pojj 0 #1 December 26, 2008 when u start you have time to hang out all w;end jump n and have n drinks at nite but when life gets busy and you have kids how do you fit time in....do people jump every couple of weeks or try get a jump in before or after pik n kids up would love to hear from people who juggle life and jumping Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,362 #2 December 26, 2008 Hi pojj, Yup, marriage & kids changed the amount of time that I spent on the dz. Life does get in the way sometimes, JerryBaumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #3 December 26, 2008 Like anything else, where there's a will there's way! This sport is just something I like to do, but certainly not 'ALL' that I do. To be safe ya gotta stay current~ for me lately, that's minimum 20 jumps a month - every month. Sometimes it's all in one weekend, sometimes 2 or 3 weekends. All a matter of priorities, make the time to be a safe participant or find another passion that requires less dedication...I've found 'time enough' to play for over 30 years~! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladydyver 0 #4 December 26, 2008 I only have my kids every other weekend...we stay at the dz and once dz antics start....which is usually later in the evening the kids stay in the trailer and then I tend to join the antics once I get the kids in bed.....they are still at the age where they like being at the dz and don't have other plans in place. The dz happens to be where we do the trade off with the kids as well so it works out well. I always jump less when the kids are there, but I still get to jump and then I often spend time hanging out with them doing different things. There are times when we forego the dz as well. It is doable....but you will have to figure out what works out best for you and your family.DPH # 2 "I am not sure what you are suppose to do with that, but I don't think it is suppose to flop around like that." ~Skootz~ I have a strong regard for the rules.......doc! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
format 1 #5 December 26, 2008 I'm like 46 something old. Occassionally, my friend or two, give me some small humans to hang out with.. for some time. Sometime it's an animal (dog, bird, etc.) I haven't yet.. but they don't seem to object me taking them to DZ, strain them (in the beginning) and jump. Kids are not in my schedule but I don't see any mind change comming I must be blind.. or visionary What goes around, comes later. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #6 December 27, 2008 I've noticed a trend in a few of your posts, asking questions like, 'how do you find the time to jump all weekend, every weekend' and 'how do you know when you're to downsize' and 'does anybody just jump for fun and not try to downsize'. It really appears that you're a newer jumper trying to figure out how this whole thing works. What I think you're missing is that it works however you want it to. Not everyone can spend a ton of time at the DZ. Work, family, and a dozen other things will do their best to keep you off the DZ, which is just fine. You can spend as much time at the DZ as your life affords you. If this is one day per weekend, or one day per month it makes no difference, you're still a skydiver. HOWEVER - the less you jump, the more you need to remember that you don't jump that much when you're at the DZ. Many people talk about 'currency' as being a big part of staying safe, and it is true that staying current keeps you sharp. Another thing that keeps you sharp is re-current training, and simple skydives. If you don't jump a lot, you may need to ask an instructor for a review of your emergency procedures and to give you hand looking at the winds and landing pattern for that day. You'll also need to limit the size of the groups you jump with, maybe even just do a solo. I know an older (late 60's) woman who does a tandem every year on her birthday. She only makes one jump per year, so she is limited to the type of jump she's qualified to make (a tandem), but I would still consider her a skydiver. She's made several jumps in the past, and has plans to make more - a skydiver. Canopy selection is the same way. Whatever is the safe choice for you is correct. You don't ever have to downsize from a student size canopy if you don't want. Of course, you create some limitations to the wind conditions you'll be able to jump in as lightly loaded student canopies don't handle as well is higher speed winds, but in the end, there is no 'rule' that you have to downsize at all. Skydiving can be molded to fit just about any lifestyle. Now if you want to do 10 ways, or jump a HP canopy, or fly a wingsuit, then yes, it will require a commitment of time and money to gather up the experience and skill needed to be safe. But if your life doesn't allow that sort of commitment, you can still skydive, just in your own way. (Of course the catch is to correctly limit yourself with regards to your experience. Remember, if you make 15 jumps a year, even after you've been jumping for three years, you still only have 45 jumps, and your currency will be nil.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,026 #7 December 27, 2008 Quotewhen u start you have time to hang out all w;end jump n and have n drinks at nite but when life gets busy and you have kids how do you fit time in....do people jump every couple of weeks or try get a jump in before or after pik n kids up would love to hear from people who juggle life and jumping It would be nice if you wrote in English instead of texting language.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #8 December 27, 2008 Really bloody annoying, isn't it? (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 8 #9 December 27, 2008 QuoteQuotewhen u start you have time to hang out all w;end jump n and have n drinks at nite but when life gets busy and you have kids how do you fit time in....do people jump every couple of weeks or try get a jump in before or after pik n kids up would love to hear from people who juggle life and jumping It would be nice if you wrote in English instead of texting language. my texting isnt even that hard to read"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GLIDEANGLE 1 #10 December 27, 2008 We all have to make choices about how to spend our time with regard to jumping. At one extreme are the one-time tandem passengers. They jump once and go back to the demands of their lives. At the other extreme are those who chose to devote most of their time (life) to jumping. They often end up living at the drop zone and learning to be happy on whatever income they can extract from this sport. The vast majority of jumpers are somewhere in between. Folks find an unlimited number of ways to balance jumping and life. Because I live a long drive from the DZ, I tend to make fewer trips to the DZ...but make more jumps per trip (I often spend the night at the DZ). Other folks make more frequent but shorter trips to the DZ. I know a group of jumpers who are at the DZ almost every Friday. They jump for one day and live their lives the rest of the week. Figure out what works for YOU.The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nomal2day 0 #11 December 28, 2008 QuoteWe all have to make choices about how to spend our time with regard to jumping. At one extreme are the one-time tandem passengers. They jump once and go back to the demands of their lives. At the other extreme are those who chose to devote most of their time (life) to jumping. They often end up living at the drop zone and learning to be happy on whatever income they can extract from this sport. The vast majority of jumpers are somewhere in between. Folks find an unlimited number of ways to balance jumping and life. Because I live a long drive from the DZ, I tend to make fewer trips to the DZ...but make more jumps per trip (I often spend the night at the DZ). Other folks make more frequent but shorter trips to the DZ. I know a group of jumpers who are at the DZ almost every Friday. They jump for one day and live their lives the rest of the week. Figure out what works for YOU. I'll second that. I try to go to the dz on Saturdays, and if the weather is bad (like today in Dallas!) I do stuff with the family and try to go Sunday (and tomorrow looks beautiful!). Other weekends it's a wash on both days; I will try to rehearse some EP's for a while and look forward to the next weekend. Most everybody is in the 99% between all or nothing; sometimes it's more. sometimes it's less.'To fly is heaven, to freefall is divine' 'You only need 2 tools. WD40 for when it doesn't move but should, and duct tape for when it moves but shouldn't' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites