how do family men deal with competitions?

[Sarge]

I always try to plan for dinner out or something every match day when I get done.

We always go for wings after shooting Circleville. Just have her meet you there! Win Win!!!

[BobS761]

When your kids get older, then you have other issues if they are shooters, (or fancy themselves as shooters). There is a match next year I want to attend. $175 for me and $100 for juniors. Either I can go or I can take the boys.

[joshxdm9]

I always try to plan for dinner out or something every match day when I get done.

We always go for wings after shooting Circleville. Just have her meet you there! Win Win!!!

[joshxdm9]

Yes the after match roosters always a good time:)

[MetropolisLake]

When faced with the choice between wife or shooting, go with what you love more and what will always be there for you. In other words, go shooting.

That's just wrong.

[spraynpray]

There is always the old saying: "it takes a village..."

If our sport is to endure, we need to do a better job getting younger folks involved. If your kids are old enough to wear ear and eye protection and can behave, bring them to the local match. If they aren't well behaved, well, that is another discussion entirely. Our local club tries to be supportive of folks with children: we have families where both parents shoot and the kids attend the match. In the range wagon, there will be some coloring books, etc for the kids if they become bored with the activity but otherwise, they can help past targets if they want. We don't expect both parents to always help with pasting and scoring: If one of them is helping, that is fine.

If your kids are old enough to shoot a rimfire, have them shoot the match (or maybe a couple stages) with a Ruger MKIII or one of the many 1911 rimfires. We have had junior shooters do this at our matches, we don't charge them a fee, their scores don't get sent in, its for practice and to get them engaged in the sport. Once again, as a community we need to support the younger shooters.

If you get the kids involved in the sport then there is a greater chance of it becoming their sport too, thus avoiding the conflict with soccer, baseball, dance, etc.

[MetropolisLake]

Rockcastle shotgun championship on same weekend as senior graduation! It never ends!

[bwtrayer]

I'm not married yet (nor have kids) but I find it difficult to get to 1 match a week on Friday nights. My fiancé lives 30 miles away so we try to spend at least 2 week nights together. I suppose all this will change in May when we get married, but still trying to get to the match once a week will be difficult. I don't know how you married with kids guys do it.

[warpspeed]

Well I can tell you how this weekend is going to go - not well.

Bowling league starts for my youngest tomorrow @ 9:30 am. My son has fencing from 10:00 to 11:30

And the steel match I want to shoot starts at 8:30 and is about an hour away. So if I go, one of them misses out cause my wife can't be in two places at once.