Hey, Gamers (I’ll come up with something better, don’t worry)!

Welcome to yet another parenting forum. Don’t get me wrong, I’d never begrudge the soccer moms. quilting grannies, and PTA crusaders their space; they’re traveling a lot of the same roads we are, but sometimes when I listen to them I do feel a bit left out. It was one thing to be a silent nerd in high school, and it’s… well, it’s another to be a nerdy mom. Me specifically, I’m a table top mom. And if that sounds like you, join the ‘party’!

I personally play a lot of D&D 5e and PF2e at the moment (starting this blog in 2024), and I’m the proud mother of one bouncing baby boy! I can’t believe he just turned 1 last week, and I don’t care if it’s cliche but that was way too fast. At any rate, celebrating my son’s first birthday made me reflect on all the firsts we had in 2023. Like, the first time he sat in on a D&D session, the first time I decorated a baby’s room with a RPG theme, shopping for a knight toy to give him at Christmas, my first time taking a baby to Gen Con, among others. And I realized how much table tops have changed me for the better, and how much I want my son to get out of them, too. I want this to be a part of our lives together, and I see no reason why it can’t be. Then I got to thinking, I can’t be the only one who want this, heck, Gen Con was full of babies last year. But I haven’t seen any spaces where we can all connect, share game day baby food ideas, birthday party ideas, or kid campaign ideas. It feels like if you’re not sitting next to another parent at a con with your child on your knee, no one talks about what it’s like to raise your kids with this fantastic hobby.

So, here I am. And I’m sure my husband will chime in from time to time (he came up with our server name, captain of the improv club in college and all), and so will my real-life party members. So far I’m only mother in the group and won’t make any promises on my friend’s behalf, but the group is always growing and adding new members.

Nat20Mom Backstory

Ok, so now that you know the idea behind Rolling With Rugrats let me give you some information on me, Nat20Mom. I am going to be 29 years old in the Year of Our Lord 2024, but I grew up in a household where internet and video games were hard to come by. Plus, there weren’t a lot of people my age near the house, ut I had an awesome backyard. I spent most of my days just doing homework, playing with the dog, and listening to rock and roll.

I’m sure more will be revealed later, but I actually didn’t get into table tops until college. Specifically, right after college. I remember some of my closest friends (the real-life party members) were all smooshed around a scuffed, hand-me-down dining room table I’d brought form my parents house to the apparent my boyfriend (now my husband) and I had just leased. It was one of those places that would fit in most folks’ basements and was about 50% kitchen. My friends all walked me through character creation for probably the 20th time…. and then the girl who actually got me into D&D showed up: Bimpnotin Pack, a CG aligned, hermit background, gnome druid with crazy green hair and a pet woodpecker. We called her Bim. By the end of that 5 year campaign, she was level 11, no multiclassing, and my DM let me use a Unearthed Arcana circle called Circle of Twilight (I highly recommend, Circle of Twilight). She was amazing, and she’s one of those characters that just holds a special place in your heart, you know? I think of all my characters, she holds THE special place.

Since Bim, I’ve been playing with mostly the same group just in various campaigns and with several RP systems. One of our traditions is Dread on Halloween, with a wobbly table and low lights (I also highly recommend, Dread). And we are a bit board game crazy, too, haha. My current favorite is Flamecraft (I CANNOT get enough of that art), and I think my husband’s is Vindication.

I’m obviously a mother, too. And while I could make a blog just about how amazing my baby is, I am going to prioritize his privacy and focus instead on my experiences as his mother. On this page he will simply be called, the Little Green Dragon, or LGD for short. LGD tags along for a lot more games than you’d think, and I can’t wait to tell you guys how to navigate conventions with a baby – it’s a damn art. But, yeah – obviously he’s adorable and smart and funny and amazing. He maxed every stat modifier and I will take no counter arguments.

Bottom line, this is a great hobby. It brought me out of my shell, helped me find true friends, and helped me understand self-expression, and I want all of that to be a part of my son’s journey. And I’m willing to bet you feel the same way about your rugrat. So, when you have a sec, come listen to me ramble about choke-proof dice, table-top snacks, and my son’s sound effects when the DM points his way. Hopefully it’s at least worth a laugh.

Ground Rules

1. 1. I need to be clear about this for my own sanity: the privacy of my family and friends will be paramount. I will always be Nat20Mom, my son will always be Little Green Dragon, and my husband and friends, if they come up in stories, will always be called their character names in those stories.
2. 2. Let’s all agree that this blog and forum are for RPG campaigns, and not political campaigns, alright? I personally do not care what your politics are, and I don’t want to talk about it. Got enough of that on the news. (can you tell I’m starting this during an election year????)
3. 3. I’m not restricting this to humanoid babies. I have a beautiful, loud corgi myself and he’s a part of this adventure, too. Feel free to talk and ask question about your fuzzy familiars, too
4. 4. I can’t promise it, but I will try to post once a week. Even if it’s just a paragraph. And we’ll go from there.