Should there be a 'parenting' skill?

Fish · 07-15-2009, 12:38 PM

I agree with OneSeventeen's logic. Parenting is a tiny toe-dip in the shallow end of a vast number of skills, just as is Soldier.

A parent knows how to child-proof a home, moving dangerous toxic agents out of reach (eg, bleach, antifreeze, lye, etc) without needing to know the actual chemical nature of those agents — and without necessarily knowing how to identify, store, or dispose of other toxic substances (eg, spent nuclear fuel rods, nerve gas). A parent learns how to teach a small child (to speak, to ride a bicycle, to tie his shoes, to dress himself, to be polite, and so forth) but isn't necessarily qualified to be a teacher in a public-school setting (eg, History, Music, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, etc).

The trouble with Parenting as a skill is trying to determine its precise effects. How often do you roll? What happens if you fail, what happens if you fail critically? What modifiers apply? On what stat do you base it?

As for that last, there are a few possibilities. An IQ-based skill seems to cover the broad strokes of parental knowledge and strength of character, but it leaves out non-human races who teach (and learn) through instinct and perception. A Will-based skill seems appropriate for discipline. A Per-based skill might be more appropriate for animals.

07-15-2009, 12:38 PM	#16
Fish Join Date: Sep 2007	Re: Should there be a 'parenting' skill? I agree with OneSeventeen's logic. Parenting is a tiny toe-dip in the shallow end of a vast number of skills, just as is Soldier. A parent knows how to child-proof a home, moving dangerous toxic agents out of reach (eg, bleach, antifreeze, lye, etc) without needing to know the actual chemical nature of those agents — and without necessarily knowing how to identify, store, or dispose of other toxic substances (eg, spent nuclear fuel rods, nerve gas). A parent learns how to teach a small child (to speak, to ride a bicycle, to tie his shoes, to dress himself, to be polite, and so forth) but isn't necessarily qualified to be a teacher in a public-school setting (eg, History, Music, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, etc). The trouble with Parenting as a skill is trying to determine its precise effects. How often do you roll? What happens if you fail, what happens if you fail critically? What modifiers apply? On what stat do you base it? As for that last, there are a few possibilities. An IQ-based skill seems to cover the broad strokes of parental knowledge and strength of character, but it leaves out non-human races who teach (and learn) through instinct and perception. A Will-based skill seems appropriate for discipline. A Per-based skill might be more appropriate for animals.