New Baby & Gaming

[Mark Chance]

I don't recall either child disrupting my gaming schedule at all.

 

[DaveMage]

I don't recall either child disrupting my gaming schedule at all.

Do you remember when you last saw your children?



For me, it was OK until they became mobile. Once they were mobile, they were very curious and it was hard to DM sessions at my house during the day anymore.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

Naturally little Eleanor rolled an 18 for her Charisma...

I'm kinda curious though, for all of you parents out there... How long was it before you were able to sit down at the gaming table? One of the players in my game joked that it would be the last time they would see me behind the screen.

I figured it would be a couple of months... How long was it for those of you out there in our community?

Well, If I remember correctly during my games my wife would take care of my son while I would game. My friends understood when I'd have to step away to cover for my wife, incase she had to step out or go to the bathroom or something. It honestly wasnt that long before I started gaming again tho' mostly it was recovering from being up nights with my son. Once my wife and I got back to normal from the night shift things returned to normal pretty quickly.

 

[Dragonhelm]

First, congratulations on the new little one!

Every family and situation is different, but I've found that when you start getting more than one child and your kids get involved in more activities (school, scouts, sports, etc.), your gaming time is zapped. I'm lucky to get one Saturday a month, if that. I've had to go to online gaming for my fix. :\

 

[WayneLigon]

In the campaign I'm in right now, the GM has a 2-year-old; we play at his house mainly because of this reason. He's the primary caregiver and his wife gets home pretty late on game night. Even at the terrible twos he's just not all that bad; he cries sometimes when he gets his bath and has to be put down because he wants to stay with us and roll dice, but that quiets down pretty quickly. Usually he's so tired from toddling back and forth between us to get that he's ready to conk out anyway.

The other couple has a brand new baby. They wrapped him up and packed him to the game his first week of life and he pretty much just lays there and looks at the minis and dice when he's not asleep. Last week, they took turns feeding and burping him while the other destroyed waves of undead.

 

[Mark Chance]

Do you remember when you last saw your children?

Children? What children?

Seriously, on game day, my wife takes care of the children. Most game days now this means she takes the children and leaves the house with them for a few hours. The only time the children interfere is on those rare days when we must schedule child-related activities (such as birthdays) on game days.

 

[Cam Banks]

Every family and situation is different, but I've found that when you start getting more than one child and your kids get involved in more activities (school, scouts, sports, etc.), your gaming time is zapped.

I plan on keeping my sons out of scouts and sports altogether! That'll fix that.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[pawsplay]

When they start sleeping through the night, around two to six months. Because, frankly, if you haven't slept through the night, you'll be lucky to make it to work and feed yourself, much less game.

I have three children.

 

[Dragonhelm]

I plan on keeping my sons out of scouts and sports altogether! That'll fix that.

You may find that kids have ideas of their own.

And beware the PTA!

I want to tell you all a story 'bout a Harper Valley widow wife
Who had a teenage daughter that attended Harper Valley Junior High
Well her daughter came home one afternoon and didn't even stop to play
And she said, "Mama, I've got a note here from the Harper Valley PTA"
Well the note says "Mrs. Johnson, you're wearing your dresses way too high
It's been reported you've been drinkin' and a runnin' round with men and goin' wild
Now we don't believe you ought to be a bringin' up your little girl this way"
And it was signed by the Secretary, Harper Valley PTA

Well it happened that the PTA was gonna meet that very afternoon
And boy, were they surprised as Mrs. Johnson wore her miniskirt into the room
And as she walked up to the blackboard I can still recall the word she had to say
She said "I'd like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley PTA

Now there's Bobby Taylor sittin' there and seven times he's asked me for a date
And Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lot of ice whenever he's away
And Mr. Baker can you tell us why your secretary had to leave this town
And shouldn't widow Jones be told to keep her window shades all pulled completely down

Now Mr. Harper couldn't be here 'cause he's stayed too long in Kelly's bar again
And if you smell Shirley Thompson's breath you'll find she's had a little nip of gin
And then you have the nerve to tell me as a mother you think that I ain't fit
Well this is just a little Payton place and you're all Harper Valley hypocrits

Now I wouldn't put you on because it really did, it happened just this way
That day my Mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA
That day my Mama socked it to 'em at the Harper Valley PTA

 

[Cam Banks]

You may find that kids have ideas of their own.

I already know this.

And beware the PTA!

Please don't quote the lyrics to that song... no! no! plea-- oh, man, you went ahead and did it. You fiend. You've just paved your way to Hell with awful country, you have. A thousand curses upon your unremittant soul.

Cheers,
Cam