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I've read some year-old threads about this: How do you guys handle children (15 years and younger) while playing? I myself is 13 years old. I try to behave as good as I can, but one thing I hate is when a parent to an 8-year old brings them to a huge 20 000 points Super Heavy game (Yeah, my FLGS is awesome) and doesn't help them, they go shopping or something, leaving their kids there. They don't have codices or rulebooks, they just stand there and expect someone to help them, and when no one does, they come to me, maybe because I look a bit younger than I am, and they expect me to know everything.

Do you have any opinions on this?

Sometimes I am helpful, usually not, since I don't really play much I have no clue anymore.
I play fantasy but kids tend to avoid that game.

Owning a gaming club kinda helps with that

In general, it depends. Just kindly tell them to leave you alone and if they don't, complain to the store manager.

 Rainbow Dash wrote:
Sometimes I am helpful, usually not, since I don't really play much I have no clue anymore.
I play fantasy but kids tend to avoid that game.

Well, kids DO like shooty-stuff a lot more...

 Rainbow Dash wrote:


I play fantasy but kids tend to avoid that game.

Not with a daughter who loves Goblins and decides to play with them in on the couch...not telling her poor father who decided to sit down on a few sharp stickz.

 Sigvatr wrote:
Owning a gaming club kinda helps with that

In general, it depends. Just kindly tell them to leave you alone and if they don't, complain to the store manager.

But their eyes are so big! And they bribe me with candy!

 Matthew wrote:

 Rainbow Dash wrote:
Sometimes I am helpful, usually not, since I don't really play much I have no clue anymore.
I play fantasy but kids tend to avoid that game.

Well, kids DO like shooty-stuff a lot more...

When I started at 12 I preferred fantasy.
Always have.
But I love elves and I am what you might call a "fruitcake" so that's probably why

 Matthew wrote:
I've read some year-old threads about this: How do you guys handle children (15 years and younger) while playing? I myself is 13 years old. I try to behave as good as I can, but one thing I hate is when a parent to an 8-year old brings them to a huge 20 000 points Super Heavy game (Yeah, my FLGS is awesome) and doesn't help them, they go shopping or something, leaving their kids there. They don't have codices or rulebooks, they just stand there and expect someone to help them, and when no one does, they come to me, maybe because I look a bit younger than I am, and they expect me to know everything.

Do you have any opinions on this?

Some parents do seem to see GW stores as a Creche.......?

To be honest "children" vary as much as adults - I have known a few adults behave in a very child like manner whilst involved in our games of toy soldiers (spaceships etc) and shamefully even must admit to a couple of bad moments ..............I have know many teenagers be polite, courteous, intent on the game and enjoying it.

Being helpful is generally a good thing - that might be why they come to you if you are helping people out - and kudos to you for it.

Are they generally interested in playing - if so I would encourage them and hopefully you will both have fun?

Are they just there to look at the pretty stuff - try and get them to play and explain simple concepts about the rules, get them to roll to "blow stuff up" etc?

If they are not eating (important) maybe get them to look at the stuff in the rulebook / codexes whenever they ask something to get the concept of checking the rules books - never a bad thing - too many people assume stuff in games and get into bad habits- be the 8yea olds or seasoned tournament players - the latter can be very bad at "rules they think they know."

Funny, at first I thought you meant the kids went shopping while the adult played...

I really like seeing the young folk playing the games and assist where I can (I am mid-40's).
Having two kids around 10 years old makes me as an adult pretty used to that age and behaviors.

Being close to their age they would tend to go to you; all of us tend to hang-out with people of similar age if given a choice, adults as strangers I could see being rather intimidating so helping them get introduced could be a good thing to do.

For someone to "expect" help, is not much of an investment by the player.
If asked about a rule I tend to say: "Where in the rulebook do you think that would be? Lets look...".
What is that phrase: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
I find it is better to not let someone get easy answers from you, they should do some of the work and use their brain on occasion, this includes children.
It makes for a better player, smoother playing game and they can then help others as well when they learn enough.
Also, if the player knows the rules better they do not give hints about their sneaky tactics or mess-up by not knowing some rules.

Be patient, be an ambassador to the hobby, get them to look up the rules most of the time and remind them to pester their parents for the game books and say they "Will help with their reading!". It will all pay-off as these new players keep showing up and know more with each game, it is a happy thing to see.

Be patient, explain the rules, teach sportsmanship. Todays’ kids are tomorrow’s wargamers. Their parents might not know how to be a decent gamer. They might know right from wrong, or to ask before grabbing (but might not) but do they know not to bring a cheesemonger list to a friendly game?

Back in the mid 90s I was one of the core regulars at my FLGS. A lot of snot-nosed brats walked into the shop, but after a few years, a lot of them walked out decent guys. I’d like to think I had a hand in forming them into respectable young adults.

 Nevelon wrote:
Be patient, explain the rules, teach sportsmanship. Todays’ kids are tomorrow’s wargamers. Their parents might not know how to be a decent gamer. They might know right from wrong, or to ask before grabbing (but might not) but do they know not to bring a cheesemonger list to a friendly game?

Basically, this. I don't tend to distinguish between children and adults when playing, maybe as I myself have been playing since I was a child. But at the end of the day, it's the person not the age, that matters. A year or so back there was an influx of new kids at the gaming group; some were exceptionally annoying, but that was just the way they acted, and it would have been just as annoying as an adult or teen. On the other hand, some were great opponents; I was happy to lend them out a couple of 1k point armies, set up a team game with a newcomer and an experienced player on each side to guide them through, and basically help them along. I have no idea if they still play or not as I haven't been to that club in a while, but I think I'd still be happy to play them if I did go back, and they can't have been more than 11/12ish. Similarly, there are some adults that that club that I'd rather not play with again if I can help it.

It all comes back to that simple rule: Don't be a dick. If you're 10 years old, willing to learn the game and have a good time, then game on. If you're 30+, but no fun to play against or a cheat, then clear off.

Think I was 10 when I started Heroquest. That was my first tabletop gaming experience.

Im helpful and offer advice but if they start to annoy me or annoy any one else DELIBERATLY I will tell them to shut up, and only ask questions when they want an answer, and im not in the middle of something.
I find them like orks im 14 but usually the tallest guy in the store so they respect me, after a few threats (no im not going to hit them or any thing)they do as I say.

I'm 14 and already on the road to being a WAAC. Thanks Dakka!

Hey, you have someone there to roll your dice for you. Win-win. But hey, everyone is there to enjoy the game - kids just enjoy the game in a different way.

Be kind if you can - it is tough being a kid in a grownup world.

I started playing the game when I was about 17....I kinda wish I played at a younger age, but I know I wouldn't be able to afford it.

This Happens quite often.
I let em roll my dice,move miniatures when hands are clean, especially Tanks, i let em draw line of sight or let them make decisions like... Should my deathcompany charge those orc Mob...? The answer is always YES... I let em participate in every way because... We Need More wargamers.. We are a dying Folk...

It is too easy to stay at home and play a console game or iPad stuff.

This is a socializing hobby, might as well make it pleasant.

Part of it is making things look cool, it is a shame not to share so partnering with kids and having them use the fancy models is fine work.

I think what makes us older folk a little harder to get along with is we see the same mistakes we made being done again by the young folk: it is painful to watch.

In this age of virtual belongings (items, characters, cards), it is nice to have things to play with that you do not depend on a device to get at them and can see your actual opponent (though I suppose you can have a vid-cam going...).

I was born before the internet or any form of home computing device, board games were pretty much it for gaming back then.

This is something I am used to, I sometimes wonder why kids these days would choose games with miniatures when most other forms of gaming are so convenient.

The younger races are but children to the Necrons

It's best to take a leaf out of their tome and flay them all

 Talizvar wrote:
This is a socializing hobby, might as well make it pleasant.

^

If there are people in the room it doesn't matter who they are, what they look like, or how stupid the questions they ask are. It's always better to be patient and polite than to be hostile.

 Talizvar wrote:
What is that phrase: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

I think it is "Build a man a fire, keep him warm for a night. Set a man on fire keep him warm for the rest of his life."

At least that's what the Adepta Sororitas told me...

Well, on my homebrew world of Talis, the "legal" age of majority is 16, though cultures across the Wasteland make the reality somewhat different entirely...

Oh! You mean in the hobby, not in the setting. Meh, doesn't really bother me so much as long as they can behave themselves, more or less. I don't attend games in stores much any more, but I will go for dice-and-paper games or painting events and the like. For the most part, I expect them to be either noisier than adults, or much, much quieter. All depends on the kid, really. Some of them are really into the hobby, exuberantly so, while others are just super-shy. As long as they're not being unholy terrors, then I don't have much of a problem helping them out with things, if they need help.

 Happyjew wrote:

 Talizvar wrote:
What is that phrase: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

I think it is "Build a man a fire, keep him warm for a night. Set a man on fire keep him warm for the rest of his life."

At least that's what the Adepta Sororitas told me...

thats just........awesome

I try to ignore their age and treat everyone the same since everyone likes that. I have a little more patience for immaturity with kids because they're kids. All in all, if I can be a positive role model and teach sportsmanship or good self-esteem it's a win beyond a simple game of 40k.

As an aside, I really dislike parents who use the local GW as a free baby sitting service. Abandoning your kids at the store to have a day to yourself is inconsiderate to the store manager who now has to be responsible for these kids for hours every day (and possibly inconsiderate to the kids).

He doesn't play 40k, but there's a kid that comes to our store, maybe 8 or 10, that absolutely wrecks me at Magic. I mean, I'm a really casual Magic player, my main hobby is 40k, but I'd rather play him than some of the "men" that come in.

At the same time, I've had younger kids come in to check out the store that weren't quite as pleasant to be around. I usually explain a bit of what 40k is, give them the basic "move shoot punch" explanation of the game, and ask them if they'd like to play a game using my models. None have ever been interested, so not sure how I'd feel playing them.

I play at a night that is strictly over 18 and I don't play or go to GW stores so it doesn't really crop up much for me.

I agree with some of the other posters though, if they need help then unless I am deep in a tourney game with a prize or something I would be happy to give them some help.

We we're all new/kids once.

any effort you put into helping these kids out, giving them a game, letting them use your rulebook/dice/templates/tape-measure will make them remember 'that safe dude at my FLGS when i was a kid'

i think this will stand you in good stead for the future because any play-style you have (maybe casual, the way it should be) will invariably be copied by them and one day you may convince them that you can have a fluffy army, lose and still enjoy the game.

win-win for all involved!

I am 15 now, and I am happy to report I have always been treated very well by my FLGS
I also have no problem with younger kids.
Kids can be hilarious when you know how to interact with them. And of course you can always try to convince them to pick up 40k, so it is a win-win. You have fun and you get more people to play against.

I play at a store that allows drinking is kids are not in there....
So if one comes in we have to put our drinks aways :(
In all honesty, I have acted worse then a kid sometimes and I hate it. I have met some kids with great manners.I even taught a few 40k. I have some funny stories from them

Can't you just brown bag it?