(Keep) Climbing AND have kids

Franck Vee wrote:

Seems to be a common theme in a decent fraction of parents. On the one hand, yeah, less time for stuff etc.... but on the other hand, they don't seem to care TOO much. What I'll have to figure is whether this would be true for me as well, or whether there is a bit of self-selection going on there. E.g. people who say that are people who were likely to be happy as parents to begin with - doesn't make the drawbacks to having kids less real, but it probably makes them easier to accept....

Yes, it comes down to deciding if you want kids. And then figuring out how to fit other stuff you like in your life. Not the other way around, deciding if you can fit kids in between things you want. 

But there is such a huge spread in what people consider a good amount of climbing. Example: a couple of friends of mine, with no kids, and regular 9-5 jobs, got out twice this spring. I have a full time job, and two kids— and I missed only two weekends of climbing between early March and mid May. Both due to weather. 
Admittedly, this was a bit extreme. The reason I was able to get out so much this spring was partly because my husband injured his wrist mid-March, so HE was staying home and taking care of things on the weekends. If both of us were going climbing, we wouldn’t have been able to go quite as much. But we certainly would have gone a lot more than just 2 weekends a season.
So it comes back to the question of what is the amount of climbing that you would consider good enough. And how organized are you/how willing you are to work hard for what you want. 

Ok, everyone got it out of their system?!

So, if you have kids, go brighten their day right now. If you don't, continue masturbating.

Colonel Mustard wrote: I gotta say, the leaving for weeks to months part of your selling yourself on parenthood made me and probably a lot of other parents laugh.

Like others said, day trips after kids probably won’t be your day trips of old. More like a mad dash out to the crags and back. I get the (very) rare 2-3 night excursions and equally infrequent overnighters rather than every weekend or more spent at some destination.

The money. Why is Fat Dad working so hard? Cuz it’s fucking expensive. Want to go climb on your days off, or, God forbid, leave your kids somewhere decent while you just make money? Or squeeze in you time on a day off? Daycare is expensive. Like second mortgage expensive. Oh yeah, your parents will help. Nah, they’re probably as narcissistic as the climber boy they raised.

The mortgage. Fuck the mortgage. Fuck your neighbors spending every spare scrap of time on their fucking lawn. Fuck your house and your yard. Fuck the price it costs to live in a decent school district some single dude ass hat is pissed off to pay taxes towards.

Bundles of joy, man. Bundles of fucking joy.

Feel better now?

x15x15 wrote:

One thing I know for sure, unless you have had kids, you don't get anything. You get the  "appeal" of having kids? What a cop out. Thank God you did not have kids!!!

You know some pretty boring climbing parents too... 

So according to this thread I should kill myself and not procreate

Hmmm, so not having kids has made me an A-hole.... What is your excuse?

I have not been following along .
 Everything depends on what your definition of "climbing" is.
If in your pursuit of climbing you want to include traveling to far-flung & exotic places often enough to be good at it?
 Going to climb in places that are barely or not on any map?
And then when there having the time & freedom to pursue climbs that require total immersion & commitment
children & family will suffer & be in the way.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           There are many other definitions of climbing that allow for a more moderate approach.
 But they may be considered soft by the participants of that other definition of "climbing"

Cost of raising 2 children annually  & exponentially, over a 20 year time period.
&
Why Households Need To Earn (@least)  $300,000.  A Year ... 

& that is Just one informed view  but it could be triple that amount  if you want to include Dance, Music, Art, Climbing, Other Sports, Summer Vacations/education/Camps
Health/Dental care, Cars /Transportation/Entertainment. . . Life happens.

Gravity Sucks, constantly
In the opinion of the chronically addicted to playing with the cruel mistress, that is Gravity~
Get your need to be a great Yo-Yo satisfied (~)}=L
before you commit to having kids.

There's one big assumption any prospective parents should be wary of: that your babies will be born healthy. If you're planning to have a kid, you should be prepared for the possibility that it might be born with severe autism, or any other number of conditions that will amount to a much bigger burden and change of lifestyle than you anticipated. Don't assume your child will be able to enjoy or adapt so easily to whatever your preferred activities may be.

Here's a great story from a very dedicated dad: supertopo.com/tr/Half-Dome-…

Ted Pinson wrote:

Feel better now?

I feel great, I just don’t sugarcoat the downside.

Tim Lutz wrote:

So according to this thread I should kill myself and not procreate

Go back to kindergarten and learn to read. No one, and I mean NO ONE has ever suggested you kill yourself. Damn dude, you need help. We're just damn lucky you decided procreation is not for you and your genes die with you...

Hmmm, so not having kids has made me an A-hole.... What is your excuse?

Climbing...

Tradiban wrote: Ok, everyone got it out of their system?!

So, if you have kids, go brighten their day right now. If you don't, continue masturbating.

I’m all over it, vato.

Franck Vee wrote: 

Obviously depends on what being satisfied as a climber means. I wanna keep improving.  

The easy way to keep improving once a parent is to suck at climbing to begin with.

Saying that only partially in jest.

Any reasonably-athletic person can progress from 5.10 to 11 or  easy 12s while being a parent. One night at the gym and one day outside should be plenty.

If you're already climbing easy 12s and want to  then start consistently sending hard 12s and 13s and above, it's gonna take some freakish talent or freakish ability to tolerate masochistic training schedules.

Tim Lutz wrote:
Oh well, the dirge of the sad washed up bitter up has beens looking for fights plays on on MP

You know that the "it used to be so awesome here" refrain you're voicing was practically the motto of Supertopo?

Can't say I'm standing up for x15x15 though.

Hellavu day on my end. Lots of parks, Farmer's Market, and now wallowing in the air conditioning this afternoon. Hellavu day.

Tim Lutz wrote:

Eric wrote:

I sincerely think you should commit seppuku.

Seppuku, sometimes referred to as harakiri, is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai, but was also practiced by other Japanese people later on to restore honor for themselves or for their families. Wikipedia

I made it bold so you can read it without your reading glasses. You should go back to Supertopo with the rest of rambling crazy entitled Baby Boomers...

Hey there, say,, even they didnt like your your pissy venom...

And now there is no Supertopo... Oh my

Oh well, the dirge of the sad washed up bitter up has beens looking for fights plays on on MP

First of all... EFF YOU!!! I for sure am no baby boomer. Your assumptions make an ass out if you and me...

Damnitall to heck, I stand corrected. MP user Eric wants you to commit seppuku. That's just wrong. I am so sorry that you feel you need to listen to just one user, in this heterogeneous herd, the one I  neglected to read. I WOULD NEVER ever intend for anyone to do this despicable act...

I am just happy you decided not to procreate!!!

I'm not one to spray, but as a washed up, has been, that you are implying I am... ROFLMAO...

Christian Roda o Back wrote:

The easy way to keep improving once a parent is to suck at climbing to begin with.

Saying that only partially in jest.

Any reasonably-athletic person can progress from 5.10 to 11 or  easy 12s while being a parent. One night at the gym and one day outside should be plenty.

If you're already climbing easy 12s and want to  then start consistently sending hard 12s and 13s and above, it's gonna take some freakish talent or freakish ability to tolerate masochistic training schedules.

Admittedly I have not taken the leap and ventured outdoors; however, my experience has been that since I began climbing this year I have comfortably progressed through the 11's and 12's at my local gym, all the while raising a family of three. Everyone who has questioned the ability of mothers to homestead a family, doesn't fully appreciate the strength and courage it takes to provide for a family. My wife has been fully supportive and takes care of the kids 4-5 nights per week when I need to train. I hope you take the first hand perspective of a committed father into account when making this important decision. 

Your name is trad dad...

And you've never climbed outside?

What the fuck am i reading

Trad Dad wrote:

Admittedly I have not taken the leap and ventured outdoors; however, my experience has been that since I began climbing this year I have comfortably progressed through the 11's and 12's at my local gym, all the while raising a family of three. Everyone who has questioned the ability of mothers to homestead a family, doesn't fully appreciate the strength and courage it takes to provide for a family. My wife has been fully supportive and takes care of the kids 4-5 nights per week when I need to train. I hope you take the first hand perspective of a committed father into account when making this important decision. 

You do realize that "Trad" stands for Traditional, and means by definition, climbing outdoors, which you haven't done. This is curious. Perhaps a slight name change is in order, don't you think? 

Perhaps, Strad Dad if you play the violin. Or drop the T, and just be Rad Dad!!! Or just reverse the "trad" and be Dart Dad...

Buck Rio wrote:

You do realize that "Trad" stands for Traditional, and means by definition, climbing outdoors, which you haven't done. This is curious. Perhaps a slight name change is in order, don't you think? 

Perhaps, Strad Dad if you play the violin. Or drop the T, and just be Rad Dad!!! Or just reverse the "trad" and be Dart Dad...

Stevie Ray Vaughn was a Strat Dad :)

The Raven wrote:

Stevie Ray Vaughn was a Strat Dad :)

He was a Strat GOD

Just finished the inlay on this Strat. For a friend.

Buck Rio wrote:

He was a Strat GOD

GOD is a dad too.

K Weber wrote:

GOD is a dad too.

I think you are trying to place limits, God is a dad and a mom.