As soon as the Pokemon Go app launched I immediately downloaded it and began looking for Pokemon in my neighborhood when I walked my dog in the morning. I was so excited about catching Pokemon! However, when I shared my excitement with other adults I know I received comments such as:

“What a waste of time.” and”That is for kids.” and “Really?”, and some even laughed at me.

There were a few adults who were joining in the festivities as well, and with them we talked about what we had caught, and where, and which Team we were on.

When I talked to kids about it, we discussed the best Pokeballs to use, or the proper way to spin the Pokeball to catch the Pokemon. We also talked about where we were finding them, and which were our favorite Pokemon.

So I am going to tell you Why this 50 year old woman plays Pokemon Go.

I have had a blast playing Pokemon Go, but I will tell you a little secret: there is a much more compelling reason for me to play: my boys.

So when Joe Cool and The Genius were boys they were avid Pokemon players. They played the games on their Gameboys, they watched Pokemon on TV, and we even played the Pokemon card game together. We spent quite a bit of time in the car together, going to daycare, driving home from daycare pickup, doing errands, etc. I was a single mom for quite a few years of their young lives, and the boys and I were together a LOT. Pokemon was an integral part of their lives (and mine because I was always looking for new card packs for birthday, holiday, etc gifts for them).

As they got older Pokemon in our lives went to the back burner because girls, and school, and jobs, and life replaced our Pokemon phase. However, I will say that even into their teens they would play Pokemon on their iPOds and devices.

So when Pokemon Go Launched I felt like it would be a fun thing to do with my boys who are now 19 and 17. Because they are 19 and 17 I don’t see them much. They work, hang out with friends, and spend a LOT of time in their man caves (bedrooms). I thought, this could be fun to do together. And boy was I right!!!

Last week we all got into my car and drive 45 minutes to go to Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach to hunt Pokemon together. We were at the park for about 90 minutes together and then had a 45 minute ride home. It was fun, but what was even BETTER was that I spent over an hour in a car with my kids, and we TALKED!!  Nit just about Pokemon, but about other stuff like their jobs, and friends, and relationships, and their goals, etc. (I slipped as much mentoring in as I could without being too “mom-ish”).

AND I walked enough to hatch a 10km egg and received:

Oh, Joe Cool was so jealous!!  hee hee

Yesterday I spent ALL day with The Genius. It didn’t start out that way. In the morning we dropped his car off to have the headliner (the upholstery on the roof of the car) fixed. Then we wanted to go to Norfolk to play Pokemon for a bit.

We walked around together, took a couple of gyms together (GO TEAM MYSTIC). HE will do anything to take a Valor gym…..(if this is greek to you, just ask and I will explain). Then we found the MOTHERLODE of Pokemon.

We came to a place called The Pagoda and Oriental Garden . It was a beautiful place right on the water, which was nice because it was HOOOTTTTT and there was a breeze. Anyway, there were 4 Pokestops there (places where you can get Pokeballs, revive potions, healing potions, and other cool stuff), and TONS of people playing Pokemon because there were modules on (a lure someone can turn on for 30 minutes to attract rare Pokemon).

OMG!!!!  We stayed there for at least an hour…maybe more. We caught Squirtles, and Magikarps, and Poliwags, and Seels, but the most exciting catch of the day was a Dratini

That is super exciting because it evolves into a Dragonite which is one of the most powerful Pokemon!

I was especially excited to catch a Clefairy because they are special Pokemon, but I REALLY REALLY want a Pikachu!!!!

The boys and I have made plans to hang out next week in Norfolk catching Pokemon together! Maybe we will catch a rare one!

So you can scoff at my Pokemon Go playing, but I will stick to my belief that not only am I catching rare Pokemon with my boys but I am catching RARE quality TIME with my boys that I probably wouldn’t otherwise get without spending lot of money on a vacation. And even on vacation I don’t always see them all the time.

Thank you Pokemon Go!!