How To Dungeon Master Parenting: A Guidebook for Gamifying the Child Rearing Quest, Leveling Up Your Skills, and Raising Future Adventurers

Mazzanoble (cohost, Dragon Talk; coauthor, Welcome to Dragon Talk) is the senior brand manager for Dungeons & Dragons and the mother of a tween. Her book envisions parents as dungeon masters responsible for designing the framework that enables their children’s life journeys to advance smoothly. Parenting doesn’t fit neatly back into the box, she asserts, and there are no official rules, so she urges readers to keep their sense of humor and find a great group to experience life alongside. She urges readers to hold “party” sessions with others to discuss parenthood, expectations, and boundaries before giving birth. Surprises add to this game, so parents/players must expect the unexpected. The book presents 13 traits of a great parent (and Dungeon Master too, for that matter) alongside fun extras, such as sample game cards whose titles parents might relate to, like “Shrieking Encounters” and “Toddling Terrors.”