Active Parenting

I consider myself an active parent. I go out of my way to spend time interacting (not just watching) my children. I try to find things that interest us both but can also be found mucking around in mud - though this might not be considered a current interest of mine.

Having said that, I have a dilemma. My eldest son is branching out and finding his own interests. Sometimes from his friends and sometimes from school, he has found pass-times that he enjoys. I entertained his interest in geology, albeit weird, because I too have been known to take an interest in the occassional rock. His latest, though, Yu-Gi-Oh cards, is beyond my grasp and frankly, my interest. A bunch of card that duel each other with a winner and a loser? It sounds like a complicated and expensive version of the kids card game, 'war'. And at least that one was easy.

There is a beginners tournament on tonight at a local 'gaming' shop. There is no way that I would allow my seven year old to attend on his own and he is constantly pestering me to 'dual' at home so there is some value in learning the nuances of the game. However, this does not interest me in any way. Now I am forced to decide: do I attend with him so that we can continue to have things in common over the years or simply let him branch out on his own?

I think this will be a turning point. I have already decided to go and learn, without rolling my eyes, as I do not want to be one of those parents that asks 'where did we lose touch' when my son is 17. I just hope he appreciates this when he is 20....