Category Archives: Parenthood

The Problems of Gendering Parenthood

Posted on March 21, 2013 by ayvalentine

I read a great article yesterday about how so much advertising aimed at women is actually advertising aimed at parents. When the infamous “They” say that women like something, what they often mean is “parents may find this convenient.” Obviously, … Continue reading →

Posted in Parenthood | 6 Comments

Perpetuating Cynicism Perpetuates Rape Culture

Posted on January 25, 2013 by ayvalentine

Recently my daughter and I both read a book called Keeping Corner, which is a novel about Leela, a 12 year old widow in India in 1918. (It’s a wonderful book—you should read it. You’ll find my full spoilerific review … Continue reading →

Posted in Parenthood | 4 Comments

The Quest for Characters Like Me

Posted on January 9, 2013 by ayvalentine

I’ve recently read a lot of articles, tweets, and so on about girls not finding female characters in games, movies, etc. I have a geeky daughter, and I’m painfully aware of how common this is. And while she’s not necessarily … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Kids and Gaming, Parenthood | 6 Comments

Story Matters

Posted on December 7, 2012 by ayvalentine

Story matters, on a fundamental level. Fiction reveals reality and can, in turn, change it. I have a masters degree in children’s literature. Really. I studied how we use stories, often unconsciously, to teach our children about how they should … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Parenthood | 6 Comments

Getting There

Posted on December 1, 2012 by ayvalentine

Being a parent is frequently terrifying. You know you’re screwing your kid up. You’re certain that every influence or bad thing is screwing your kid up for you in ways that you never imagined. It’s so hard to see what … Continue reading →

Posted in Parenthood | 2 Comments

#1reasontobe

Posted on November 29, 2012 by ayvalentine

I don’t feel like I’m any kind of hero for sticking it out to become a woman working fulltime editing RPGs. It’s pretty much a dream come true, and I’ve never been more accepted and respected. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, … Continue reading →

Posted in Conventions, Editing, Freelancing Life, Games, Kids and Gaming, Parenthood | 5 Comments

Copper and Ice

Posted on October 5, 2012 by ayvalentine

I met the very cool Allegra Selzer at Gen Con this year. During a Twitter conversation about bullying, she agreed to write about her own experiences. You can follow her on Twitter @Penny_Dreadful or hear her as a co-host on … Continue reading →

Posted in Parenthood, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Resurviving Middle School

Posted on September 7, 2012 by ayvalentine

My little girl started middle school two weeks ago. Go ahead—feel sorry for her, for Clark and me, and for anyone affected by the scourge that is middle school. Except…she loves it. And she’s annoyed by all the books and … Continue reading →

Posted in Parenthood | 4 Comments

Glee-ful Sex Ed

Posted on July 30, 2012 by ayvalentine

In our school district, 5th grade is the year for the puberty and sex talk. Wow, I do not envy those teachers—they’re walking this ridiculous tightrope that requires that they give 50 different kids of wildly varying religious backgrounds all … Continue reading →

Posted in Parenthood | 8 Comments

Kids – the Future of Gaming

Posted on July 12, 2012 by ayvalentine

As we start taking our kids to gaming conventions, I’m keeping notes on the practical things that we’re learning (see my previous posts). However, I realized a much more important and somewhat more philosophical thing this year: Engaging kids is … Continue reading →

Posted in Conventions, Games, Kids and Gaming, Parenthood | 2 Comments