Gaming used to be so easy. Call some friends, clear off the table, and start playing. Maybe order some pizza at some point. It's a lot more complicated now that there's a small boy in our house. Where are we gaming? is it kid friendly, do we need to bring toys? Or should we get a sitter and where are we going to find one on Friday night at 6? In all reality the sitter is either already booked and working, so it's bring him with, game here, or skip it all together. But we want to game, so we're down to where. If it's somewhere else, then we have to pack for the evening. It's amazing how much stuff is needed to entertain him for 4-6 hours in the evening. Diapers, wipes, some cars, maybe a blanket, jammies, a book and/or movie. If we stay home, it's all here, but someone else is probably bringing stuff for their child! Having the youngest child in our group of gaming friends means they're back to the easier years of gaming. Their kids may even be starting to join in the gaming.

So we have our place and now we're going to game. Except a sippy cup needs to be filled, or a diaper changed. Then halfway through your next turn a small one is leaning against your legs, or climbing in to your lap and wants to roll your dice, or move your pawn, or eat some chips. In the meantime the rest of the group is waiting with a varying amount of patience for you to take your turn. The ones that have been there, done that are glad they are past that stage, the ones that haven't been there are wondering why we can't ever just play a game any more and can't you just make him go play in the other room? I've gotten used to the interruptions. I don't ever plan on eating a meal in peace, or watching a show, or going to the bathroom, so why would gaming be any different.

Eventually he's going to get tired, and crabby, and need jammies on, and need to be cuddled. Which brings up another whole category of choices. Do you bow out of the game, something which really bothers me. If you can't finish a game, you shouldn't start it, barring emergency phone calls, etc. Do you try and keep him quiet on your lap, desperately hoping that he falls asleep, relying on your spouse or the person sitting next to you to roll the dice for you, move your pawn, and make change? Try and do it all one-handed, and grant everyone a free concert of Twinkle, Twinkle? Pass him back and forth between your spouse so you can each take your turns?

A while back we were gaming at our home, and it should have been easier. He should have been able to lay on the couch and watch his favorite shows on DVR. But there were extra people in the house, Momma wasn't cuddling with him and there was noise in the other room that meant he was missing out on something. I was fortunate that it was a small group, just 4 of us, and I was able to plan out my next move. I finished my turn, went in to the living room and cuddled him on my lap with his show on. When it was my turn, they rolled for me, told me the results, and I told them what I wanted to buy and where I wanted it to go. By the time my turn came back around, he had fallen asleep and I was able to rejoin the game.

This worked for a couple of reasons. I took the time to plan out what I was going to do for a turn or two. The other players were understanding and didn't get impatient and it was easy to get him down. Gaming as a parent requires a little more planning and a lot of willingness to adjust what you are doing. There are times when it's just not going to happen. He won't play elsewhere, he won't settle down, and our only choice is to stop the game, and take care of him. That might even mean that we have to go home. It may not be what I wanted out of an evening, but it is what I signed on for as a parent. The great part is that I know that in a few years he's going to be big enough and after watching us having a great time, he's going to want to play too, and sharing our love of gaming with him is going to be worth every missed turn right now.