{"id":704,"date":"2010-06-25T16:54:47","date_gmt":"2010-06-25T20:54:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/?p=704"},"modified":"2010-06-25T17:46:12","modified_gmt":"2010-06-25T21:46:12","slug":"11-gming-tips-i-learned-from-being-a-parent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/2010\/06\/25\/11-gming-tips-i-learned-from-being-a-parent\/","title":{"rendered":"11 GMing Tips I Learned from Being a Parent"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Sometimes running a game feels like herding a group of toddlers through the glassware department of\u00a0 a department store while carrying an armload of wet cats. While most of the time players act like the responsible adults they usually are, there are times that I feel I’ve got a table full of cranky toddlers. On those times, I’ve found the following parenting skills really useful:<\/p>\n

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  1. Never give your players an option you hate.<\/li>\n
  2. Look for ways to say “yes.”<\/li>\n
  3. Don’t tell your players what their character thinks, just tell them what they can do.<\/li>\n
  4. Don’t give in to whining.<\/li>\n
  5. Never be afraid to say “no.”<\/li>\n
  6. Limit their choices, if need be, but let the players make their own choices<\/li>\n
  7. When everyone’s tired and hungry, take a break<\/li>\n
  8. Admit when you’re wrong.<\/li>\n
  9. Apologize when you need to.<\/li>\n
  10. Let players make their own mistakes<\/li>\n
  11. Insist on good manners.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How about you? What parenting (teaching, whatever) tips have you found helpful as a GM?<\/p>\n

    [Photo courtesy of fiskfisk<\/a> under the Creative Commons 2<\/a> license]<\/p>\n

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