Other gamers with young kids

[billd91]

So my wife wants me to find gamers at least one of two that also have young children like we do so on some of the game nights they can bring over their wives and children I think this is cool and fair, I enjoy gaming with people who I am friends with out side of gaming until recently that's how I usually gamed. Moving cost me my past game groups.


How do you go about finding other gamers with young kids or does that cause people to give up on gaming in person for the time being?


Or do I have to find friends and convert them to playing RPGs?

Either of these options could work. I got lucky in that a lot of gamers I knew and was connected to are about my age and we were all starting families around the same time. So a few of us get together and play a weekly game (currently Pathfinder) - and we're still going more than a dozen years later. The kids play together (or I guess 'hang out' is a little more in keeping with the teens rather than 'playing') while we adults play together. The luck with this was pretty much that we all had solid connections to each other before the game started and we're all gamers anyway. Getting a group together for family game night was all-but inevitable.

Contacting new families is something I don't know that much about but there are always going to be parents of young kids who are itching to find a game more in tune with their parenting needs than the old gaming group, who, based on all sorts of other threads on the topic I've read, are probably not as sympathetic to them as they should be. Posts at a local game store might generate some contacts. Getting to know parents at your kids' schools or day cares may help. Friend them on Facebook and, if they're active on it, you'll start to get to know if they're gamer-friendly or gamers themselves. Plus, if you do find gamers that way, your kids will already be connecting with theirs and the whole game day event becomes a regular play date in your kids' eyes.

You do have to be more patient with interruptions at the table in situations where kids are also coming over on game days, but they're usually pretty minor and, if major ones come up, you've got other parents there to help out. A few interruptions from the rugrats is a small price to pay to be able to game.

 

[TheYeti1775]

When my son was born my wife at the time was fine with one night a week gaming. All the way up till our separation/divorce that was the deal we had. Occasionally I had a few extra one shots rolled in along with a few Cons as well. Though she went with me to the Cons and Grandmom got him for that weekend.

Really its about communication with your spouse, if you both game it makes it a little tough but it can be done.

Suggestions:
Host the games yourself.
Run a weeknight game - this generally means the kids are going to bed during your game as well.
Trade off with spouse who has primary responsibility that night. Basically they are the one that gets up from the table to do the caring.

1 1/2 to 5/6 are the 'hell' years for gaming with a kid. But it can be done.

 

[Jvirtue55]

So I have the house to host the events and it has plenty of room for multiple groups of kids and wives not to disrupt us (4400 square feet with our own game room and a kids playroom)
Right now week days don't work because of my current work situation I have to be up really early for my commute.
I just need to find people who have kids who want to game and are normal enough people to get along with my wife and kids