A Letter to My 7-year old about Minecraft

My nephew John and Liam on ipads

Dear Liam,

When you first became interested in this strange building game called Minecraft, I thought it was a wonderful diversion from your obsession with Super Mario Brothers, Skylanders and all things Wii.  At first I didn’t even know how to spell the game and thought it was about mines—since all you talked about were diamonds and minerals. I thought you were building mines – boy was I wrong. I also thought it was about the "mind." That is funny too.

You were so excited to build new worlds, create houses with interesting rooms, pools, landscape, raise chickens, cats and all the other things this game does. By the way, I just sort of nod when you tell me what you are building and creating. I am happy that you are creating, but I just have no interest in this game and have no clue how you do either.  But, I am not a 7-year old boy.  

When I hear chickens bawk bawking from the screen and you laughing as you throw eggs, I just can’t relate; although I try to act interested. I know you love it and I want to love it too. But I just can’t. I do know that you get lost in playing the game for hours if I don’t intervene and implement some active parenting skills. And your friends do too, because I talk to their mommies and daddies about it. You ALL love this game.

You have asked for all sorts of Minecraft gear for Christmas too—hats, swords, books—all things Minecraft. You are such a sweet boy, and Santa will more than likely bring you all that you have asked for this Christmas. But, I have to tell you, my wonderful child, how all-consuming Minecraft has now become with you and your world.

Minecraft has become Mindcrack!

You wake up in them morning and the first thing you do is run to the ipad to continue building your world. I watch you, as you are fixated in watching the ipad for hours—yes watching. You have said you like to watch YouTube videos of other people’s worlds; how they build them and how creative they can be with the game. Wow. I have so much respect for the fact that you want to be the best you can be and are using tools to research how to improve your skills. But, I listen to these videos with you, and these people are so boring. I mean who videotapes themselves playing video games? (OK, I guess this new generation does).  I do have to admit some of them are actually quite good, and I enjoyed the one world that was created using the Beetle Juice music while walking the viewer through the movie plot—that was really cool.

I know you love the game. I know you love to play online with your friends and with them when they are over for play dates. Child psychologists have said it is an amazingly educational game that teaches building, architectural skills, science, analytics and spacial development. (Something you don't have to worry about, but as your mom, I do!) But, this virtual Lego game has now become addictive.

I get it little man-- believe me! I played Tetris as a kid on my brother’s “GameBoy” console. I used to dream about how little blocks were falling, and putting the pieces together. But, I knew I had a problem, and I stopped playing it after I couldn’t stop dreaming about it over and over again.

Yesterday you threw yourself on the floor in a hysterical tantrum because I had you shut the game off to go to school.  So let’s agree to put some parameters around Mindcrack—I mean err... Minecraft. I will help you in your addiction. I have been there too.

I know it is cold as hell outside and I don’t even want to be outside for more than 10 minutes, but we can figure it out together. Maybe Super Mario wants to make a return visit or perhaps a nice boring book is the answer—and not one about Minecraft.

Thanks for reading Liam. I love you.

Momma

Xoxoxox

PS- for those of you reading, here is the definition of Minecraft from Wikapedia!

Minecraft is an open world game that has no specific goals for the player to accomplish, allowing players a large amount of freedom in choosing how to play the game. However, there is an achievement system. The gameplay by default is first person, but players have the option to play in third person mode. The core gameplay revolves around breaking and placing blocks. The game world is essentially composed of rough 3D objects—mainly cubes—that are arranged in a fixed grid pattern and represent different materials, such as dirt, stone, various ores, water, and tree trunks. While players can move freely across the world, objects and items can only be placed at fixed locations relative to the grid. Players can gather these material blocks and place them elsewhere, thus allowing for various constructions.

(Bored yet?)