Gaming Time

[Ethelred Unread]

My wife gave birth to our first child on Monday! W00t!

However, I just wanted to check in with other orgahs who have kids (especially youngsters) - where and when do you find time to play any games? I can't see myself getting any time in soon, just wondered if anyone has got any tips?

I'm quite into mountain biking, but have managed to get that in by going in the morning (7am) and taking the dog with me, (2 birds with one stone etc), but is my future gaming experience best limited to an hour a week?

[Beskar]

Leave the kid to seat there next to you asleep while you game. If they pester you, ignore them.

Quite easy to make time for gaming if you force it.

Just won't win you parent of the year.

[Ethelred Unread]

Kid in one hand, beer in the other?

[Skullheadhq]

Flee to another country and take your computer with you?

[Centurion1]

dear god this advice is atrocious.

[drone]

Until the kid is mobile, you should be able to get some gaming in. Stick it in a rocker near the computer while it sleeps and game away (with headphones). Once the kid starts moving around on it's own, getting into stuff, and basically trying to kill itself, your time will be limited. You will have to cut deals with the missus to get some free time, and it will cost you. If it's a boy, once he reaches ~6-7, you can start playing games with him, and by age 12 he should be kicking your tail.

Congrats on the child!

[Ethelred Unread]

dear god this advice is atrocious.

Amen to that!

Thanks drone! And thanks for the balloons. I've worked out I can't do FPS with one hand, but someting mouse intensive, (like TW, Civ etc) should be fine.

[Skullheadhq]

Games or children? I'd be on a plane to Toekietoekiestan already.

[Rob The Bastard]

If you are a hardcore gamer or into online gaming, I would say that your lifestyle just took a major blow. There will definitely be more demands on your time than before your child arrived and, unless you want to ignore all that is to come then you must be prepared for irregular/frequent disruptions to your gaming times.
I found that with one child ( I have two girls, ages 4 and 6), two parents can give each other time out/stress relief from baby caring duties. This becomes more useful as the child becomes more active/vocal.

I get up 1.5 hours (at 4.50AM) before I commute to work,returning at 6.00pm... then it's into our evening routine of the evening meal, washing dishes, hot water bottles for the children (Winter here), pajama's, supper for the children, reading books to the children (one each), giving rides down to our bathroom, brushing teeth, into bed, hugs and kisses... Then the computer... not a large amount of time left for gaming before I go to sleep.

Bottom line: Children are far superior entertainment when compared to games, just trickier to upgrade.

:)

Congratulations and to you and your wife!

[Centurion1]

fps are not going to be very widely played by yourself for awhile. try to play as amny rts as possible preferably turn based lol.

but enjoy your new child as rob said children can be great fun especially toddlers

[Ethelred Unread]

Cheers guys, I knew it would have an impact - I'll have to do some deal mongering with the mrs to get that game time in. If I can find time for biking then gaming should be ok too - just maybe not as frequently as before.

[Scienter]

Cheers guys, I knew it would have an impact - I'll have to do some deal mongering with the mrs to get that game time in. If I can find time for biking then gaming should be ok too - just maybe not as frequently as before.

Definitely make a deal with Mrs. Unread for some gaming time. Does she have a hobby that she wants time to enjoy? That would make it easier b/c you could offer to take care of Little Unread while she has some time for herself. This issue is semi relevant to me if/when TinCow and I decide to spawn. We both love gaming, and will probably have to make a deal with each other to watch the spawnling while the other games. :P I think the important thing is that one parent doesn't feel like s/he has an unfair amount of the child-related chores that are unenjoyable (i.e. diaper changing, etc.)

[Louis VI the Fat]

Couldn't your wife simply take care of the child in another room, or do the housekeeping at times when she doesn't disturb you while you are gaming?

[Hosakawa Tito]

Congrats on your new baby. You might be opting for an extra hour of sleep instead of gaming, but you'll get it figured out.

[Xiahou]

Cheers guys, I knew it would have an impact - I'll have to do some deal mongering with the mrs to get that game time in. If I can find time for biking then gaming should be ok too - just maybe not as frequently as before.

Just remember that kids go to bed early. I'm convinced that all that sleep isnt just for their well-being, it's also for our sanity.

[Hosakawa Tito]

Just remember that kids go to bed early. I'm convinced that all that sleep isnt just for their well-being, it's also for our sanity.

Hehehe, my lil' stinker used to wake up about midnight and fuss and carry on till dawn. Then sleep like an angel half the day while her sleep deprived Daddy was at work.
I became a practitioner of the combat nap.

[emotion_name]

Well, being a father to 5 i can tell you its not easy getting game time, no matter what age your child is!

My youngest is 4 months, for awhile when he was younger i could play Campaign on TW games and have him sat in his seat next to me, usually sleeping, but it was easy to stop the game and rock him, or feed him etc. This was only in the nights though, during the day when my elder kids are up and about gaming is near impossible!

Someone said about making bargains with the missus, which is sound advice but make sure she sticks to her end of the deal, i lost count of amount of times i agree she can go out for night if i can play uninterrupted cpu next night, and on my night to play she go to sleep early and leave me with the baby! :(

[Ethelred Unread]

Well it's about 10 days in and not going too bad, i have the little nipper in the crook of my arm as i type this. naval etw battles are easy with one hand, land battles less so. atm, i take down lil' Edie if she's having a bad night and rock her with my foot whilst i have headphones on - then take her to her crib/mrs unread at about 3am for a feed and then bed. OR mrs unread gets a lie in and i do the same but in the AM. I'm on paternity leave at the mo so it's not too bad, but as i mainly work from home it won't get too bad with work too.

Mrs unreads hobbies, as far as i can tell are, NCIS/CSI and shopping, plus "tidying up after a messy bugger" in her own words.

[johnhughthom]

"tidying up after a messy bugger"

You or the kid?

[Andres]

Congratulations Ethelred Unread