With Patience, I'm Trying to Better Understand What My Kids Are Playing
Rubbing my eyes, I open Google and ask what Dress to Impress is.
If there’s anything I’ve learned from my parenting journey thus far, living with a pre-teen immersed in their screen requires empathy, communication, structure and a whole lot of patience.
I’m sure I speak for parents everywhere when I say I think we have definitely lost the battle when it comes to the digital world, and my children are no exception. The biggest fight in our house is over my pre-teen daughter— she’s 11-going-on-35 and knows everything—who adamantly argues she is not “addicted” to her iPad.
(I beg to differ!)
My kids, on the other hand, are a world unto themselves when it comes to games. Try as I may, my kids, in particular my 11-year-old, aren’t as keen to make the trek out the door. The lure of being immersed in a virtual world via Roblox—and specifically, Dress to Impress—seems to be a much better option.
What exactly is Dress to Impress? I had to ask Google, honestly, because asking my daughter elicited yet another eye roll—I guess I’m not “preppy or slay enough to understand”? I don’t even entirely understand what those words mean!
Dress to Impress was created for Roblox, and you can show off your fashion sense and creativity with stunning outfits, then strut the runway showing off your look. As you climb the rankings each round, you also advance closer to earning the coveted title of Top Model. Oooh la la!
Different styles and fashion eras are represented within the styling options; you can roll with Y2K to streetwear and…Lolita fashion. (I had to look this one up, too. Think grown up women dressing in really frilly/doll-like clothing). It gives players the freedom to blend personal style preferences with popular trends and niche aesthetics. While it may sound a little unusual to those of us out of the loop—i.e.probably tons of parents like me—it’s proving to be a sure-fire hit with Roblox fans.
To date, it’s already racked up more than three billion visits since its launch in late 2023.
“It’s not just about playing the game,” said my daughter, when I managed to pull her away from the game for a moment. “I get to have fun, but it’s more about who it’s with. Whether it’s being online with my friends or family on the other side of the world, that’s what I love so much.”
No wonder the kids can’t bring themselves to be dragged away from the screen, with all the bright lights and pretty outfits.
Growing up, I wasn’t really caught up in the world of gaming. Our house was more dominated by the PC world and the extent of my “gaming” was Prince of Persia—yes I’m a 90s kid—and another one I thought was really cool, Jazz Jackrabbit.
“My kids, on the other hand, are a world unto themselves when it comes to games. Try as I may, my kids, in particular my 11-year-old, aren’t as keen to make the trek out the door. The lure of being immersed in a virtual world via Roblox—and specifically, Dress to Impress—seems to be a much better option.”
As I moved into my late teen years and beyond, I jumped on the Wii Fit and Sing Star bandwagon. I thought I was made for the stage—in my dreams, of course. Now, I dabble more so with a few games here and there on my phone and occasionally a round of Mario Kart on the Switch.
But dressing up is nothing new; it’s a game that’s been in effect since the dawn of time. Who could forget baby dolls, good old Barbie and, of course, we all pretended to be doctors, teachers, and brides at some stage in our younger years. It all seems to have migrated from the “real” world into the digital world, giving so many more options.
I’m starting to see the attraction…but not enough to become a convert.
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