Everything I learned about children I learned from Gaming

1. Everything I learned about children I learned from Gaming

   #1

   Everything I learned about raising children I learned from Gaming
   
   I learned it is a good idea to be involved in character development, otherwise you will never know what will happen.
   
   I learned the importance of cleaning up and preparing the area for play.
   
   I learned the importance of a well stocked gaming bag (which these days is filled with diapers, bottles, toys, formula).
   
   I also learned that no matter what you have packed in your bag, you will always be missing something important. So don't stress over it.
   
   I learned how to operate on little to no sleep. (thank you game cons)
   
   I learned that you never have to leave the house except for an occasional food/ muchie run.
   
   I learned that knowing the rules is less important than knowing the players... (But he is not suppose to be able to do that for a couple months yet!!!)
   
   I learned that keeping all the players happy is job one.
   
   I learned to plan for multiple contingencies and options.
   
   I learned if you plan, it will never go that way. Be prepared to improvise.
   
   I learned you should never leave players alone for too long. Heaven only knows what kind of trouble they will think up.
   
   I learned that you can't plan when those magik moments will occur. You know, the ones that you will be telling stories about for years to come.
   
   I learned that dice and miniatures just cause problems except in expert hands.

2. Everything I learned about children I learned from Gaming

   #2

   If I may, how did gaming teach you about raising children?

3. Everything I learned about children I learned from Gaming

   #3

   Its called Magic.

4. Everything I learned about children I learned from Gaming

   #4

   Gaming teaches you to deal with whining, self centered idiots in a constructive way without just reaching out and striking them. So when your kid is too involved in his spontaneous after school game of tag to walk home (that was this morning), you don't just reach for the belt (and believe me, it was tempting, this isn't the first time we've been home wondering if someone has kidnapped and eaten our kid) instead you give him more chores (like throwing the party off the trail) and make him write down "I will come right home" a hundred times before he can play his new video games (like putting the twisting, mazelike dungeon in front of the treasure)
   
   Every game can teach a lesson, it's just on how you want to learn it that's up to you.

5. For Siren....

   #5

   And the analogously impaired....
   
   Gamers are often childish... if not infantile. An opinion frequently held by Game Masters who have to deal with this behavior.
   
   If you just said, "No we're not." in that whiny or indignent tone, you just proved my point... as you just responded like a child. Gamers frequently whine for experience points like children whine for candy in the supermarket aisles. Instead to dealing with it maturely, they wail about how things were unfair in the game... Though you may not agree with the specific, you might see my point.
   
   So learning to deal with children will help you deal with gamers... and visa versa.
   
   Now point by point
   
   I learned it is a good idea to be involved in character development, otherwise you will never know what will happen. If it is your child you are raising, it might be like you.
   
   I learned the importance of cleaning up and preparing the area for play. clean up the house and keep it clean to keep your children safe
   
   I learned the importance of a well stocked gaming bag. You learn that having all your stuff with you is important. That is why parents carry these huge bags around filled with diapers, bottles, toys, formula).
   
   I also learned that no matter what you have packed in your bag, you will always be missing something important. So don't stress over it. You never have what you need when you really need it, so don;t worry about it
   
   I learned how to operate on little to no sleep. If you have ever been to a gaming convention and gamed for 72 straight hours, you will be ready to tackled a few months of interrupted sleep
   
   I learned that you never have to leave the house except for an occasional food/ muchie run. Gamers will stay in a single place and game for hours, if not days, if they can. So...every tried going someplace with a baby or toddler? Many parents don't leave the house for days or weeks at a time when they have littles except to go to the market
   
   I learned that knowing the rules is less important than knowing the players... (But he is not suppose to be able to do that for a couple months yet!!!) If you read books on child development or have had previous littles, you know about when certain things like walking, talking, rolling over will happen. However, each child does this on their own schedule and no book can prepare you for when
   
   I learned that keeping all the players happy is job one. keeping the children safe and happy is all you have to do for your kids
   
   I learned to plan for multiple contingencies and options. See the "its not in my bag" bit above. In gaming this is a GM technique... being prepared for anything your silly players decide to do.
   
   I learned if you plan, it will never go that way. Be prepared to improvise. continuation of above
   
   I learned you should never leave players alone for too long. Heaven only knows what kind of trouble they will think up. children and gamers get into trouble unless you are there to ride herd over them...
   
   I learned that you can't plan when those magik moments will occur. You know, the ones that you will be telling stories about for years to come. moments like when the little one first smiles, or walks, or pets the puppy. For gamers, it is those moments that you tell when you are exchanging gaming stories...
   
   I learned that dice and miniatures just cause problems except in expert hands. Children eat them... very bad. Gamers tend to throw them... ever had to stop a game for a trip to the emergency room? In addition, gamers start concentrating on the board and the game mechanics, rather than the story and situation, when they focus on dice and miniatures.
   
   Since I gamed, I allready knew these basic rules that a non gaming, first time parent would have to learn.
   
   
   Got it now?

6. Everything I learned about children I learned from Gaming

   #6

   Okay, I see. I don't have any children (and don't want any to be perfectly honest), so I was just wondering how you could relate those two very different things to each other.

7. Re: For Siren....

   #7

   Gamers are often childish... if not infantile. An opinion frequently held by Game Masters who have to deal with this behavior.
   
   If you just said, "No we're not." in that whiny or indignent tone, you just proved my point... as you just responded like a child.

   
   
   
   No, we're certainly not. :wink:

8. Oh My God!!!

   #8

   *Falls Over*
   
   That's so true! With my 2 month old I have the same experience! That's the funniest thing I've heard all week.
   
   Kara :twisted:

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