Juggling young kids and astronomy (visual and imaging)

[swannies1983]

First let me say that family comes first and I woudn't give them up for the world.

However, juggling young kids and your astro hobby: can it be done??

The wife and I have a 2 year old boy and a 16 week old girl. Prior to the birth of our girl, I was able to spend maybe 1-2 nights per week outside imaging, depending on what the moon was up to. Since Charlotte's birth, father duties have taken over and I've been outside with my gear once. The weather hasn't helped, but even if the skies are clear (as they have been for a few nights recently), I just don't have the energy to lug everything out. I'm usually in bed between 9 and 10 anyway.

So, who's in a similar situation as me? Do you find time to go outside or is your equipment collecting dust? What about those with older kids? Do you get any time to enjoy your hobby?

[jjjnettie]

:) You know, you're never ever bored when you have little ones, are you.
I think it would be wonderful to have your baby girl outside with you at the scope, now that the weather is getting warmer. She'd love the running commentary on what you are doing, it doesn't matter that she doesn't understand. What a great bonding experience for you both.
Dont forget the mosquito net though.
My boys have been astro orphans since they were in primary school. They used to come out with me, but they lost interest after a few months.
Since becoming a single Mum, my routine has been this.
Make sure kids have their homework done before dinner,
Cook dinner, eat with the kids
Out to the scope for drift align,
Check on kids
choose target, frame and focus of target.
Come inside to check on kids
Get PHD up and running, start imaging, check first sub, and then start imaging run.
Come inside to check on kids
etc etc
Come 10pm the kids are ready for bed.
I then have the rest of the night to myself.:)

[Varangian]

I am and it's tough but it gets easier the older they get. I have a 7 month old and a 4 year old. The issue is that you are just so darn tired when they all get to bed and then you have the whole set up ordeal...

I earn brownies by doing nice things for my wife and then look at getting away to other IIS members properties for observation. I am also planning to get away to ASV's dark site in the next few weeks and am considering Snake Valley in November.

To be honest with you I live in inner Melbourne so even on moonless nights I am restricted to planetary observation or checking out a few binaries/clusters.

It does get easier, one of my strategies is to predict a clear night a few days ahead and try to get as much sleep as possible in the lead up to clear night so I can put the kids to bed and not fall flat on my feet after it. I usually set up on given night befoe getting into my 'chores' so the scope can cool down and I have my tables set up, eyepieces selected, targets for that night selected etc. Catching up on sleep beforehand will usually stand me in good stead for a 3-4 hour session which is worth it. Again, it's all about balancing time with the family and time with the scope, brownie points work a treat. The older the kids get the better they sleep:)

[cventer]

I was in same situation. Ended up putting all my gear in storage for close to 5 years. Just did not have time or energy left to devote to doing it properly.

Kids are now 5 and 8 and I am right back into it.

[Darth Wader]

I'm finding it very difficult at the moment with a 3 and 4 year old. It was a lot easier when they were babies, but now my family is just so busy I barely have any time for hobbies.

[swannies1983]

Cheers for all the comments. I don't feel so alone now :P.

Fortunately Riley (eldest) is a pretty good sleeper and tends to sleep straight through (just not at the moment while he is sick). He used to get up after 7 but now wakes around 6. Not good if I want to do an imaging run. I could manage sleep from about 1-7 but struggle with less than that.

Charlotte is also a very good sleeper, despite a heart condition. She goes down at 7, mummy feeds her at 11 (plus medicine) and then doesn't wake up until 2.30-4 when I feed her, then sleeps until 6-7.30. She also puts herself back to sleep very easily which is in complete contrast to what Riley was like. Mind you, he had pretty bad reflux.

I estimated around the time Charlotte is 6 months that I could spend a little more time outside. This was based on the age Riley slept through the night. Going by some of the comments here, it could be a few more years yet. Damn, I just picked up a modded dslr just before Charlotte was born. It's just sitting in the study waiting to be used :sadeyes:

[Poita]

I have a 12 yr old, and 8yr old a 6yr old with special needs, and now another one on the way!

It can be done, but I find that if you don't have some kind of permanent setup that the interest wanes. When you finally do get a clear night the tiredness can over-ride the desire to get out there.

My solution was two-fold. Making a cover for the mount so it was always setup and ready to go, and...
going solar.
Solar viewing is extremely rewarding, amazingly portable, a cube and an LS60 and you get great views and photography is a cinch with something like the GSTAR EX. The eclipse is coming up too.
For my night-sky fix I hang out on the Night Skies Network, you get to chat to people, see some great views and take advantage of the time differences around the world and do it during the day. The kids enjoy that too.

JJJ's routine is similar to mine as far as organising the kids and the nights I want to image, but I'm finding the motivation harder as I'm getting older and getting less sleep :)

[JB80]

Our kids are 3 & 1 and I do understand where you are coming from, I look after them during the days and come night time it can be pretty exhausting, you just want a beer and a lie down and call it a day.
To be honest though for the most part these days the kids are nice and predictable with their sleep so I can get the scope out till maybe 2 or 3am if I want to. That said the SW hasn't been out for months but I can tell she knows Jupiter is on the rise and is getting itchy.
If I could be in bed by 9 or 10 though I'd be over the moon, I'd have more energy than I do now but for me it's just not possible.

Like Peter though I have found solar to be a great option unlike the SW it sits next to a door and is ready to go when ever, visually the sun is dynamic and since upgrading the PST to a Stage 1 the views are more dramtic than ever, well worth it in my opinion.
I also have a glass blank that I'm slowly getting all the prep done to grind into a mirror, it doesn't create any extra time for me but it gives me another project and some inspiration to plod on with so I'm not loosing any enthusiasm.
I guess you just need to find a balance and as it has been said it does get easier to manage.

If I am to be totally honest what makes things the hardest for me is my location, the weather is totally pants for 250 days a year and when it is clear there is a blanket of contrail vapour to deal with and awful LP plus not owning our property or knowing how long we will be here means I don't want to set up a more permanent obs.