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I also liked that line. Being a father of three, I can attest to the profundity of that statement. It makes me smile though. Because there is hope yet. I ha

by ak39 13y ago

I also liked that line. Being a father of three, I can attest to the profundity of that statement. It makes me smile though. Because there is hope yet. I have found that as time passes, two things happen: 1. Your children grow into creatures less demanding of your immediate attention (post nappy years, post "Daaaaad, I'm done!" on the toilet years ... etc). The real problem with keeping with other tasks while raising kids is not so much that you're unable to juggle many things at once, it's just that the sort of work we do (ideas, coding, design, you know the serious! stuff) requires longer chains of time for concentration and this is what suffers when kids (or for that matter anything else) constantly interrupts your thinking. You attempt to juggle at first, but pretty soon you realise the frustration of context switching from a more cerebral world to a banal one - and then back - takes its toll mentally. So you give up your art. (For the right reason of course. I love my time with the boys.) 2. You get better at juggling the cerebral and the banal at the same time. :-) ps. When I say banal, I don't intend to belittle the sheer fking honour of executing paternal obligations, no! But it cannot monopolise your time such that paternal obligations are all you commit to at the expense of your art. I ain't no John Lennon. :-)

Dewie 13y ago
> The real problem with keeping with other tasks while raising kids is not so much that you're unable to juggle many things at once, it's just that the sort of work we do (ideas, coding, design, you know the serious! stuff) requires longer chains of time for concentration and this is what suffers when kids (or for that matter anything else) constantly interrupts your thinking. The author also mentioned exercising and cooking healthy food, which for the most part does not demand long chains of deep concentration.
- bkmartin 13y ago
  Do you have multiple small children under the age of 5? Both those activities typically take at least 30 minutes of continuity to be done right... a real challenge with a 4 and a 1 year old. After they go to bed, great. While they are awake? If you are ok with some TV time. then you might get lucky to have them sit still for half an hour.
  - Dewie 13y ago
    > Do you have multiple small children under the age of 5? I don't have children at all. That might make you immediately dismiss my opinions on this, which may be justified. > Both those activities typically take at least 30 minutes of continuity to be done right... a real challenge with a 4 and a 1 year old. Done right? A pro sportsman might need at least 3 hours a day in order to get a decent workout out of the day, but I think that the consensus is that any activity is better than no activity. I don't see how squeezing in some sets of pushups while you have time (a set might take 30 to 60 seconds), doing some sets of (one legged) squats, etc., is insurmountable. Instead of jogging outside, you might do x hundred amounts of squats. Cooking healthy food is just about making something simple with healthy ingredients. Making a salad doesn't take a lot of continuous activity, boiling something doesn't either, the only thing is not burning the meat or whatever. I don't get how kids under five years of age are so spastic that you evidently can't even take your eyes off them for one minute. I guess I must have been an exceptionally well-behaved child. > After they go to bed, great. While they are awake? If you are ok with some TV time. What's wrong with some TV time?

by ak39 13y ago

Dewie 13y ago

> The real problem with keeping with other tasks while raising kids is not so much that you're unable to juggle many things at once, it's just that the sort of work we do (ideas, coding, design, you know the serious! stuff) requires longer chains of time for concentration and this is what suffers when kids (or for that matter anything else) constantly interrupts your thinking. The author also mentioned exercising and cooking healthy food, which for the most part does not demand long chains of deep concentration.

bkmartin 13y ago
Do you have multiple small children under the age of 5? Both those activities typically take at least 30 minutes of continuity to be done right... a real challenge with a 4 and a 1 year old. After they go to bed, great. While they are awake? If you are ok with some TV time. then you might get lucky to have them sit still for half an hour.
- Dewie 13y ago
  > Do you have multiple small children under the age of 5? I don't have children at all. That might make you immediately dismiss my opinions on this, which may be justified. > Both those activities typically take at least 30 minutes of continuity to be done right... a real challenge with a 4 and a 1 year old. Done right? A pro sportsman might need at least 3 hours a day in order to get a decent workout out of the day, but I think that the consensus is that any activity is better than no activity. I don't see how squeezing in some sets of pushups while you have time (a set might take 30 to 60 seconds), doing some sets of (one legged) squats, etc., is insurmountable. Instead of jogging outside, you might do x hundred amounts of squats. Cooking healthy food is just about making something simple with healthy ingredients. Making a salad doesn't take a lot of continuous activity, boiling something doesn't either, the only thing is not burning the meat or whatever. I don't get how kids under five years of age are so spastic that you evidently can't even take your eyes off them for one minute. I guess I must have been an exceptionally well-behaved child. > After they go to bed, great. While they are awake? If you are ok with some TV time. What's wrong with some TV time?