What about Parents?

[diaglo]

my parents know i still play.

my wife put it in our Xmas letter the last 2 years.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Well, my parents really didn't know what to make of this hobby when I was younger - and I suspect that they still don't - but they were at least glad that I got some sort of social life, and by now I guess they are also a bit impressed that I was getting published in another language and by publishers in another country...

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

My parents are not particularly impressed, they don't really comment beyond making half hearted inquiries about 'the secret missions'. They do get annoyed that I've basically given Saturday afternoon over to RPGing - won't cancel/miss a session without a really good reason. Seeing my parents is generally not good enough!

My father used to crack cheap gags about it, until I'd had enough one drunken evening. I sat down and drew the similarities between his golfing addiction and my DnD addiction. He saw the point and shut up about it.

My younger brother is a funny one. He really can't stand RPGs - thinks they are boring and can't see what anyone gets out of them. However - a good half of his friends are RPGers. To sum it up, he's fine with RPGers, just not RPGs.

 

[caudor]

Well now days, I'm a DM, Player, Parent, and now Grandparent. My two adult children are out of the nest and involved in D&D (my son more so than my daughter).

When I first started playing D&D in high school (late 70s; early 80s) my father soon began to dislike the game due to the bad press. In fact, he never could get the name right...he would say "Yaaa boy, you still playing that...that...Dragons and Dungeons". For a while, I resorted to hiding my D&D stuff under my bed. My mom would sneak me new modules for my birthday and holidays.

Years later, he ended up moving in with me so I could take care of him because of heart condition. During these years, he accepted my hobby and even suggested that I write some material myself. He would often drive me to the local hobby shop and would venture in to look around. He never once played, but before he passed last year, I noticed that he was very mellow and very accepting of 'Dragons and Dungeons'.

 

[Zappo]

My parents are OK with it. Back when I first started gaming, they did a few sessions with me, so they know what it's about. I think that, when your kid takes up an unusual hobby, that's the correct reaction.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

My parents taught me how to play; my mother GMed a series of family campaigns for several years.

 

[francisca]

My dad was very supportive of the hobby when I was young. He looked at me like I was weirdo when I picked it up again when I was 30 (I had quit in HS). Today, he doesn't say much, and even told me not to cancel my game while they are to be in town next week. If gameday also wasn't my son's 6th b-day, we'd be having the game as normal, and I'd drag the old fart into the fray!

 

[Ion]

I can never tell if my dad gets it or not, but he doesn't seem to disapprove, he was always seems a fan of chatting it up with my friends though, before or after (during ...grr..) sessions when we used to live in the same house.

In some ways it did bring us together. Like when I really wanted a gaming table, but lacked the carpentry skills, he knew what we needed, and how to do it.

I did eventually get my mother to play a one shot session with us once. She has yet to play again though, saying "the last thing I need is an addiction to another game". hehe

 

[Voadam]

Mine got me my books when I was a kid. My dad's only complaint was that it was hard to find stores to buy them at. They were quite proud when I sent them an author's copy of a book I worked on for christmas.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

MY parents don't get it. And for that matter neither do my brother or sister or extended family for the most part. They have nothing agianst the hobby they just don't understand it.

That sums it up for me, too.