less of the, “are we there yet?!”
What many parents don’t know is that Pokémon works in the car too. Gone are the days of the kids getting bored in the back of the car… imagine having the kids working collectively to seek out the next Pokéstop! It’s a win for the driver alright.
You may sit back and be sceptical; you may say it’s not a world that you want to venture into. For those of you prepared to ‘get down’ with the kids it’s an ideal opportunity. It’s a way of engaging in healthy activity with the merging of two worlds: virtual and reality. It’s a dream for parents who want their kids to get off the couch to breathe in some fresh air too.
You might see some bad press on the game or consider it to be a fad unworthy of your attention- but for me it’s not… I play alongside my children and really enjoy the experience. We walk, we talk, we exchange tips, and we do family stuff… all whilst enjoying playing a game.
Give it a try. Hope you enjoy it. I would love to hear your stories about your experiences with the kids, send me your pictures when your children find that rare Pokémon.
’til next time…
Marc
