The Parenting Simulator- Now Available on iOS, Google Play and Amazon!

Thanks. I am sure that question will come up a lot, but to be fair it is a valid one. Both because y’all just love you some lovin’ around here, and also because parenting naturally makes one think of pairs. It’s right there in the word, after all. I just believe deep down that if there’s a spouse, either that element would be criminally misrepresented, or it would take away so much player choice and narrative attention that this would cease to truly be The Parenting Simulator anymore. A family one for a followup has been my intention for a long time, and I am passionate enough about it that I will likely go on to make it even if Quite App-parent is not financially successful. But I feel like this is the one to do first.

Fun fact: there are now more likes for this story, which has less than 10,000 words and has been up for five days, than there are for Nuclear Powered Toaster, which has 141,000 words and has been up for 13 months. Either this is popular, NPT is not, or possibly all of the above.

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I think it’s the fact that the premise has struck a chord with a lot of people. I know I definitely am greatly enjoying the piece.

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I was giving this topic of having spouse a lot of thought, and was wondering, since you are against having a spouse for this game, would a slight comprise like this be a good idea so the question of spouses doesn’t come up a lot anymore.

you can have a choice where the MC is talking to their friend while on a play date and the friend asks about a spouse, then the player gets to choose between wanting to keep 100% of the MC focus on the child for now or the MC tried doing on a date or two but they found they could keep it up while trying to take care of their child.

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Ooh, I like this piece! A nice change of pace from most WIPs and the tone really helps! :smile:

I was wondering, and I understand if not, but what are your thoughts on having the trans inclusion? It’s not a subject touched often in media and I’d like to see some form of it! :grinning:

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Not a great week for writing chances, but got up way early last night and made the most of it. Going, Going Gone is finished, and the last scene for Year Two is begun. It is called Beggars Can Be Choosers.

General question: do y’all prefer small updates as they come, or to save stuff up for big ones? Please note that regular updates is not an option. With two jobs (not including this, since writing can’t really qualify as a job until I make, like, at least $1 from it) and two kids, writing time will always come in a haphazard fashion.

Megus, I do like that idea. It takes a little agency away, but not much since they can at least choose the reason for their lack of romance. Though I am not saying your character never dated, so much as I am that there won’t be any explicit mention of it here.

Jeju, I am sorry but I don’t have any plans to that end.

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I feel you should update when you feel ready to do so.

Fun Fact : A developer/writer is the only person that knows when something should be updated.

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That is a fun fact!

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For me, big updates are always better even if they take longer bwcause it fives the readers more to digest and time to digest it.

But it is ultimately up to you, if yoy feel more comfortable with anytype of update, at least for myself, would be alright.

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Preferably, I like big updates, because I feel like they are worth the wait. But it’s up to you and which you feel is best. Also the kid we meet at the Mommy and Me group, will our child grow up with that friend?

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Duly noted about the big updates. I think I will definitely try not to update when in the middle of a chapter, because otherwise with the random aspect you guys might not see the new content when it pops unless you go through many times. I will likely next update when Year Two is done. Hopefully by the end of next week at the latest.

Oh, and yes about the friend. Potentially.

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That’s okay! Thanks for the reply! :smile:

And, while I prefer small updates, update when you feel you should! However long you feel like when the mood hits you, that sort of thing.

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Updated! Will change the first page later as I did not have enough time this morning to get a word count. But this should bump the total by at least 2k to around 12k in total. Year two is done.

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Mmmm… It’s pretty cute, but I’ve been wondering about what happened to the child’s other parent. Will they be making an appearance, could you get married again for the child’s sake (or for yourself too), or is it just supposed to be about you & parenting the child yourself?? :thinking:

You don’t have to, but you could spice things up a bit with some drama, dangerous situations, or maybe a kidnapping and MC could be frantic, try to rescue kid, or keep calm during the crisis?

It’s fine how it is too, really cute :heart_eyes:

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I am going to work a brief mention of the other person in, I think. Enough people are asking that I guess I should, even if it feels like a real downer.

Crap, was rubbing a smudge from my phone and posted early. As for kidnapping and stuff, not really what I’m going for. This is sort of opposite from the normal stuff here. No wooing steampunk witches while taming dinosaurs, or using laser eyes to blow up haunted houses. It’s just you and a kid. There will be drama, but not of the mortal kind. The Going, Going Gone segment is about as dangerous as it gets, at least until towards the end.

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It can be a positive experience … being a member of a single parent household (and adopted to boot) I can assure you that just acknowledging the reality of the family dynamics will satisfy most of us - perhaps you can even create a later in childhood event involving the other parent.

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You could wait until when the child is old enough himself/herself that they start asking questions themselves? I find that’s pretty common in a single-parent environment home or if the child is adopted or something…

That could be a cute sub-storyline too :slight_smile:

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Lol!!

I literally just wrote something similar.

Too funny!

Great minds think a like, I guess xD

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I had liked the original idea floated about mentioning it to the friend, but a heart to heart with the child later might be good too as a full segment. More than likely it would be both; a brief mention early to minimize confusion, and a more in-depth look later where I guess you can choose your own depressing story about why you’re alone, but still make it a testament to how much you care about your child.

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As I said above - it doesn’t have to be depressing. I won’t push back more but going in with a “depressing” mindset is the wrong approach, in my opinion.

ymmv and I do respect your authorial prerogative.

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