We all have things that we like to do in our spare time. Some might be serious hobbies like playing for a local football team, doing arts and crafts etc or we might just like to relax in front of the TV or play computer games. It does not matter what we choose to do but we will find that those hobbies are all things that relax us and give us a break from work and life. When we have children, things change though. There is a lot less spare time as time where you are not working will be taken up by the children. You may even find it hard to get any time at all. It is important to find time to relax though and there are some ways that you should be able to do that even when you have little time as a dad.
Get Kids Involved in Your Hobby
It can be a good idea to get kids involved with you in your hobby, then you will be able to do it while you have some family time. If they are babies and you like watching Tv or playing computer games, you could hold or hug them while you do it. As they get older this might be trickier but you could still try to find some programs or games that you can watch or play together. If you have a more hands on hobby, then you might have to wait until they are a lot older for them to get involved with you. You might get them playing sports or doing art with you. It can be easier as they get older to do your hobbies while they do other things anyway.
Only Expect a Small Amount of Hobby Time
It is worth making sure that you are prepared for only being able to spend a small amount of time on your hobby. Although it is important to have some time, you will find that children take up a lot of time and so you will need to be prepared for that and make sure that you are not expecting too much. It is important therefore, to make sure that you make the most of the time that you do have. Make sure that you are fully engaged in the hobby and really enjoying it. Choose a hobby that you know will be the best for you at that point in time. You do not always have to stick to the same one so you will be able to change and choose alternatives if you think that might suit the specific mood that you are in.
Take Turns with Your Partner
It is a good idea to take turns with your partner if you have one. So, they have a certain time each week to do their hobby while you entertain the children and do the chores and then swap with them. Then they also get a chance to do something they need and want to do as well. It means that you both get a chance to relax and get some time to yourself and have some fun outside of the home. If one of you is working from home or parenting full time at home, then having the opportunity to go out and do something different can be a really welcome opportunity. It may be the opposite and if one works outside of the home, they might enjoy the opportunity to stay at home and relax while the children are taken out somewhere. It is good to have a chat about what will work best for each of you.
Find a Babysitter
It might be necessary for you to find someone to look after the children so that you are able to go out together. This may also be needed if one of you wants to go out and pursue a hobby while the other is at work. This can be made possible if you have someone to look after the children. Some people will be happy to pay a babysitter to do this for them. There may be others that would prefer to use parents, friends or other family members, perhaps in some cases because they could not afford to pay a babysitter or perhaps because they did not trust someone they did not know that well. Most people will be able to find someone that can help them out though. It might even be other parents and they will be able to repay the favour at some point.