I'm a little depressed, and I don't want to be the only one.

[Quartz]

Just an observation, but are the two of you getting any 'bonding time'? Can either set of grandparents look after your daughter while the two of you get away for a weekend? Equally, how about if they were to look after her while each of you did something separately?

 

[brehobit]

Take me, for instance. I love my life. I have a wonderful wife, a beautiful five-year-old daughter, and a great job (teacher). But at the end of the day, after reading my little girl to sleep, I collapse in exhaustion.

Dude, I have the wife, the 5-year old daughter and the teaching job! I also have a 2-year old son. But my wife is full-time parent (she already has her MS!).

I have had people over once/week for 3 years now. Remind me to thank my wife again... Other than work, I'm not a very social person, so it's nice to have some non-work people interaction... (I do take the kids one evening and Saturday morning. She takes them for gaming and sport each once per week.) It does mean I don't see a lot of my wife, which sucks...

Mark

 

[Simon Atavax]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I haven't had much time this past week to read the forums and this is my first chance to really read through everyone's responses.

I just wanted to really thank all of you guys for your encouraging words. It might seem like a small thing, but it's actually really helpful to know that other people are also having trouble balancing gaming with life (especially life involving kids!).

Anyway, in response to some of the questions that were asked, Yes, my wife and I definitely have some bonding time (we're going out this weekend, for example--thank God for our amazing babysitter) and Yes, she's totally in support of me having time to game. It's just making the time to do it when I'm not pooped out that's the challenge.

But you know what? The start of a new school year ALWAYS exhausts me. But it gets better. Already (Sept.18th) I'm feeling better than I did a couple of weeks ago.

I currently own the 4e Player's Handbook and I'm going to make time to read through it, just to digest the rules and whatnot. Maybe after Christmas I'll feel ready (both in terms of time and rules knowledge) to re-assemble some of the old group (or find a new group) for a session or two.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone who posted in this thread. It helped me a lot, I kid you not.

Atavax

P.S. I'm not the only one who has the work/gaming struggle . . .
http://bp3.blogger.com/_MrFq5enA6-A/R_5Z4fS6CVI/AAAAAAAAAHA/ysEHS6sjLwM/s1600-h/KODT.jpg

 

[Celebrim]

I don't miss or long for 4e, but I sure miss and long for some good gaming.

Things have conspired to the point that I no longer do it, and just don't foresee it happening any time soon.

a) Twins.
b) Adult responsibilities.
c) Moved again. No gamer friends yet acquired in the new community.

I noticed this post by accident looking for something else, and I think it's a great example of how you never know what the future will hold.

September 2008 was indeed a depressing month of my life.

But within two years of this post I found a gaming group that I have now played with for 15 years, the longest continuous period of gaming in my life. And lots of other things had already gotten better by that point. I don't know if my 2008 self would have considered two years to be "any time soon", but he did move on to something happier.

 

[darjr]

I noticed this post by accident looking for something else, and I think it's a great example of how you never know what the future will hold.

September 2008 was indeed a depressing month of my life.

But within two years of this post I found a gaming group that I have now played with for 15 years, the longest continuous period of gaming in my life. And lots of other things had already gotten better by that point. I don't know if my 2008 self would have considered two years to be "any time soon", but he did move on to something happier.

That’s freaking awesome!!

 

[Retreater]

This is the best kind of thread necro. Thanks for the positive update.

 

[GothmogIV]

Is anyone else out there frustrated, discouraged, even downright bummed out by the fact that their real life is currently so busy and hectic that they can only dream of their first 4e campaign?

Take me, for instance. I love my life. I have a wonderful wife, a beautiful five-year-old daughter, and a great job (teacher). But at the end of the day, after reading my little girl to sleep, I collapse in exhaustion. If I'm lucky, I may get in a few rounds of BIOSHOCK (my current XBOX 360 darling), or some television with my lovely wife, or some time to read, or whatever. Usually I'm out cold by 9 pm at night (my little girl is asleep by 8 or so).

Weekends? Usually a similar routine. Hanging out with family, trying to get the house tidied up, maybe a little time here or there for myself. The idea of a long, in-depth 4e campaign (or any other kind of RPGing) just doesn't enter into it. My wife is working on her master's degree, BTW, so she needs as much time as humanly possible to work on that.

I'm also a passionate boardgamer, and the same problem, obviously, exists there. No time for my beloved Arkham Horror, Settlers of Catan, Risk 2210 A.D., etc.

Anyway, I just wanted to know if anyone else in a similar boat as me. You've been a gamer a long time, and you're deeply excited about 4e (or whatever version you're in love with). But the prospect of ever having enough time to play the dang thing is rather bleak.

Without irony I say that I'm planning to run a campaign when my little girl is nine or ten or so. It may take that long for things to come together.

My friend, let me help you out with four words of wisdom given to me: this, too, shall pass. I have two daughters--both teenagers now--and I am also a teacher. Don't feel bad because you are tired after a long day and don't have the juice to game (or the time). Just know that the intensity of child care will taper off as she gets older, I promise.

 

[Jdoublep]

Keep the faith and continue focusing on keeping the family unit locked down. It won’t ever be the same as it was before (sorry to say) but you’ll get through it and the other side is absolutely wonderful: I have two teens now who I play games with all the time! (And one is about to start GMimg for his friends.)

 

[Jd Smith1]

Since going on line, keeping a full table is child's place. In 2024 I gamed every week but one.

I don't play D&D.

I have ample time for all my hobbies, and my post-retirement career as an author. These are the best of times.