Dad on the Loose

[Dylan]

I'd be curious to find out how much you father's and mother's lives have changed (or not), in terms of risk-taking, after a little one has been brought into the world. We've got a 3.5 month old and now the some of climbs I used to do seem a lot more dicey than before.

[ivan]

what w/ all the screaming and stress around my house these days since my daughter was born, i find myself soloing a lot more...

 

i have noticed though that occasionally i feel more "gripped" at cruxy places, in part because of a feeling of being on the verge of fucking up a bunch of serious responsibilities

[sobo]

...now the some of climbs I used to do seem a lot more dicey than before.

 

Happened to me, too. He's 3 years old now. I don't want to give it up at all, but I've definitely toned it way down since we got him.

 

I do, however, remember jetting out of the house a lot in the early days; same reason as ivan. Couldn't handle the screaming/crying either. Found myself soloing up the first pitch of Ride the Lightning at Goose Egg one day, and realized, "WTF are you doing???" That day changed everything...

[Skeezix]

I've got 5 and 7 year-old boys. Do I want to take them climbing? --I already have. Do I have troubling dreams where I picture them falling in the mountains? Already have. Do I have a hard time reconciling my instinctive protectiveness with my desire to share the mountains with them? You bet.

[Bug]

I have a seven and nine year old. After the first two years I just decided to get out again. I have toned it down a lot but I still start every summer by free soloing Icicle buttress.

[Rad]

My son is now 18 months and our daughter was born this past June. Fatherhood is wonderful, if diaper-full, so far. Has my risk profile changed? Yes and no.

 

I have always had a desire to come back in one piece with my head intact. For that reason have never soloed routes near the limits of my abilities. I wear a skull bucket for most climbing. That said, I've willfully entered 'must not fall' situations, as we all have. These have been on lead but also on approaches and descents where a rope wouldn't help anyway.

 

I have been out since having the kids and my risk level is only a little more conservative than my pre-kid level. Still, my perspective has changed. It used to be "If I die here I know I've already lived a full life with no regrets." Now I have lots of reasons to be around for years to come and to be healthy enough to share climbing and hiking with my kids when they're older.

 

I look forward to adventures with my kids, and in my book adventure involves uncertainty and risk of one sort or another. How will I feel when they climb trees or cross rivers or climb? Probably nervous as hell, but I'll try hard to encourage them and not be over-protective. Life without risk, on the couch surfing cable, wouldn't really be an example I'd want to set for them anyway.

[sk]

i didnt' start climbing until after both my kids were born. what made the difference for me was divorce. I feel more responsible for the boys now (9 and almost 7) My ex climbs as well. way harder than i do. I get more gripped now and feel more responsible. it makes me wonder what i would have done had i started climbing before i had kids. but even though i am not out on the edge as much as i might be i still love to climb and push myself as far as i am willing to go.

 

[telemarker]

I have a 4 month old son, and in fact I feel more inspired to climb classic alpine routes. For the most part, on classics I know protection will be abundant and descents safe. What's changed is my desire adventure climb. When on the rock, I think about how good the gear is these days and trust it.

 

B/C skiing, now there's risk!

[Thinker]

 

 

****************WARNING********************

 

Children are contagious.

 

Touching them, holding them, and even admiring them can lead to a significantly increased risk of them infecting your life too.

 

Run like hell when they appear in your vicinity!