Priorities

[ChiefBigB]

How do you all have your priorities listed? How do you balance work, marriage, kids, and play for instance and give actual life experience. Thanks

[srobertsfsj]

I get asked this question alot since I had my kids younger then most of the people I know. A lot of them are just starting or have young ones. What I tell them is that you need to MAKE time for fun. Both with your family and for yourself. Life passes by too fast and if you dont have some fun; work, marriage, etc. won't balance out. Get a hobby, something you can do by yourself but also find something that you can do with the family. I would hate to think of my kids not having the memories of camping, off-roading, going to a movie, the road trips, etc. They may complain now but when they get older they will apprciate it. I work hard but I also play hard, I know it sounds corny but its true.

[theonetruegreg]

Luckily, my work is my hobby.
So I don't really prioritize anything. Things fall in how they do.

Had my boy when I was 21, so now, he's almost 12 and has his own things he's into and time he wants to take with his friends to do the stuff he likes. Our "family time" is generally motorcycle racing or trail riding, which is stuff I'd do on my own, even if my son and wife weren't into it (luckily, they are, so it kills 2 birds with one stone)

The boy helps me in the shop, prepping wood and building bikes, so we have lots of time together to talk and teach him things.
The wife and I are into the same things, and of the same mind (hence getting married and all). So we get on like gangbusters when we're out doin our stuff (motorcycle trips, bar touring, art related hoohaw or kicking around town with our friends), or while we're sitting round the house (we generally like the same types of entertainment in movies tv and music, talk our opinions on life and the universe and whatnot).

Money goes to wherever we feel like at the moment, we're thankfully not too burdened. So I can build my bikes or Jeep or work on the house and go do things as we please, mostly.
Life's pretty good when you force them to go your way!

[ross80truck]

To me this is not a one time question, it is a constant question that I try to ask myself everyday. As you can see I have my priorities listed in my signature, but I do that to remind myself what my priorities should be. Because what they should be is often not what they are. My advice, limit your distractions. For me that means only have one or two projects and not a whole pile of cars sitting around I will never finish. Also, try to do things with your family that all will enjoy, and hopefully that includes going for rides in the jeep or working on the jeep with a son. Each person's life is different so what is priority for me may not be priority for you. I would recommend sitting down with the wife and making a list together of what is most important and focus on those things and let the rest slide or be filler. It is a lot easier said than done though.

[cma]

Mine:

- Dog
- Work
- Wife
- Garden
- Jeep

If i do all this things, the day is over........and i am so tired that i can`t do anything actually.

what do i hate mostly? dates with friends which do not have hobbies, at saturday 03:00pm , so that i have no time after midday sleep to to anything at the jeep

If you are not consistently enough there is always anybody with enogh time to keep you away from work.....i hate it

[whsii]

Grow a second set of legs, run and run to keep the young kids, wife and house going.

When the kids hit their 20's you can relax a bit, you only have to write checks...

[Tad]

Work pays for kibble, enough said.
Love kids but you have to pay me to be around them for more than an hour.
Great relationship with someone that works harder than me.
Tequila.
Unless I am building parts or at work it's always play time.

[Gumby]

This is a good question... I have seen those that never balance work and play and then loose a family over it. I have taken their examples and hope to learn from them. I do my best to include my family in everything I get into. I am a full time student with three kids all under 7, so studying is always hard when they are around. I also try to take time for myself, my wife is very supportive of the stuff I do (except sinking money into the Jeep). Nothing should come before my family not even work, my family is the reason I retired. I could not stay too far from them for too long. We camp, road trip, off road and hang out as one... my kids dont always agree with the things we do but one day they will look back and hopefully be inspired to do the same with their family too.

[Tad]

This is a good question... my kids dont always agree with the things we do but one day they will look back and hopefully be inspired to do the same with their family too.

I hope they can Martin.
We are already into the age where your (beautiful) children will be able to say "I saw that".
It will be gone by their 30's
I applaud you .

[cma]

yes thats true

When the kids hit their 20's you can relax a bit, you only have to write checks...

[theonetruegreg]

When the kids hit their 20's you can relax a bit, you only have to write checks...

Checks??!! Dammit, wish my father had read this!

At 18, he gave me a handful of cash to help cover my books for 1st yr of college and said "that's all you're getting, and you can never move back.....good luck!"

[BGW]

Mine:

- Dog
- Work
- Wife
- Garden
- Jeep

Ohhhh man, you're treading dangerous ground with that one. Better hope your wife doesn't peruse this forum...

[carnuck]

Giterdone!

[cma]

no problem... she knows that our great dane needs a lot of love and time and that we made a agreement that the dog will have only a limited time with us, furthermore without work no money, thats the game.....

Mine:

- Dog
- Work
- Wife
- Garden
- Jeep

Ohhhh man, you're treading dangerous ground with that one. Better hope your wife doesn't peruse this forum...

[66stepside]

For me family comes first, or maybe it's tied with work because that supports everything else. My kids mean everything to me as does my wife, then comes the jeeps- though she might disagree! Sometimes striking the right balance is hard because there can be deadlines when I am working out the bugs on a build (deadlines like having to get something done before a big weekend BBQ, or a trip to the coast).

While it is easy for me to get carried away in the garage building, tinkering and wrenching, I budget purchases for jeep parts/builds as well as purchases for completing the shop (there's still plenty to do in there to complete it). The budget it key to staying focused for me.

I was pretty stoked when my son wanted to start helping out in the shop working on his truck. Now he helps me on all the projects. I am waiting for my daughter to do the same thing.