So, I’ve been playing D2R with my 7-year-old son and honestly, it's one of the most unexpectedly profound bonding experiences of my life. There's just something surreal about sharing a game that meant so much to me growing up, with my own flesh and blood. We talk about builds, theorycraft before bedtime, and whenever we get the chance, we log in and play together.
This new ladder season, we both started fresh. He wanted to try a new character and asked me to rush him to Hell — which of course I did, because that’s what dads do. Everything was going perfectly… until Act 3 Hell.
Out of nowhere "Diablo invaded sanctuary" you know what that means. D Clone spawns.
We manage to kill him together. Great moment, right? Until I picked up the Annihilus charm. That’s when the drama started..
My son gets upset. Starts saying he created the game and that he deserved the Anni. I calmly explained that I provided the rush service, I got the killing blow, and frankly, loot is earned, not given. You don’t call dibs on Diablo’s soul charm because of game creation rights. That’s not how Sanctuary works or the real world for that matter.
Now my ex-wife is involved. She's saying I should just give him the Anni to make peace. But I told her this is bigger than a charm. This is a lesson. Life doesn’t hand you things because you feel entitled. Sometimes, you have to earn it, even from your own father.
I'll save you the drama but we ended up in a screaming match just before she took him home. And now my son apparently doesn't want to come over to say this weekend which I have a haunch she has something to do with it. He's also removed me from my friend list which is quite troubling to say the least.
I'll give him a text tonight and just say it's only a game and that he can't get upset over something like that and risk losing a wonderful friendship like that which I believe will pay dividends in his later years.
I'm just pissed off she's getting inside his head and blowing things out of proportion... What do you think? Stand my ground to teach him the realities of life and instill a sense of competitiveness in him? Or give it back and save my energy for another day..
Also I'm so proud of him for having a part time job and Coles here in Adelaide. Reminds me of a younger me.
If he isn’t bringing home a bbq chicken every night he ain’t right