Why I Love Pokémon

Pretty much anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge proponent (read: fanatic) of Pokémon. I have loved the game/show/characters/etc. since I was a child, and the mere mention of those adorable pocket monsters can send me into throes of joy.

Me when I realized this past week that Netflix had added new episodes of Pokémon Indigo League. Everyone knows the newer series are simply sub-par.

This morning, I stumbled across this post by a dad who hates Pokémon. He names a few reasons, such as the fact that Pokémon is "so nerdy" (duh) and that his kid seems obsessed with the trading/playing cards. Now, I'm not trying to hate on this dad; it is completely his prerogative to decide what is appropriate for his child (and what habits his son has that drive him up the wall). While I realize that everyone is entitled to their opinion (and this is just mine), I felt that I had to speak up. Here I will address some of his key points as well as other aspects that I believe are important to consider with a child that loves them some Pokémon.

Is playing Pokémon teaching my child to fight animals for sport? 
In short, no. Fundamentally, the ideas are vastly disparate. I can see how one unfamiliar with the Pokémon universe might initially jump to such a conclusion. I mean, come on -- the whole premise is that your Pokémon is stronger and can beat your opponent's Pokémon in battle! (If it makes you feel any better, Pokémon only battle until they faint.) This is analogous to dog-fighting!!! In reality, there are multiple reasons why this is simply not the case.

For starters, in the Pokémon universe, the whole purpose of a Pokémon is to battle. Pokémon trainers, then, are coaches to help their Pokémon achieve on a whole new level.  But more than that, throughout the history of the Pokémon franchise, there has been the element of friendship and teamwork between the Pokémon and its trainer.

The main character of the Indigo League series, Ash Ketchum, allows his Pikachu (look it up -- it's precious) to travel outside of its Pokéball, which is quickly established to be unorthodox. He also defers to his Pokémon on evolution preferences (multiple of his have refused to evolve) and battle appearances (sometimes, Pokémon don't want to battle -- and that's okay!). Brock, one of Ash's traveling companions and friends, tailor makes Pokémon food, catering to each Pokémon's individual strengths, preferences, and needs.

There is even this post extolling the kindness that James (one of the hilariously maladroit villains of the original animated series) extends to his and other Pokémon. Pokémon are so revered in this universe that even the villains treat them with respect (not so for their fellow humans, I'm afraid). One of their Pokémon, a Meowth who can say things other than his name, is generally the brains of the entire operation and often keeps the humans in line instead of vice versa. Team Rocket's boss, admittedly, is not so kind to Pokémon, but if he is your child's hero, you have bigger problems.

He does not even make very good fashion choices

There are 719 Pokémon. If you've really "gotta catch 'em all", it's going to be expensive!
 This is true. As children, my brother and I spent our fair share on Pokémon cards. We actually got GameBoys for the sole purpose of playing the Pokémon game. However, Pokémon is no different from any other hobby on which your child wants to spend his/her money; it's a great tool with which to teach children about financial responsibilities such as saving and tithing a portion of their "income". It's never too soon to instill reasonable ideas about the true value of money and what is worth your dollars and what isn't.

(If you're still not convinced, try teaching your child the virtues of loyalty and purity and teach them to only collect the original 150/151/152 (depending on which definition to which you subscribe).)

I love Doctor Who, but this is one of my worst nightmares... First Gen Forever!

My child is obsessed with Pokémon and doesn't want to talk about anything else!
Good! Join them.

No, really. There are so many things that Pokémon can teach your child. Here is just a starter list:

• Reading. My younger brother actually learned to read using Pokémon cards to make sure I wasn't cheating. (I probably was.)
• Math. Have you ever tried playing the Pokémon card game? Subtraction, addition, and multiplication all make it into your child's repertoire if s/he plays Pokémon. You have to figure out PP, HP, damage, special attack power, weakness and strengths, etc. somehow!

  

  Or more serious math. Whoa.

• Language skills. The television show (available via my BFF Netflix) is rife with puns of varying quality. Learn homophones galore! There are also lots of plays on colloquialisms, which I appreciate.
  

  

  (for instance)

• Science. Have you ever sat down and really looked at which Pokémon are "super effective" against other Pokémon types? Electric types like Pikachu are "super effective" against Water types. Water types like Squirtle are "super effective" against Fire types. Fire types like Charmander (my personal favorite of the original starters) are "super effective" against Grass types... Do you see a pattern? Use this information to start a conversation with your child about the world around them. Talk about how water conducts electricity but rubber doesn't. Ask your child about why they think Horsea (water type) could beat Vulpix (fire type). This is your child's interest -- use it to their advantage!
  

  

  Team Rocket (the villains) have a rubber tank so that Pikachu's thunder attacks won't affect them. Science!

•  Honor, persistence, and compassion. Ash Ketchum is one of the most darn determined kid characters I've ever seen portrayed. He never gives up in battle unless it would be a detriment to his Pokémon. He loses (mostly) graciously and uses those losses as learning opportunities. He fights for what he believes is right and is victorious against the "evil" that is Team Rocket (back story: Team Rocket wants to steal Pokémon from trainers to expand their boss's collection) time and time again. He repeatedly puts the needs of his Pokémon above his own and they do the same for him. 

In addition, this is an opportunity to get to know your child better while gently leading them into more important topics. Use this passion to spark other interests and conversations.

• Talk about how Ash takes care of his Pokémon -- how can your child take better care of the family pet? 
• Watch the episode where the kids get stranded in the snow and discuss survival skills. 
• Inquire about your child's favorite Pokémon -- you might just learn something new about your kid. Maybe Junior really hates Mr. Mime because he's a copycat or really likes Charizard because he doesn't listen to anyone.
• Let your child teach you about his/her interest and encourage him/her to share their love of Pokémon with friends? You are raising an educator and a leader.

So, that's just a bit about why I love Pokémon so much. I could probably talk for hours about how educational it is in all of its mediums and on so many levels.

Also, it's super fun.

25 years and perspective

Today was my 25th birthday. As I sit and think about this day, I discover that I have been immensely blessed. I woke up to a surprise breakfast and gift (and balloons!) brought to me by three new friends from nursing school. I was treated to lunch by my grandparents, and my mother drove from Decatur to come see me for a few hours. I was wished happy birthday by quite a few people with whom I've not spoken in a while, and I got numerous sweet texts, an email from my other grandparents, and a phone call from my father. And my thoughtful husband stopped to get me roses on the way home from a long day of standardized patient testing in Augusta. I have been so blessed on my 25th birthday.

But my favorite gift of the entire day of gifts is that of the story I was told by my grandfather. It started something like this (I am largely paraphrasing, but this is the gist. And forgive me if my science is off -- I'm certainly not the same brilliant mind as my grandfather) :

-When I turned 25- he says -I thought about everything that had happened in the world in my 25 years. The Roaring Twenties (Calvin Coolidge was the president when I was born, then Herbert Hoover), then the Great Depression. Then Franklin Roosevelt was president for four terms-

-Too long!- interjects my grandmother

-He had been president for most of my life. Then Congress decided that a president could only serve two terms-

-Ten years.- interjects my grandmother again, winking at me. -a president can serve a maximum of ten years-

-And the German physicists came over... And they discovered the neutron. Before they thought that an atomic nucleus only had protons. You can't bombard a nucleus with protons; the positive charges repel each other. But you can bombard a nucleus with neutrons. They thought at first that they were just making higher number isotopes (and they did), but they also discovered that the nucleus would split, and when it split, it would release energy. They discovered that it was Uranium 235 that would release the energy. There is a lot more Uranium 238 than Uranium 235. And they sent letters to President Roosevelt, who gave them permission to create the atomic bomb. They made Fat Man, which I believe was a Uranium 235 bomb, and they made Little Boy, which was the plutonium bomb, that they dropped in Japan. They made huge strides in science in those 25 years.-

-And penicillin- I say, knowing that, as a doctor, he is acutely aware of the benefits of this drug that, had it been discovered a few years earlier, could have saved his mother's fingers from being amputated secondary to a needle stick that got infected.

-And penicillin was discovered- he agrees, and goes on to remind me that the first sulfonamides were created later, in the 40s. -They used breweries to make penicillin, because they were the only facilities that could sustain [he mentions the penicillin-creating organism by name] in large enough quantities.-

To all this, I comment -I feel like the history in my 25 years pales in comparison to yours.-

-Oh, mine too- grandmother assures me. -My first 25 years were boring. Just the hippie movement and drugs.-