What's it like to be a parent and skydiver?

[lawrocket 3]

I WAS a skydiver. THen I was an expecting parent. Then I was a parent.

What got to me was not the knowedge that I could die or get seriously injured skydiving. My thoughts were that I would much rather be with my son than jump. Sure, the boy doesn't give me the adrenaline rush of a skydive, but he wamrs my heart in a way that nothing else ever has.

I used to skydive, but doing so would take time from me and my son. In my selfishness, I chose being with my son over skydiving. I choose being with my son over golfing. I choose being with my son over gigging with a band. I've quit all of those things because they are fun, but not as fun as my boy.

Chris Cowden posted a month ago about it.
"Since the birth of my son, skydiving has not even come close to comparing to the joy and happiness I find with my son and wife, and the way I am feeling right now, I just cannot justify the risk of leaving what I have behind, nor missing the time spent with them to go skydiving...There is just so much more I want to be there for and share with my son and I don't want to miss it."

That man stated my thoughts exactly. Some people have skydiving as more of a part of them. While for me it has maintained its relevance (I chose to spend almost a whole day away from my wife and son to drive to and from Shannon's funeral) it has dropped dramatically on my order of merit list.

I see little wrong with skydiving on the weekend when a jumper has children - even young children. It's just not for me...

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[JohnMitchell 16]

You have to find what you think is best for your family. We had been jumping for so long it just seemed natural to keep going. Like I said, we were very lucky to be at a child-friendly DZ. Do we hook turn, pull low, or base jump? No. We try to stay on that middle path in skydiving, try to manage our risks. Could we get killed jumping? Absolutely, but I think my odds are better than many. I've tried to prepare for all outcomes, including car wrecks and cancer and whatever else may come. One of the biggest tragedies in life is to not experience it to the fullest.

[tempretired 0]

It's a very personal decision and everyone is very different. There is no right or wrong position on this topic.

Personally, after I got married, I decided to retire until my child and future children are grown up. After they grow up, I'll decide if I want to return. Life has many risks (some avoidable, some not) and I decided to eliminate a few that are avoidable to improve my odds of being around as long as I can so that I can raise my family. There are many days when I want to go out to the DZ and make a jump but then I look at my son and I remember why I retired. Heck, I have a hard time leaving the home for business trips.

[veri 0]

Quote

You have to find what you think is best for your family. We had been jumping for so long it just seemed natural to keep going. Like I said, we were very lucky to be at a child-friendly DZ. Do we hook turn, pull low, or base jump? No. We try to stay on that middle path in skydiving, try to manage our risks. Could we get killed jumping? Absolutely, but I think my odds are better than many. I've tried to prepare for all outcomes, including car wrecks and cancer and whatever else may come. One of the biggest tragedies in life is to not experience it to the fullest.

First post here after some lurking... and with a big +1 to that, even if a week late

Love the sig, btw.

[murrays 0]

When I started jumping 26 years ago I was a parent...a divorced parent...and I knew that if anything happened to me my son's mother would take good care of him.

I remarried 10+ years ago and have 2 sons, ages 7 & 8 with my second wife. I kept jumping...but I was more careful in that I pulled higher than I used to, bought a Cypres, jumped a conservative main. I always knew that if anything happened to me my boys would be well taken care of.

Then, last September my wife was diagnosed with leukemia and I stopped jumping becuase if anything happens to me there is no guarantee that shee will be around long enough to raise them to adulthood. (She has had a stem cell transplant and is doing pretty good so far...but the chance of a relapse is always present).

When my kids are old enough I'll jump again but that's 10-11 years in the future at least...and I'll be ~~65 years old.

I know several people who jump since having kids and some that quit. Your kids well-being if you buy the farm is the deciding point for me. I couldn't enjoy jumping knowing that I may be orphaning my kids and knowing that we don't have people to look after them that we are totally comfortable with.

YMMV.

--
Murray

"No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey