This installment of Gamer Dad is more about a personal struggle than dealing with video games. But, at the same time, no matter if you’re a Gamer Dad, a Sports Dad, or any type of Dad, you have this exact same struggle when having a child.

It has been so long since my last Gamer Dad article that my son has now turned 1-year old. With that mark comes all new challenges, and baby attitudes. Because of those challenges, work, and other life things, I have fallen way off in gaming. In fact, I’ve done the dishonorable Nintendo thing and stayed away from purchasing any new retail games, which includes Splatoon and Super Mario Maker.

Not only has my gaming life fallen off but my work with Pure Media has suffered. With pure exhaustion and missing motivation, my mind turned to debating if this was all worth it? That all changed after my wife sent me this…

With this picture comes the story of how my 1-year old son found my picture in the magazine, pointed, smiled, and laughed at the picture (Aside: I assume he is too young to realize how uncool I looked). As any new parent knows your whole life revolves around keeping your child happy and safe. Those are 1 thru 10 on the importance scale of child raising. But, closely, at number 11, is making your child proud.

The idea of trying to make a child proud of a parent is odd but those who are parents should understand where I’m coming from. A child being proud is different than a parent. A child shows it’s pride by excitement and smiles. A child running into the arms of a parent walking through the door, is proud, the old school yard argument of my daddy is better than your daddy, is a proud child. A proud child is a happy child, and a happy child is a smiling child, which is the greatest thing in the world. Providing a happy and safe environment for one’s child is what all parents live for. The motivation of trying to produce a life that a child would grow up proud in is something that can make any parent go crazy.

Seeing that smile on my son’s face while looking at something his Dad accomplished was the motivation I needed to get back into the game. I want him to know that his dad worked countless hours providing for him and adding something, even how small it is, to the world. I can’t wait for the day when my middle school child takes that fifth issue of PNM to class, opens up to the page, and points to my picture and says “That is my Daddy.”

Check out the other installments of Gamer Dad: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.