jemmasmum
Was just wondering if there are many gaming parents out there... I'm due in july (lol currently in the process of rolling up a character lol) and was wondering how you manage games with littlies. I for one am hoping to have a little gamer as I have found great enjoyment in gaming.
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"Level 1 Human Baby":http://www.jinx.com/minigeeks/baby/video_games/level_1_human_creeper.html?catid=1&cs=19&csd=baby#bigdesign
I personally don't have any babies, but several of my friends at the table do. If you're gaming at your house, it shouldn't be too bad, just bring the baby monitor and expect to be away from the table frequently. If you game somewhere else, it will probably be damn tough for the first four months or so, depending on your parenting style. I suggest spending your next few skill points in Profession (Mother).
PS: Grats on your new arrival!!!!!!
My players and I are not parents yet, but we often reiterate our intentions to play tabletop rpgs with our kids once we have them. Two of us have also worked with kids as educators (one is a grade school teacher, and I worked in museum education). You may be interested in checking out Chatty DM's blog. He is a father who plays with his kids and occasionally "writes about it":http://critical-hits.com/2010/04/02/nico-and-rorys-quest-meeting-the-ice-titan/ . I think the key to playing with kids is to keep things simple, and to let their imaginations trump the rules as much as possible. I personally think RPGs can potentially help parents engage with their kids in make-believe, and help kids to develop their natural imaginative ramblings in a way that can build focus, storytelling, problem solving and creative skills.
When they get old enough to grasp the concepts, I'll introduce them gradually, but for now we have Catan and Carcassone and Alhambra to teach them logic, reasoning and general mathematics. My oldest is reading the Shadowrun Core rulebook, but she doesn't get it quite yet.
Now seriously: I don't have kids (and don't expect to for some years) but I now I would love to have RPGs as a common hobby with them, and as a way to bond. It's also an interesting way to develop a child's imagination and creativity so I think of RPG as educational as well.
I have some friends who game and have children, the older ones get into gaming with their parents when they can. My main immediate problem is that i plan to breastfeed so it might make games a little uncomfortable, especially as i recently moved and dont know anyone in newcastle (AUS) who games (well anyways, am slowly getting contacts).
I too think RPG's have fantastic potential in helping parents bond with their children (we can certainly understand an imagination :) )
I just had a baby (well I didn't...lady did) but she doesn't play...if she did, I guess I probably wouldn't want her whipping them out at the table, either, but I certainly wouldn't want her hanging out with people who wouldn't do what they could to help her out so she could continue to enjoy gaming as often as she wanted to.
It wouldn't be an issue in our group, though you might be uncomfortable with a few boob jokes here and there (all in good fun though).
Congrats on the new gamer!!!
I guess that's one purpose WotC didn't include in the product description, haha.
bq). A goblin is about as smart as a 5yr old IMO.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, so true, hahaha.
totally didnt think about using a dm screen for that purpose lol
thanks for the support everyone!
Part of it was because they didn't corral the kids thoroughly enough for my tastes. Another part of it is because I *do not* do well with small children. I once remarked at the noise level being generated by the kids, and two other gamers (not these spawn's parents, but having children themselves) mentioned that "this was nothing". Thankfully, the kids' dad ended up being enough of a dork on his own merits that *he* was disinvited from the campaign, but honestly if it hadn't come to that, it would have come to my leaving because I couldn't handle it.
Strange as this sounds, I'm saying this as my own twisted way of being supportive. I mention this as a warning to you in case there's someone like that in your group. If you're doing everything you possibly can to be accommodating and someone's still acting like it's not enough...sometimes it really is them and not you. =)
I have to say that some one of my favourite memories from that campaign was the image I have of my brother in law describing in great terrible detail the dangers and horrors facing our party while at the same time bouncing his daughter (my niece) on his knee to her delight and laughter.
You just can't beat roleplaying memories like that.
being new to the area im in its hard, i dont know anyone or where anything is... this is my first child and I dont want to go psycho due to lack of fun and stimulating adult interaction... if that makes any sense...