Did you keep diving after having children?

[capybara]

Just curious to hear from others if you kept diving after having kids. Many of my friends have kids and they seem to be really BORING now and don't do the fun things they used to as couples. One couple said, "We used to go swing dancing together all the time and haven't been since the baby was born" (a year ago!). But the weird thing is they don't even seem to care!

We're (somewhat reluctantly) thinking about starting a family, but for us, most of our vacations have been diving-related and we'd hate to lose such a big part of our identity. Not only can I not dive while pregnant or even trying to get pregnant, my husband and I are dive buddies so if we dive together afterward we may be putting the baby at risk if something happens to us. And it's not like you can bring little kids on a liveaboard!

We've been putting it off till our big Galapagos trip but now that it's over I want to know what we're in for. Yes, I know posting this on a diving forum will give biased results but I wanted some encouragement that our life will not be over.

So, parents, any thoughts on:
1. How soon did you resume diving after childbirth?
2. Do you dive less often or not at all because of the kids?
3. Do you still dive together as a buddy couple after having kids?
4. How do you plan dive vacations with children?
5. Do you still want to dive or are you too tired to care?
Please include in your post if you are a mom or a dad.
Thanks!

 

[Rick Inman]

I stopped diving between the ages of 22 and 44, while I finished raising the kids, fixing my finances, sobering up, and generally getting a life.

However, I'm busy about making up for lost time.

 

[Jim Ernst]

Just curious to hear from others if you kept diving after having kids. Many of my friends have kids and they seem to be really BORING now and don't do the fun things they used to as couples. One couple said, "We used to go swing dancing together all the time and haven't been since the baby was born" (a year ago!). But the weird thing is they don't even seem to care!

We're (somewhat reluctantly) thinking about starting a family, but for us, most of our vacations have been diving-related and we'd hate to lose such a big part of our identity. Not only can I not dive while pregnant or even trying to get pregnant, my husband and I are dive buddies so if we dive together afterward we may be putting the baby at risk if something happens to us. And it's not like you can bring little kids on a liveaboard!

We've been putting it off till our big Galapagos trip but now that it's over I want to know what we're in for. Yes, I know posting this on a diving forum will give biased results but I wanted some encouragement that our life will not be over.

So, parents, any thoughts on:
1. How soon did you resume diving after childbirth?
2. Do you dive less often or not at all because of the kids?
3. Do you still dive together as a buddy couple after having kids?
4. How do you plan dive vacations with children?
5. Do you still want to dive or are you too tired to care?
Please include in your post if you are a mom or a dad.
Thanks!

i am a single dad, diving after becoming a daddy, haaaaa , lol, i stated diving to get some peace of mind,lol, i love my children very dearly, i have two, 16 yr old daughter, 9 yr old son, gawd i love diving, no one can scream , daddy she hit me, daddy he is anoying me, daddy , daddy daddy, ROFLMAO !!! nothing but peace and quite underwater, ahhhh, the tranquility of diving!!!!:shakehead

 

[Jim Ernst]

I stopped diving between the ages of 22 and 44, while I finished raising the kids, fixing my finances, sobering up, and generally getting a life.

However, I'm busy about making up for lost time.

rick, how can you be sober and a parent??????? lol???

 

[DaytonaDave]

Ok... my take is from a slightly different angle, but I hope it sheds a little light for you.

I started diving in 1991 as a college elective. I had the bug bad... but no money. So, when I moved to Florida, I dove sporadically with friends. I got married and had two kids... my wife already had 3 to a previous marriage... so again, money was tight... and she wasn't supportive of me having expensive hobbies... My SCUBA gear went in a locker in the garage...

After only 4 years of marriage, I'm now raising the kids by myself. (for 5 years now) I met up with some divers at my job and am now actively diving again. I took my refresher, my Nitrox training... and may actually get to do my AOW next weekend. It's tough, because finding someone to watch my kids for me to 'go goof off' is difficult. I don't dive nearly as much as I want to (I go about once a month), but it is a nice getaway.

As far as having enough energy goes, sometimes it is hard to have enough energy just to make dinner... or get a shower.... that's called being a parent. I've found that I amazingly have lots more energy when I get to dive. It's like hitting the 'restart' button.

Saturday I went diving at a local spring. Just a fun little dive at Alexander Springs. We planned a cookout and a single dive. One of the Non-Diving wives and a diver who decided to stay dry hung out with the kids. They are very supportive of me having the chance to dive. You will find that if you look, there are ways to make everything work.

I thougth about the possiblity of leaving them alone if something happened to me. That just makes me remember that I need to be alert and cautious. I have more of a chance of getting killed driving on the highway every day than I do diving... Keep your head on at all times. Take no chances, because someone is relying on you to come back. Just be sensible.

Oh, and I still have plenty of energy to be on SB just about every night!

Now I have one more thought. If you have serious reservations about giving up yourselves.... (I'm not being mean, just devil's advocate) do you really have what it takes to be a parent right now? Parenting is a selfless act... you have to be ready to give up anything. Kids have a habit of getting sick on a Friday night after the doctor's office is closed right before a big trip.... or having a huge school project due when there are already 10 things going on. You didn't state your age in your post... can you wait a while?

 

[DaytonaDave]

nothing but peace and quite underwater, ahhhh, the tranquility of diving!!!!:shakehead

I'm with you there, Jim.... Parenting is great... I love my kids... but there is something magical about a few peaceful moments.....

One thing that most people don't realize until it's too late. You MUST take time for yourself. Your kids have play time and so should you. If you don't you will become the boring parent you are scared of being. (not to mention, psychotic)

It's harder, but you and your husband MUST schedule 'date nights' and 'date dives'.

 

[DennisW]

Donna and I learned how to dive when our kids were 6 and 7 years old. Of course, we are also pilots and were before we had kids. We always took the kids to good vacations at least once every two years. We also were able to leave the kids with the Grandparents for some dive trips or brought Grandpa along for some of them to snorkel with the kids while we were blowing bubbles. Kids do not make you boring. Live life. Kids should never cause you to stop doing that. If you do, you will be raising children that will not know how to live life.

 

[gregorio]

I don't have kids myself but i helped someone full time one years with babys and 1 year, so you can take my words almost as a parent.

Please discuss around you to learn how much work is a kid. For me it was the toughest and more demanding job a ever had. I see many young parents being in diffucult situation because they did not expect such a change in their life.

That was a wonderful experience for me and having and raising kid must be great, but it change a life and at least in the few first years, i would not expect to dive.

I wish you the best.

 

[3ddiver]

I still dive weekly even though it is just in a local lake. My wife is a non diver so it is not a problem with the child. I agree completly that you still need some "you" time(both of us). The biggest problems with diving and vacations is money. We have not been to the tropics in 4 years. Guess how old my daughter is. I wouldnt trade her for anything but your life will be different for sure.

 

[spectrum]

We were not divers pre-family. For me it was a life-long fantasy for my wife it wasn't even on the radar screen. Once we had children they were an easy excuse not to go after it between the $$, available time and risks. Once they hit high school and beyond we went for it.

We have encouraged them to join us but so far have no takers.

Pete