I’ve never had a break or pause from WoW since I started playing in 2007. Except for when the guild had breaks or pauses during summer, Christmas or whatever to visit friends, family or go on holiday, and that doesn’t really count as a break or pause in my eyes as I was still playing when I had time or wanted to, and I started up again as soon as I got back or raids got back on.
But this Christmas felt more like a break or pause, though it wasn’t really. I haven’t been raiding since mid December cause that’s when I went to visit my family and friends who live far away and I needed some weeks with them cause I don’t see them often anymore. It has been a month now and I’m sure the guild and the other raiders are wondering where I’ve gone, even though I wrote on the forum and told our guild master that I would be gone for some weeks, I just didn’t know how long.
I’ve missed a lot of raids now and some new heroic kills. I really wish I could be there and I hope they know I’ll be back very soon. I hope they haven’t replaced me and that I’ll still get a spot when I’m back. Cause I’ve tried my best to get online and do some dailies, looking for raid, scenario and heroic when I had the time. I think they will understand and be ok with it, so everything will be as it was before. But I’m not sure cause some of my previous guilds haven’t been that happy with raiders being away from raids for weeks even if it was a good reason for it. They might get demoted, no loot for weeks and weeks, no spot in raids or even get home to discover you’d been kicked. I know my guild wouldn’t do that, but it’s no fun when you think back on what’s happened before, it just takes a while for me to forget and feel secure.
I know there will come a day when I’ll think about quitting and actually do it. I have thought about it and what the reason would be. It might be work, school or family. And I know that right now I should focus more on work etc and I will, I won’t prioritize WoW over my real life cause I can’t afford it, but I don’t want to quit. That’s why I like my guild and hope they’ll understand if I can’t have 100% raid attendance cause of work or family. I’ll still attend enough raids to keep my raider rank at least for as long as I can.
I’m wondering how so many of you can handle everything in life and still raid. I know many bloggers and people I’ve seen on Twitter got fulltime jobs, family and kids, blogs and other activities and they’re still raiding. What’s the secret? And how long do you think it’s ok to be away from raiding?
Syrco Owl 
I got 3 kids,wife, jobb and did play 3 raids a week as long that my wife was onbord with it :). Thats the secret. As long as you got the people around you knowing that wow is an part of your life there is no problem. But lack off motivation was mine down fall.
I guess it depends on how much you actually want to. I make my kids go to bed before raid and hubby is ok with me playing wow then so it works out. Your guild sounds nice though. I think they would understand.
Maybe I’m not used to having so much to do :P Always impressed by those who manage to juggle kids, husband/wife, job, hobbies and raids :) I don’t have that much to do, but it still feels like a lot.