Outing Frequency 4 Those with kids

[Jeepthrills]

From early May to Late August we have our league and my wife and I are partners. We play nine holes every Wednesday. We have been playing in this league for about 11 years. My sons are 13 and 9 1/2. Until the middle of last season we had a sitter for them. My son is old enough now that they can stay alone for a few hours. We are usually home by 9:00 or 9:30.

My regular round is Sunday morning. We play nine holes early in the morning. In mid Summer it's usually about 6:45. Now that we are losing daylight it's more like 7:45. This way I am home by 10:00. Now that my kids are self sufficent they can get up and feed themselves and let my wife sleep in. I do feed the dog and let him out before I leave. That prevents a 120 lb bullmastiff from waking her up at 8:00 with dry heaves because he hasn't eaten in 14 hours. It's not pretty and I would be in the "dog house" if it happened while I was golfing.

[NM Golf]

A child psychologist family friend told me that it's not the amount of time you spend with a kid, per se, but the quality of the time you do spend with them.

I agree 100%. When I am with my kids we are doing things and I am paying attention to them.

It's a simple matter of priorities. So long as "family" is in your top three (mixed in with work, religion, recreation, education, etc.) or so, they should be allocated plenty of time... so long as #1 isn't gambling and #2 isn't drinking (or something).

Again I agree, with a family somethings gotta give. I want to play golf so I give up that TV time and that going out with the buddies time. I pretty much work, spend time with my family, and play golf. But thats the way I like it!

You know someone once told me you have to have some "me" time. If you don't have any pursuits outside of work and family you are not a well rounded person. Its important to have something you can retreat to and blow off that steam, otherwise you may do it on your family, and thats no good.

[play4him]

Before I had kids I played a lot of tournament golf, as well as plenty of friendly rounds. It was very important to me at the time. I was shooting par or better every round, so in my mind I justified it. Once I started having children my priorites changed. Golf just wasn't as important to me anymore. I thought I would really miss it as I cut back playing, but found out there are more important things than my golf game. As my children grew I got involved coaching Basketball, Baseball, and eventually Golf for my children. My yearly rounds decreased even more, but I wouldn't trade it for the time I spent with my children.
I know it's been said that quality time is more important than quantity, but I disagree. My children know by what I do what is really important to me. I know I only have this one chance to spend time with them because they grow up so fast. I believe the amount of time I've spent with my children will make a difference not only in our relationship, but in the quality of person they become.
I think the best thing I've learned, and tried to convey to my children is that this life is not just about ourselves.

[J_Bone]

I Golf every other Monday with friends while on the other odd weeks, I take my Son to Saturday morning junior Golf lessons which are $10 and I buy myself a bucket of balls.

That way I get to swing the clubs once a week at least.

[Isufferfromloft]

I am fortunate that I have played in a foursome tuesday mornings with some guys from work for years and that was pretty much my one golf day while my son was growing up.He turns 19 on the 30th and now we really enjoy the game together and play two or three rounds a week.So my lack of playing time early on has more then paid off.