Why The Sims Ruined My Career But Made Me A Better Parent
It was the year 2001 and (as Mum had told me a THOUSAND times) it was time to “knuckle down and get focussed” on my HSC exams so I could become a Doctor or the like. After 11 years of tomfoolery I decided I could probably go several months of taking school seriously.
Until The Sims came along.
Suddenly my 20 minute study break turned into “just one more Sims day and I’m back to the books..” and those few times Mum found me hunched over the computer at 1am it was only because I was one promotion off my “Lifetime Wish”!
In the end, we both blame the Sims for my lack of university score sufficient enough to get into medical school but I still got my real-life Lifetime Wish and I think I’m doing a better job thanks to The Sims!
Sims are pretty natural Attachment Parents (apparently breastfeeding is on its way and I might also suggest baby wearing and a co-sleeping option) and here’s 6 reasons why:
1. Your baby is more connected and birth easier if both parents have read pregnancy books prior.
2. You need to respond to your babies cries at all hours.
3. Babies and children have a “Social Panel” that has a huge impact on their overall mood and well-being and it drops fairly quickly without adult connection.
4. Reading to toddlers gives them automatic skill increases when they become children.
5. Doing homework with another family member increases mood and enjoyment of the task.
6. Parents’ happiness is usually centred around their interaction with their children and them growing up well (which has everything to do with them having connected childhood).
There are times when I’ve felt caught up in housework or some other distraction and imagined a decreasing social panel on top of their heads and dropped what I’m doing to engage with them because they are so much more important!
My Lifetime Wish was to be a Mother and not a Doctor (sorry, Mum) so I don’t think The Sims did me such a disservice!
I am doing my best to meet their needs by being a connected and loving parent, ensuring my husband and I are always arming ourselves with the resources we need to help them thrive as well as making sure we have great outlets to keep up with our own self-care (I must admit this has become The Sims for me but I set myself Loving Limits to avoid the 1am stints and neglecting my real children) but unlike my Sims days, if things aren’t going as well as planned I promise to reach out and get the help we need instead of building a wall around my child until the social worker comes and starting on a fresh one!
Lots of love,
Aunty Ask xx
