parenting | Polygamer

Polygamer #101: Gaming After Kids at PAX East 2020

Posted on May 13, 2020 by Ken Gagne

Parents are raising the next generation of gamers — but let’s give some self-care to the current generation, too. How do we hold onto our identity as gamers after becoming parents? When do we find time for our favorite hobby, and how does having children change what games we’re playing? At PAX East 2020, I moderated this panel of gamers who shared their stories of adapting to their new lives while still making time for themselves and their games.

Featuring:

Ken Gagne [Digital Content Developer @ Gamebits]
Nic Tompkins-Hughes [Organizational Operations & Logistics Consultant @ Freelance]
Jonathan Holmes [Writer @ Destructoid & Nintendo Force]
Duane de Four [Educator, Media Critic, Activist @ DuanedeFour.com]
Johanna Shaw [Jill-of-All-Crafts @ Shaw Asylum]
Jeff Warmouth [Professor @ Fitchburg State University]

Stream the audio edition of this interview below or from Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive.

(Promotional image courtesy Thomas Awrey)

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Polygamer #98: Nic Tompkins-Hughes

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Ken Gagne

Nic Tompkins-Hughes has been a freelance writer, company administrator, and panel moderator in the games industry. They are currently raising the next generation of gamers, empowering them to explore gaming, gender, sexuality, and orientation on their own terms. Nic also identifies as transmasculine and is transitioning to non-binary, enjoying the newfound confidence that comes with realizing their true self.

In this podcast, Nic and Ken talk about retaining your identity while being a parent; the different roles that games play in the next generation compared to our own; how society has evolved to empower more gender identities; the difference between drag queens and drag kings; and our upcoming panel at PAX East 2020.

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Polygamer #44: Stephen Duetzmann of Engaged Family Gaming

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Ken Gagne

Stephen Duetzmann is the editor-in-chief of Engaged Family Gaming, a website by and for parents to help identify games appropriate for the entire family. Games are a powerful medium for teaching logic, leadership, and empathy — but it takes research and investment to choose the right games. The ESRB ratings are a good first step, but knowing what games your kids are playing and how to participate in their gameplay can turn gaming from a passive, solitary pastime to an active, shared one.

In this discussion, Ken and Stephen discuss what led him to launch his own website for gamer parents; his two PAX East panels on parenting and gaming; the value of gaming in a society that often perceives it as contributing to childhood obesity; Stephen’s experience watching his kids play Final Fantasy IV, one of his favorite games from his own childhood; whether family-friendly games are more likely to come from indie developers, triple-A studios, or both; and the representation of LARPing in Hollywood movies.

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Polygamer #24: Happy Father’s Day, Edward F. Gagne

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Ken Gagne

In celebration of Father’s Day, this week’s guest is the host’s father, Edward F. Gagne. Born in the 1940s, Ed has witnessed the evolution of entertainment across the better half of a century, from early radio shows to black-and-white televisions to the latest home game consoles. Often a curious and early adopter of technology, Ed brought into his household such toys as a pinball table, Atari 2600 game console, and Apple II computer, exposing his four sons to advances that would revolutionize industries. He also fed their love of fantasy and science fiction, tuning the family into Star Trek and bringing home the earliest novels of R. A. Salvatore — when Ed himself wasn’t playing Tetris for literally decades on end!

In this interview, Ken asks his dad what passed for fun in each decade of his life; what it was about each medium that appealed to him; how he hoped to influence his children’s passions and interests with these decisions; and his thoughts on modern video games’ ability to positively or negatively influence today’s youth. Unlike a previous Polygamer episode that interviewed parents currently in the trenches, this episode provides the unique perspective of someone who has already raised the next generation of geek as he reflects back on his life and roles.

Download the audio edition of this interview below or from Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive. Click past the jump for links to resources mentioned in this episode as well as a transcript.

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At PAX East 2015, Achievement Unlocked: Parenthood. Now What?

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Ken Gagne

When I was first solicited to moderate the parenting panel that is this week’s episode of Polygamer, I was surprised. My contribution to the discussion of how to be a parent in the gaming industry is don’t, as I’m an advocate for acceptance of the childfree lifestyle. But the selfish purpose of Polygamer is to expose myself to lifestyles other than my own, and moderating a panel on parenting was the perfect opportunity to do so.

As the date of the panel grew closer, I got more excited for the discussions we were about to have — so much so that I already wanted to continue the conversation at PAX East. I reached out to my friend Nicole Tompkins-Hughes, whom I’d previously seen moderate the BostonFIG 2014 panel "The Next Generation: Making Games for Kids and Families" and for whose freelance article "The Last Tinker: When Good Games Make Bad Choices" I was an early reader. I knew she’d submitted some panels to PAX East — were any of them about parenting?

They weren’t! But Nicole was as excited about this topic as I was. With just 24 hours before the submission deadline, we sprang into action. I recruited Nicole to moderate the proposed panel, drafted Amanda Warner from the Women in Games panel, then took Nicole’s direction in recruiting four other panelists. We submitted our proposal, waited three weeks — and got accepted!

Achievement Unlocked: Parenthood. Now What?

Saturday, March 7th at 10:30am in Bumblebee Theatre
No role-playing game can present a greater challenge than the real-life role of parent. Does gaming end with parenthood, or is it just the next level? Hear from industry professionals on how they manage their time, handle the joys and journeys of gaming with their families, and maintain relationships of all kinds both online and off.
Nicole Tompkins-Hughes (Freelance journalist), Kyle Churchill (Co-host, Run Button), Steve Lubitz (Co-host, Isometric), Stephen Duetzmann (Editor in Chief, Engaged Family Gaming), Christopher “Gonzo” Gonzalez (Designer & Owner, DapperPixel), Amanda Warner (Co-Founder/Creative Director, Giant Spacekat/Giant Spacekittens)

This is the first time I’ve submitted a PAX panel that I wouldn’t be on. Since I’m not one of the panelists, the PAX East schedule coordinators saw no conflict in putting me on another panel that is happening at the same time. I regret that I will not be able to be in the audience for this great panel, especially since it includes three friends. But I’m glad to see PAX East give this topic the attention it deserves — I’m sure it’ll be a great session!

(Featured image CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Sean Dreilinger)

Polygamer #14: Parenting & game development

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Ken Gagne

No role-playing game can present a greater challenge than the real-life role of parent — especially when you’re a game developer. How does one juggle these dual roles and responsibilities? Are telecommuting and crunch time harder when you have kids? Does being a parent affect the kinds of games you’ll produce or play?

At the January 2015 monthly meetup of Women in Games Boston, I moderated a panel that addressed these topics and more. The five panelists were Boston-based game developers and parents:

Avida Michaud of Harmonix
Chris Hart of the OpenSimulator project
Amanda Warner of Giant Spacekat
Caleb Garner of Part12 Studios
Scott Macmillan of GSN Games

This episode of Polygamer is a recording of that panel. Thanks to Wade Clarke for his assistance in cleaning up the audio. Download the episode below or from Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive. A video of the panel is also available, courtesy Oleg Brodskiy:

A similar panel will be presented at PAX East, with Amanda Warner in a recurring role.

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