Father's Day: How Having Kids Can Change Your Gaming - For the Better

[prot22]

I must admit I was glued to your article. I am engaged to be married this September and I'm sure my "wife to be" is planning on having kids right away. I am a slider/roster/full season tweeker gamer much like the "old" you was. I am truly scarred by the thought of not keeping up with my seaons in their entirety due to children. So I will take your advice and enjoy my gaming now before the little ones arrive. It is refreshing to know that having the joy of children does trump playing my ps3. Here's to my last year of freedom!

[bh446066]

That was a fantastic article, Steve.

I think the biggest 2 things that are different are obviously the extreme lack of spare time (already mentioned), and the lack of MENTAL energy you have once you get the kid(s) put down at night. I've pretty much always gotten my gaming in between the hours of 9:00 and midnight on weekdays, but now I'm just soooooo mentally drained when I get her to bed, I think to myself I can't focus on an hour long football game or whatever now, I just want to veg and then pass out. My weekend daytime gaming I used to thrive on is out the window now.

I'm still a slider tweaker, I'm still a roster editor, I'm still a "no-simming-play-every-game" guy, but it just takes me a LOT longer to get through seasons now. But, the plus side is, when I do get uninterrupted games in, I enjoy them even more than I ever have. I'm just not looking forward to one day having to share my PS3.....j/k.

[Brandwin]

Loved it!

[moemoe24]

I'm pretty lucky so far becasue my wife has to be at work at 5 am so her and the kids hit the sack by 9pm. My gaming hasnt changed, or hardly at all. Mine changed a lot when I got married 7 years ago more than it changed with kids. Once I got married there were no more all day Sunday games or 6pm games. I got use to playing once she went to bed at 9pm. With that said, kids are the best thing to happen to me and if I had to, I would give up video games......and I have been a hardcore gamer for 20 years.