babsitters and gaming

[Nathal]

Question for parents: I'm curious how many of you play with your wife or husband, thereby requiring a babysitter to watch your toddlers. I had to call off a game tonight because there was nobody willing to babysit my 15-month old, and because my wife and I both play these games, neither wants to leave the other the task of babysitting. It must be easier, in some respects, if only one person in a couple actually plays the game. He can have his "gamers night out" just as many married people might have a "night out with the guys" or "girls night out", or whatever social excuse there is.

*sigh*. We'll be moving to Delaware soon, so maybe finding a sitter for Game Night will be easier there.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Our parents took us with them when they gamed.

I'm guessing I was about three, maybe, when they started - there's a story about the time my sister got stood on as a baby at a game night, and there's two and a half years between us.

-Hyp.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

We've always taken the kids with us when we've been in groups, or invited the group to our house, so we don't have to take the kids out. Either way, the group was understanding because most of them had kids also and did the same thing.

Generally speaking, the oldest ones would watch after the younger ones and report any problems. Since we usually gamed after bed time, the kid collection would play sleep-over and be asleep about half-way through the game session.

Quentin

 

[Silver Moon]

We game at our house and the gaming group was very tolerant and allowed toddler children at the table until around age one-and-a-half to two. Once the baby feel asleep it would go upstairs to the nursery with the baby monitor on. We only had one older couple leave the group because they didn't want young children at the table.

 

[rom90125]

We've always taken the kids with us when we've been in groups, or invited the group to our house, so we don't have to take the kids out. Either way, the group was understanding because most of them had kids also and did the same thing.

Generally speaking, the oldest ones would watch after the younger ones and report any problems. Since we usually gamed after bed time, the kid collection would play sleep-over and be asleep about half-way through the game session.

Quentin

This is also how our group works. I DM and we have the group meet at our house for the sessions. Our 10-year old twins keep an eye (and ear) out for their 3-year old sister. Because we wait for the 3-year old to go to bed before starting, we generally only get 2.5 - 3 hours of game time per session.

 

[Menexenus]

I tried to get my wife involved in D&D, but she didn't care for it. In retrospect, I guess that's a good thing, because now I have a built in babysitter on game night!

I never thought about it this way before. Thanks, Nathal, for showing me the up-side of having a wife who thinks D&D is stupid!

 

[Thunderfoot]

My oldest plays in our group he's 18 now, he didn't learn to play by being at a babysitter.

Currently we have four married couples in our group, we have the oldest (18 & 13), another couple takes middle honors (13 & 10), another couple has 4 (13, 8, 3, and under 1) and another couple has one that is almost a year.

As long as everyone is fine with it, there is no reason to have a babysitter. A 15 month old should be ok without having constant attention; obviously there are some things that will need to be attended to immediately, but unless the child is sick, nothing that can't be worked around.

 

[WayneLigon]

Most parents with kids who've gamed with us either bring the kids along with them (so far our record is 2 weeks old) or, if they can't find a sitter, we game at their place so they can run and attend the kid as needed.

 

[Asmor]

I dress my children up in period-clothing and use them as minis. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to teach a toddler when it's okay to take an attack of opportunity.

 

[PallidPatience]

You wouldn't believe how hard it is to teach a toddler when it's okay to take an attack of opportunity.

It's probably just as hard as teaching some adults.