My lad has just turned 2, so im not a brand new dad, I have grasped the fact that children change your life forever. My lad was born with Pyloric Stenosis (look it up) and then had extreme reflux to the point where he had to be tube fed for the first 6 months of his life, and has only just come off the drugs for the condition! Thankfully due to OUR hardwork he is now a normal cheeky little toddler and you would never had known that there was owt wrong with him.

After his pyloric operation when he was 1 month the aneathsetist (spelling bad i know) gave him a dose of Paracetamol that would have hospitalized an adult!, we were told then straight after his op, and he was given the Overdose in the recovary room that he probably would’nt make it through the night!

My point is that without my love of climbing and cycling etc… the whole of the last 2 years would have been much harder. If I had not had manged to get to Stanage edge climbing occasionally or get the odd 2 hours out on my bike I would have been in the nuthouse by now. They have proven to be therapeutic beyond belief. Over the few months he has slowly grown out of his reflux and now eats normally, and my thoughts are turning to maybe doing somehing I love, like training for a 24 hr race, or maybe a climbing holday with mates for a few days to spain.

I think that the comments made about being a rubbish daddy, if you have another interest outside of family life are very harsh, and not well though out!

It is very healthy to want time to yourself to do the things you have grown up loving, especially when in fatherhood, it helps you to remind yourself that their is life outside of parenting and helps me keep my self sane, and postive. Even with a love of more than one thing, and wanting to be good at more than one thing at this time in my life, I think Im a great daddy, and coudnt be any better, and without the cycling etc, I think i would be a worse dad.

Ladyeez

As an aside to those that seem to think a Dad is “bad” for having interests outside of family life…my love of bikes comes from being surrounded by cycling from being a young boy through my Dad’s (RIP) love of the sport.
As soon as i was old enough i was out on the bike with him, then in the bike club with him etc etc.

Surely the exposure to seeing a parent involved in a “positive” activity and that rubbing off or having some effect on the child can only be a good thing?

If Dad was disappearing to the pub/bookies etc then i’d agree with some of the comments.

Deep River, that was a really well put post!

Dad to a 20month old boy and during the process of settling down and getting (re) married (this time to the right person!) I’ve packed in trackdays/my car fixation and sailing and really don’t miss them that much – not like a fortnight without a bike ride.

Sometimes things have to give for what really matters and when our little boy is charging through the house yelling ‘daddy’ with a big grin on his face I don’t mind not having time for everything.

Cycling will always be part of my life, it’s good exercise, a family thing (456 with rack and kiddy seat does the job for anyone that’s interested), a couple thing and my dose of natural high after a tough week at work. The only other interest other than the family and the bike is taking nice photographs of places we go and things we see.

I think I’ve been miss understood to a certain extent, I never said having outside interests made you a bad Daddy as such, it’s simply my opinion that blokes who “somehow” manage to cram in 4 or 5 additional activities and basically spend a good chunk of their free time away from their families are a bit neglectful, sorry but it’s my opinion, like most of on here obviously you I’ve held on to biking (although vastly reduced in frequency), but that’s about it and that’s had to give way on many occasions to family and I don’t resent it…

Like I said my little girl is still young and as many people have already told me I won’t get these times back, so night rides when she’s asleep, the odd day off to ride, plus having to regularly work away, I can’t see why anyone who actually loves their kids would spend anymore time away from them than they absolutely have to…

I’m sure I will get some more time back as she grows up and doesn’t want to spend so much time with me, but like others said nothing beats having “Daddy!!!” shouted at you by your daughter before she charges you….

My kid is 2 1/2 and takes up a lot of my time at home. However, I still manage to get out on the bike wed evenings and a Sat or Sunday. Getting more time away is awkward and I wouldnt want to push my luck with the missus, I know I wouldnt want to be left alone to look after the nipper too often myself.

My other interests are all sporty. Fortunately I have an understanding/sporty team at work, so I manage to get out each lunchtime to play squash/footy or go running. I also play footy one eve a week (not being too late home).

I still get to spend a lot of time with my kid, and manage to get my hobbies in, although I am pretty knackered (my own fault), and know I should cut down on the sports.