Kiteboarder´s life...... being a parent?

[dakz]

Hi guys,
Just wondering how life is for you experienced dads. My wife is having twins in a couple months, and obviously our lives will change completely.
I always admired those guys who manage to drag wife + kids to the beach while they hit the water.
While this sounds doable on holidays, I am not sure how it can be done when boarding at the local spot, or in winter etc...

So for the experienced dads: can you provide tips & advice on how to hit the water as soften as possible while still being a good parent?

Daily life:
- how do you escape your parental duties for those 2 hr. sessions?

Holidays:
- which kite destinations / spots do you choose for your holiday?
- what do you do with your family while you are in the water?

[bri]

Just had twins last November. First of all you will be having no sleep for the 1st few weeks it is chaos but you get through it. When they are in a routine things settle down a bit. I'm writing this on my phone so will get more detail to you when I get back. Let me say this you can do it, just takes more work and planning

[Toby]

make sure to take care of your interests as well...so should she.

Not a dad, but know many...the happy ones get their sessions, the unhappy not...choose your way

[pj sofine]

Sell your equipment, we'll see you in 22 years

[TonyL]

We only have one child - a boy about to turn 2. So - not nearly as chaotic as twins. However, wife is cool about sessions. What I do is try and do alot for her when not windy - babysit while she runs errands, girl night outs, help with laundry, etc. If you help out a lot, then you will get hall passes. Also, I am in sales and have a flexible schedule - I can go during the week here and there. I live in Florida and the good winds are driven by cold fronts and high pressure systems - I can usually plan for my schedule based on estimated forecasts. However - keep in mind, you don't want to miss out on watching them grow up while always chasing wind. I do think your priorities naturally change when you have kids. Your heart changes for the better

PS - I save my hall passes for the good winds - not the sub 15 knot mowing the lawn winds like I used to


Tony

[kassak]

It can work for sure!

For me I try very very very hard to be the best dad I can. Sounds cliched I know but when you have been doing such a great job it seems so reasonable that you would disappear for hours at a time to keep yourself charged.

I've been at it 8 months with an amazing little boy and with the proper planning I can get out any day work and wind allows. For sure in the beginning it is difficult and you need to kinda just sit on your hands and forget about things for a while. The newborn stage is tons of work, can't even imagine it with TWO and depending on what you are doing with breast vs. formula the amount of work your partner puts is is staggering. Getting up every few hours for weeks on end is quite exhausting. I think if you try to play the most active role you can and try at every moment to help your partner do things for herself when time allows it will pay dividends. If you come in and are trying to get to the beach on week 1 of life I think that could be tough to swallow for a lot of partners.

As for bringing the wife and kids to the water... My wife and I we are very independent people and I tried early on even before the baby to get her to come to the beach and hang out while I kite thinking it would be fun for both but for my wife it doesn't work. So when I go kite she goes elsewhere and we are both happy with that. I did even getting her kiting but then she got pregnant...will try again, maybe? As my son gets older and potentially more kids added to the mix I am sure things will change and there will be some interest in bringing the whole family to the beach.

The other thing I did during the first few months was work on a fledgling hobby I think would be less of a time commitment, open water swimming, however that eventually started taking several hours to do as well so it was probably counterproductive.

To answer your questions specifically:
Daily Life: Now at 8 months my guy is going to daycare during the work day which is nice since my schedule shifts a lot and some days I have weekdays off or 1/2 days so I can bring him there so I can go kiting. Some days no one even knows if was working or kiting which is nice indeed. If it's gonna blow on the weekend I start planting the seed about me disappearing for Saturday or Sunday early on. If it's not gonna work I just let it go and don't cry about it. I do everything I'm supposed to and more that week and make sure it works for my partner and that she has fun plans to. I have stopped getting to the beach so early and staying late. I cut out the beers and burgers afterwards so I can come home and be with my family.

I'd say on the whole kiting has gotten even more enjoyable since every session now is so special and feels like a well earned time.

Travel:
-We haven't traveled to any kiting destinations with the baby yet...
-I do an annual trip to Cape Hatteras which coincided this year with my son being 6 weeks. It just didn't seem right to go on the trip so I bailed on it. I think it was the right move...

[coleman]

I have twins. It's an amazing ride but when they are babies you may not be doing much riding but I guess that all depends on your wife. Try and help out as much as possible So as to earn some time away.
You guys aren't going to be getting much sleep with twins and she will be wiped out often. If u have family around like grandparents etc that will help your cause greatly.

Also, forget about taking them to the beach to kite with you. If it is windy enough to kite it is too windy for an infant. The wind hits their face and makes them feel like they can't breathe. Didn't take me long to realize that one.

But don't get your hopes up about having time off. Your wife may say she is cool with it now by just wait. She will certainly be doing more work taking care of things and she will be the one expecting the time off. But like i said if u have some help that will make a big difference.

The first 2 years with twins are amazing! But you have a lot of work to do and it is a 2-3 man job.

Good luck!

[ed257]

Congrats! I hope everyone is healthy.

You will probably have to cut back a bit, but you should be able to work it out with your wife so that you and she get time with the kids and a break from them.

Check out the Parent Rap at this link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlRqF1vBBWI

Ed

[Billy B.]

I have two boys, 1 and 3. I am daddy daycare so when my wife comes home from work I am out the door to kite....I ride about 4 sessions a week, and both days on weekends.

The first few months are hard because you need to be around often, bit as your family develops a routine, then you can blend kiting into it.

My kids know everyone on the beach and are there often, we visit with toys and bikes to keep them busy. My wife kites also and we tradeoff sometimes but she has kited a lot less because of our kids, she has the chance to but tells me to keep riding , so I do.

We don't have any family around so it can be tough, but I still ride often and as you will discover, missing out on a session in exchange for hanging out with your kids is the easiest session to get over missing.

Congrats n good luck!

[tweeter]

one word: alternance