Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

Does having kids really mean zero time for hobbies? Or is it a realistic thought that one might be able to slip out for a few hours on a weekend day for a few flights (or a few hours in the shop or whatever)?

At this point I'm just trying to plan and have appropriate expectations. No children due yet, but maybe within the next 2 years.

I'm a 'late bloomer' - 34yrs old and finally found my career and happiness, and a wonderful woman. I'm enjoying 'living the dream' but am disappointed I only get 2 or so years of this before I have to have kids (you know, the ticking clock thing). Obviously free time goes way down when one has children, but how bad is it really?

I am excited to bring children up around airplanes, something I never had as a kid, but have now and finally feel like I found my 'one thing' with aviation.

DadsToysBG

My Feedback: (35)

Flying was a great way to get away from them and you will. They're great to have, but you still need time to yourself. That includes your wife.
When they get older they can go with you to the field. When they reach their teenage years they won't want to be around you much. You will get real dumb. As they get older you will get smarter.
When mine got old enough to move out my planes got bigger. That was nice.
The grandkids are even more fun. I get to tell my kids "I told you so"
What I'm trying to say in a funny way is you'll find the time all you have to do is look for it. Dennis

kenh3497

You will have to "make" the time. Like DadsToysBG said, sometimes you have to get away. I gave up the hobby for a while and I regret it. I think my son and I could have spent some real quality time with the hobby. It may have saved some heartache down the road. [] We have a gentleman in our club whose daughter is with him all the time at meetings and the field. I teased her to kick her dad in the shins so he will buy her a plane

Spend the time with your family first, the RC will come if you commit to it and the other half understands what it means to you.

Ken

skeeter_ca

I agree with Ken. Make the time to fly and as your kids get a little older they will want to go with you. I regret that i didn't keep flying when my kids where young. i think they and i would have gotten alot more joy out it. Make the time but not at the expensive of normal family chores and time with the wife.

skeeter

Avaiojet

I'd start digging the tunnel now. You saw the Great Escape.

Couple if years, nine months, and change, you could have it dug to your neighbors yard or the forest edge.

Kid you not, it'll come in handy.

jester_s1

I am 36 and have a 3 year old daughter (only one so far) so I can speak to the issue. Definitely, your time has more demands on it. You always have the little ones to think about and plan for, but that definitely does not mean you can't have a life and have interests. I work it out with my wife when I go flying. It's usually once ever 2-3 weeks but that's what fits so I take it and enjoy it. If she has a conflict I don't go. Or if I have something I need to do I don't go. But once you're past the infant stage you can carve some time out, especially if you both take on child duty for the other to pursue interests. I hope my little girl is interested in flying when she's old enough (loves them now) so it can be one of our together activities. But if she doesn't, she can have shopping days with mom and dad will go flying once or twice a week in a few years.

Lnewqban

It depends on your commitment to parenthood and the health of your wife after pregnancy.
In my case, my wife's health suffered to the point that she could not work for two years, which made me take two jobs.

The tragic fact about having kids is that nothing, other than your principles, prevent them from being neglected and abused.
I have always been very alert about not stealing time and attention that belongs to them for my own things.

I find jester_s1's post very balanced.

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

Thanks everyone

JPMacG

My Feedback: (2)

I'm at the opposite end. My kids are both out on their own and we're empty nesters. While the kids were growing up I did get out to fly for a few hours on nice weekends and did have time to build late in the evening. In hind sight, I sort of wish I had spent the time with the kids instead. When I look back, it seems that the time I spent on RC really had little lasting value. Maybe it was important for my mental health, I don't know.

Jim_Purcha

My Feedback: (8)

Well, both kids, Katrina (9) and Brent (7) come to the field with me, but this is usually sometimes on a Sunday afternoon or Wednesday Day evening. Tuesday and Thursdays are soccer nights in May and June. Swim lesson on Friday evenings. I work around their schedules. I have a park flyer for the local soccer field. One other memeber of the rc club gave Brent a Global Impress to learn to fly with. I have to install the servo's and get it ready for spring.I teach the local kids rocketry in the local 4H club. At least 12 kids have spent time on my Real Flight.

Jim

Minnreefer

I have 2 boys (8 and almost 4) and they both want and need to spend time with me, and currently my wife is a stay at home mom who loves the little one, but needs a break from him. I tend to play with the boys and etc most weekends and nights, or we spend time as a family, I generally have the 2-3 hours after they go to bed to play, but I also like to spend time with the wife, or friends, or internet, etc. I try to take the boys to the field, but they are much more difficult to watch until they are 4-5 or older. So to answer your question, it depends on how much free time you currently have, how much your wife would have, and reduce it by at least half or more. I feel good if I have one weekend day a month to myself and a few good hours a week. I hope that helps.

pdm52956

My Feedback: (1)

My kids are both grown and on their own. I wasn't into RC when they were younger so I might be a little off base here but I'm of the opinion the thread title is incorrect.

Since the kids are on their own, I have plenty of time to spend with the hobby and in fact, I find myself wishing sometimes that the kids were around when they aren't!

That said, when you do have those kids, spend time with them as much as you can. You'll always be able to find a free moment here and there to fly or build. The rewards will be much greater.

So I'm thinking the thread title might should be "Impact of having a hobby on the kids"!

Just my thoughts.

jester_s1

Good point, pdm52956. I can say that I have sometimes chosen hobby time over quality time with my daughter. She loves for me to read to her and teach her things or play games with her. I do those things too, but occasionally she asks and I'm on a project and tell her to wait 'till later. I do hope the hobby becomes something we can do together but I really try hard not to let it become a barrier to her getting what she needs from me.

David Bathe

Well lets see how it is:

oskartek

I say sell the little buggers off and use the money to fund the hobby

Happy flyin' Oscar

Curmudgeon at large.

invertmast

My Feedback: (23)

My son will be 1 year old on Feb. 25th. Before he was born, I was able to sneak out to the shop for a few hours each night, and almost all day on the weekends. Once he was born, you don't want to miss anything b/c they grow up FAST! So i typically get out for an hour total Mon-Fri. and maybe 8 to 10 hours total on the weekends.

Oberst

I have a son that is 3 going on 4 late June. Sure I have less money to spend in this hobby, but other than that my son doesn't affect my hobby one bit. If anything he tries to help me build, and I have to keep him away from the build table so I can pay attention to what I am doing..

Every winter I store my planes on the ceiling with soft rope clothes line. And every Spring I bring them down and I have them in different locations in the house. Walter (my son) knows enough not to touch them or throw anything in the house, and he always says to company when we have it," That's Daddy's planes, no touch!"

He always wants to go to the club with me, but I can only bring him if there are going to be other kids around to play with him. Every big event, he goes to his mother-in-laws and I only take my wife. I figure in a few years I'll be able to take my son to all those events. He knows not to be around the airplanes, but I have to keep my eye on him, and that takes away some of the things I want to do at the field, and I'm not going to leave him to my wife to handle alone.

My son loves to go to the hobby shop, but when his little eyes sees the micro helicopters and airplanes on display, they tend to wander by his little hands and I got to watch him. lol Also, when ever I break-in a new engine on a plane in my front yard, he loves to go out and watch with his mother.

I think I have a future aviator in the making and if anything, I think my hobby helps me bond more with my son. Pictures below were taken at last years childrens parade that our town has every year. He won first place for originality and best costume. Won lots of prizes. And yes that's my flying helmet!

Talking about 2 planes out of the price of one- the triplane was made from a old Seagull 260 Extra ARF Box, my wife built the plane, and I cut the wood pieces including prop.


Pete

jester_s1

Now that is truly adorable! My little girl is all over my planes when I get them out, but she also knows to be gentle. I let her work the radio sticks and she sometimes wants to fly the simulator with me. She just crashes the planes on the sim but she thinks it's fun. I figure I have until she's 10 or so and her princess nature takes over before she loses interest in daddy things.

jhatton

My daughter is 4, she has her own plane (LT 40) and can fly it ok until she gets bored (either crash now, or just puts down the transmitter) I try to get the the field 2-3 times a week, she usually makes it with me once a week. She makes it to most pattern contests in the NE and this year will be her second Nats.

jetmech05

Once my youngest daughter turned 7 or so she went me to the field, learned to fly, and became the youngest and only girl to fly at my club at that time.....Her and I are very close...I think because of the time flying....

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

My daughters and I are very close also. I have included them, but have not forced them to participate with me. My middle daughter is the only one of them who actually enjoys flying and stuck with the effort to learn, but the other two enjoy helping me build planes and like taking pics and videos. I make every effort to include them, but I also take advantage of the days they stay with friends or are in school when I'm off work and the wife is not home. These are the times that are just for me.

orbsah

If you can integrate your kids into your hobby, great. But I’d caution against starting them too young.

If your wife/kids have no interest in your hobby, the hobby needs to take a back seat. Years from now, it won’t matter what type of pilot you were. What matters is the type of husband/father you were.

maukaonyx

I can remember building in my building room with my first son in his playpen in the corner. I built my planes, and I played with him at the same time. I didn't paint with him around, and I went outside to sand. CA didn't exist so I was using aliphatic glues, i.e. non toxic. My wife and I took turns watching the kids and playing with them, and I had my chances to go fly, just as she had time to go shop alone when they were infants and toddlers. By the time both sons were in elementary school, they were trying to build with my scrap balsa. A few years later and we had a bonus room with three building tables in it, one for me and one for each of them. We would have three kits going at once. What memories. Fast forward...Now they are 32 and 29 and have had RC planes, choppers, and cars for over two decades. I am lucky that they like to be near my wife and me, so we see them every weekend and they still go fly with me. The younger flies almost every weekend with me, at least one day. The other flies about once per month with me. Even though the older one flies less, he still is really into it. It has been a lifetime hobby for me (50+ years) and will be for them, and it has been a huge reason for spending lots of quality time together. So in my case, children enhanced my RC hobby experience, but I can also say the RC hobby enhanced my life experiences with my children, and continues to do so. Jon

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

Lots of great responses! I did include the general hobby term for a reason, really just hoping to hear that a dad can still find a couple of hours here and there for well-being. I am one who absolutely needs some alone time, so I can give 110% at other times. I certainly don't plan on flying every weekend, but here and there with some time in the shop would do me, and everyone else, some good. I was afraid of giving up 100% of my free time.

Stick 40

you can do what you want, but be careful about how much time takes you away from the family.

This is a different day and there are lots more and better planes, equipment, etc.

Back when my kids started getting older and into school things, I found I could not do all the things I used to ( golf, RC, bowling ,etc ). I had to give it all up for about 15 years. I am back into RC , golf, shooting , etc. The kids are grown and I retired.

I am glad I did what I did, I feel we get back what we put in and I have to great grown kids.

If you can do it great, but if you have kids they take first place.

sticks