We Used to Be Humans or Elves or Dwarves… Now We're Just Parents
Number of Views :200
Gaming once you have children is, well not to be trite, ‘quite an adventure’. It’s a whole dimension of gaming on it’s own. Because if you’re like us and living away from anyone who you might consider to babysit then you are forced to game with your children around. We love our son but it has been a challenge to find a system that worked for playing.
We tried doing an early afternoon gaming session but honestly it didn’t work out very well. I continually had to stop to take care of the baby. Mark and I were trying to pass him back and forth but seeing as he is the DM it was difficult for him to be distracted by Gabe.
Then we tried modifying the time so that it was later afternoon and we would have “couple” friends over and the other s.o.’s would help keep the baby busy but there was still invariably questions and interruptions and then we would have to stop the game to put the baby down for the night.
What we have been doing lately, and what seems to be working very very well, is to have people arrive at 6:00 pm (knowing full well they won’t settle down till 7). You see, 7 pm is Gabe’s bedtime and once he’s down for the night he doesn’t make a noise till 7 the next morning. Therefore, Mark is able to be a DM and I’m able to be Vala the Eladrin Wizard who kicks some serious ass and well…. we get to do it as humans… not parents.
How about all of you… How do you work gaming around having kids?
Well, when our baby was a toddler, we could bring him to a game. He was a very calm baby. I could hold him in my arms and he wouldn’t bother anyone.
A little break here and there to change a diaper or for feeding was okay.
Same thing with another couple playing with us. Not much of a bother.
Now, my boy is 18 months old and require way too much attention for us to think it would be remotely possible to do this without constant interruptions.
Our current solution is for baby boy to visit one of his grandmas. Works like a charm.
Baby #2 is almost due and I sometimes wonder if I will ever play again
Your solution of moving the game after bedtime is obviously the next step for us if we want to keep playing… which will probably be after the chaos of baby #2 ends…
[...] get to know them a bit, and they expunge on some aspect of gaming. Like here, here and here, and this one too. I don’t have that kind of ability, or at least I have not explored [...]