I Lost Every Game at Dave & Buster’s, But Won the Day

I'm not crying at Dave & Buster's. There's something in my eye... When my daughter, Kara Zor-El, was little, I used to let her win at video games. I’d ease up on Mario Kart, fumble my combos in fighting games, and act just slow enough for her to claim victory. It wasn’t about the game—it was about seeing that big smile on her face when she "beat" her dad. It was part of the fun, part of being a dad.

Fast forward to today, her 13th birthday, and those days are long gone. We celebrated at Dave & Buster’s in Fort Myers, and let me tell you—I got absolutely destroyed. Mario Kart? She left me eating her dust. Our favorite Marvel superhero fighting game? I barely landed a hit before she wiped the floor with me. It didn’t matter if it was skee-ball, air hockey, or a simple game of shooting hoops—I lost. Badly. And she relished every second of it.

But here’s the thing: In a way, I still won.

At 13, she’s at that stage where she’s growing up fast. She’s got her own interests, her own style, and a social life that doesn’t always revolve around her old man. She could have chosen anything for her birthday. A shopping spree, a trip somewhere, a big party with all her friends. Instead, she wanted to spend the day at Dave & Buster’s—with me.

That’s the real victory.

As parents, we spend years making sure our kids are happy, lifting them up, giving them wins—both in games and in life. And then, before we know it, they don’t need us to let them win anymore. They’ve learned how to win on their own.

But when they still choose to spend time with us? That’s the biggest win of all.

Even if it means getting my butt kicked at Dave & Buster's every single game.