Returning to roots

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

One of the things I have looked forward to as a parent was the chance to start playing games that I enjoyed with my kids.  The biggest reason for that was the joy I got as a kid playing so many games with my family: board games as a family, card games and scrabble with my grandmother, sports with my Dad and family in general.  With that as a back ground I knew that I would do what I could to make sure that I would not be a distant parent who left his kids to themselves. 

This wasn't always easy, because to be honest the kids just weren't old enough or big enough to really do much with.  I could get down and wrestle with them, but that's not the same as playing competitive basketball or tennis etc.  James isn't nearly at the age where he can really compete with sports (and that is one of the many reasons I have worked so hard to get into shape, gotta postpone that time when he beats me regularly). 

But in the last year with James learning to read his ability to play other games has taken off.  First it was teaching him to play Magic.  Which is fun, and actually a relatively even challenge provided the Decks are balanced.  But what I was really looking forward to was the day when I could introduce him to miniature war games.  I have tried a few times, but it was clear he wasn't ready. 

That day appears to have arrived.  And with it I am getting to enjoy the side benefit of doing something I once occupied pretty much my entire spare time with.  I really enjoy playing the miniature games, but have been on hiatus from playing with other adults since my kids came first, (and game stores don't generally have day care areas built in).  But with my sitting down and teaching James to play Warhammer I can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel to an extent.  Because once he learns to fully play I will have an opponent built into my life, one that does not require me to leave the house. 

Like a sports obsessed parent who pushes their child into playing one sport constantly to the point where they tire of it and quit I have to temper my enthusiasm.  I have to ease him into learning, and then temper the playing time so it doesn't take time and attention away from the younger 2 (at least until they get old enough to learn bwahahahaha...).  But the time when I can return to my roots of playing these games, making army lists, painting miniatures etc. is definitely on the near horizon.  And that makes me a very happy guy indeed.