Competing vs family life with small kids

[CaptArab]

Same deal with jui jitsu- all the folks you used to sub 5 times in a round start sneaking up on you.

Being a dad it's important to explicitly call out what skills are going to matter and define you - easy to get down when you see the skills diminish but in the grand scheme of things it real doesn't even make the list.

 

[Bcamos]

Check all your local ordinances for sound issues.

If there are none, piss them off to the point you're good friends with the sheriff and deputies so they ignore the neighbors.

Oh I'm good. I'm in a small town in a small county in Texas. They already called the game warden (I laughed directly in his face when he told me this) and he told them that there's nothing anyone can do. I don't care if they like me, but being in a small town where everyone's related, I don't want my petty feuds to become my kid's problem at school.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

Anyone else find it nearly impossible to compete when you have small kids at home? Just curious how anyone else is able to pull it off. I have four kids (5 and under) and can't exactly disappear for the weekend...anyone else in a similar situation?

My wife is super cool and really doesn't care. She knows I enjoy it and she wants me to have fun so she doesn't mind watching the kiddo. 1 is much different than 4.

What has been helpful is making a calendar. We have a shared calendar and I have all the matches I am planning to shoot for the year, so she can plan around them.

Prioritize what matches you want to shoot and come up with a plan. Utilize family, friends or stuff to help ease the burden. Life is too short to not do what you want. If your wife is already a stay at home mom, whats another day or 2 watching kids each month? You can also make a deal with her to watch the kids so she can go do fun stuff with her girlfriends. Its good for both of you. There is no reason you cant do both. If you want to shoot and compete, you will find a way to make it work. Or just make excuses why you cant.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

Let me speak from Experience.

YESTERDAY MORNING……..We put our 5 y/o son on the school bus heading to kindergarten for his first day. Brenda followed behind the bus, to make sure he made it alright, but yes, 24 hours ago, he went to school for the first day

On the 18th of November, our NOW 41 year old son and I will compete in the match at Altus. (Well, he will compete, I will participate and darned glad I am able to do so).

Same son by the way.

Time goes so very, very fast. Your children will be grown and gone in a flash. Life is a very short trip. Time with your children is shorter than you can imagine.

Best bet, spend time with them now, make sure they learn to do their chores and take their responsibilities and teach them respect of others.

Then, develop a common interest for free time, it may be shooting, look at Allison Zane, it may not, but be with them, if they have a ball game, don’t miss it, if they need to go to the doctor, be there with them.

You only get one round, one time, then its gone.

As I used to tell my neighbor who had a fetish about grass mowing instead of spending time with his son……

That grass will be here 10,000 years from now, but where will you be? Your Family?

 

[Bcamos]

Let me speak from Experience.

YESTERDAY MORNING……..We put our 5 y/o son on the school bus heading to kindergarten for his first day. Brenda followed behind the bus, to make sure he made it alright, but yes, 24 hours ago, he went to school for the first day

On the 18th of November, our NOW 41 year old son and I will compete in the match at Altus. (Well, he will compete, I will participate and darned glad I am able to do so).

Same son by the way.

Time goes so very, very fast. Your children will be grown and gone in a flash. Life is a very short trip. Time with your children is shorter than you can imagine.

Best bet, spend time with them now, make sure they learn to do their chores and take their responsibilities and teach them respect of others.

Then, develop a common interest for free time, it may be shooting, look at Allison Zane, it may not, but be with them, if they have a ball game, don’t miss it, if they need to go to the doctor, be there with them.

You only get one round, one time, then its gone.

As I used to tell my neighbor who had a fetish about grass mowing instead of spending time with his son……

That grass will be here 10,000 years from now, but where will you be? Your Family?

I've been feeling this lately. My oldest is only 11, but it feels like just yesterday she was running around in a Minnie Mouse onesie singing along to the Octonauts theme song. It goes by so fast and I wish there was something I could do to slow it all down.

 

[MvHTjy]

Alright, at least I'm not the only one! I might be grasping for my last sliver of hope here but this was my plan for next year...

1. limit to PRS Regional due to them being 1-day matches (minimum 3 matches per year and possibly the finale)
2. book a kid-friendly resort near the match, so the wife doesn't go crazy (great wolf lodge looks like a potential, awesome option)
3. spend first day (saturday) as a family day, compete on sunday, relax monday and head home

I don't know, I might have to just throw in the towel and be happy with taking the occasional friday off practicing at the range while the kids are at school/daycare.

So I just ran my "plan" by the wife (waited until she was in a good mood haha) and she's totally on board with it! I explained how at least three matches per year are required to get invited to the finale, so she knows this will be a recurring thing. She even mentioned RV'ing with the kids could be an option! Going to give it a shot in 2024 and see how it goes

 

[Sheldon N]

Congrats man! If you make it a family affair it can be a real blessing. Hope to see you out in Idaho next year at the finale.

My daughter whooped me (and a lot of other great shooters) this past weekend at the finale in Kansas. Stings a bit to get beat, but definitely a proud dad moment.

 

[sea2summit]

Yeah, I had to stop. Couldn’t afford double entries, ammo, rifles…

 

[mkollman74]

It was an easy choice for me, and I am glad I made it when I did. I didn't give up shooting, I just gave up trying to be as competitive as I could and eventually decided to no longer compete. I've never regretted it. My oldest is in college and my youngest is in high school - it went fast. Every second I get with them is precious and far more satisfying than adding points to my performance.

 

[Hennig]

Same story, had 3 under 4. Sold all the IPSC setups, went back to plinking with rifles and shooting LR when I can. My mob are 4/5/8 now and while I can shoot a bit more often, I still cant fathom going way for multi day comps, let alone training.

Ive just built a big collection of nice rifles instead hah.

 

[mkollman74]

As my kids get older , the opportunity to re-engage with competitive shooting is there. Not sure if I will compete again, but I will have the time.

 

[Emerson0311]

As your experience grows you can be much more selective on the matches you travel to. This year I travelled 4 times. Next year I plan for two regional ones and hopefully some NRL22 semi locally. I needed to experience with strange ranges, MDs, and COFs. A mental exercise really; building confidence in my process. Remember when Dorian Yates did 1, or maybe 2 shows a year. He did ok.

 

[SanPatHogger]

Let me speak from Experience.

YESTERDAY MORNING……..We put our 5 y/o son on the school bus heading to kindergarten for his first day. Brenda followed behind the bus, to make sure he made it alright, but yes, 24 hours ago, he went to school for the first day

On the 18th of November, our NOW 41 year old son and I will compete in the match at Altus. (Well, he will compete, I will participate and darned glad I am able to do so).

Same son by the way.

Time goes so very, very fast. Your children will be grown and gone in a flash. Life is a very short trip. Time with your children is shorter than you can imagine.

Best bet, spend time with them now, make sure they learn to do their chores and take their responsibilities and teach them respect of others.

Then, develop a common interest for free time, it may be shooting, look at Allison Zane, it may not, but be with them, if they have a ball game, don’t miss it, if they need to go to the doctor, be there with them.

You only get one round, one time, then its gone.

As I used to tell my neighbor who had a fetish about grass mowing instead of spending time with his son……

That grass will be here 10,000 years from now, but where will you be? Your Family?

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I'm 41. My mom went to a match with me for the first time on Sunday.