Variant: Operation GamerWife—Update from the Front
Image via wikipedia.org
It’s been a long while since the last Operation GamerWife update. Unfortunately, forward progress has been mightily slowed since the arrival of baby Drake. Well, at least since that kid could crawl around and attack things and scream. When he was just a blob of baby, it wasn’t so bad.
Nevertheless, I was undeterred by the Opposition’s use of the so-called “parenthood” tactic and have worked on making my forays less frequent but more effective. She continues to have positive feelings about board games and even went to a board game party on her own (without me!). Unfortunately, they decided to play Talisman. I could have saved her from that fate had I been there. But no matter, it appears to have done no lasting damage.
The most interesting development that has occurred, though, is that she now enjoys playing board games, but hates learning board games. If we play Pandemic, Dominion, or Castles of Burgundy, she has a great time. But if we play something new … not so much. She is still concerned about “making mistakes” and feels that they are inevitable in her first play through the game. While she’s right (everybody makes mistakes), I’m not encumbered by the same worry. In fact, I enjoy playing new games and love to have new experiences.
This has caused me to revise Operation GamerWife strategy generally. When I got into gaming, once I had about three or four games I really liked, I just couldn’t get enough. But, for the Wife, that approach isn’t going to work. So, for now, I’ll have to continue carefully selecting new games to introduce to her and space out learning games. After all, I’d much rather play a game of Pandemic or Dominion with a happy Wife than play some new game and have a frustrated Wife.
OperationGamerWife Report Submitted.
That’s what I’ve found with my wife too. She enjoys playing old favorites, but she’s tired of learning new games. That makes it hard for us board game bloggers, but that’s okay. As you say, I’d rather have a happy wife.
Completely the same way with my wife. She loves the games she’s familiar with and really only wants to try new and relatively simple games. Not my uber complex Mage Wars or Summoner Wars.
I’ve also discovered that the secret key is that she is a Euro gamer