Soak up all the beach time you can get. Your life is going to change drastically with a new addition to the family. Photo: JP Van Swae
Being a new parent is incredible and unlike anything you’ve experienced before welcoming a new life into the world. It can also be a challenge to balance all of your new responsibilities with a passion for surfing. For example, do you remember those marathon sessions you used to pull before the little one came long? Say goodbye to most of those. Unless you’re getting paid to surf (lucky you), the reality is that you’ll probably be spending less time in the water now — at least until your grom is old enough to join you in the lineup.
But it doesn’t mean this is the end of your surf life. A few new additions to your collection of gear and an adjustment in mindset can help keep you in touch with your passion throughout that first year, all while still being a great parent and partner.
Expand Your Quiver
Being open to riding a variety of different surf craft to suit not-so-epic conditions will help get you in the water whenever you have a window of opportunity, rather than putting everything else in life to the side when wave forecasts call for it.
Say, for example, it’s a small summer day and you actually have a free hour, only you aren’t burning to get in the water because you’re so set on riding some high-performance board. Nonsense. Dust off that log and go have some fun.
We all know that the time spent in the surf can clear your mind and help relieve stress. Now that you’re a parent this takes on a whole new meaning, coming back feeling recharged and ready to spend some quality time with your family. Don’t deny yourself or your family that much needed respite.
Wear a Watch
After your board, this may now be one of your most important pieces of gear. With a new baby, your new window of time for surfing tends to be around an hour of waves before getting back to the little one and your partner. A decent water-resistant watch (preferably one with tide-reading features and other slick tech) allows you to keep track of your session time and make sure that you don’t blow it, getting out of the water too soon or too late. Before my daughter was born, I was always that guy scanning the lineup for a more responsible adult with a watch, asking “Hey, you got the time?” Nowadays I’m the guy with the watch because I always have somewhere to be.
Simplify Your Commute
Any time you can shave from actually getting to the water equals more time you can spend in the water.
Pre-baby, I had a 15-minute walk to my local spot. When the baby came, my wife gifted me a beach cruiser with a board rack and my commute to the beach became a three-minute bike ride. That simple change bought me nearly another half hour in the water.
Pick Up Some Secondhand Gear
Children are expensive, there’s just no way around it. Between diapers, clothes, formula, food, furniture, toys, daycare, and saving for college, you’ll be counting every penny. And that’s just in the first year; it’s not like kids start getting cheaper.
If you need additional equipment, like what’s been mentioned above, there’s plenty of good used surfing gear out there to take advantage of. Yeah, that used board may not be as nice and shiny as a fresh custom order, but your wallet, your partner, and your kid will thank you for it. Bonus points because you’re even doing Mother Nature a solid by recycling gear.
The same goes for baby stuff, too. Hand-me-downs from friends, relatives, and neighbors and other lightly-used gear from garage or yard sales are all great and a good way to help you stretch your money a bit further.
Workout
It should go without saying that you need to exercise and eat healthy, regardless of whether you’re a new parent or not. With the long nights and hectic schedules that come with raising a newborn, it’s easy to let your diet and exercise regimen slip. Be sure to carve out time for fitness and avoid eating junk. This is equally important for your partner. Make sure that they also have time to exercise, eat well, and help them to find that time by trading-off responsibilities and being supportive of each other’s activities and pursuits that encourage healthiness. Neither of you will be of any good to each other, or your child if you neglect your health.
Let Them Know Before You Go
If it looks like there will be a swell next week, start planting that seed early with your significant other. Consistently waiting until the night before or the day of to let them know you plan to get barreled can create unnecessary stress or resentment. A simple “Hey, it looks like there may be some waves later this week” can go a long way.
Be Present
While your head may sometimes be elsewhere, your biggest priorities right now are to be the best possible parent to your child and a loving, supporting partner.
If the waves are pumping all day but your water time was limited, don’t dwell on what you may be missing. Your child and your partner will pick up on your bad vibes so just leave them at the door. Be stoked for the time that you had in the water that day and put that positive post-session energy into being present with family. No doubt you’ve heard it before, but the time really does go fast and soon your child will be walking and talking. While I can assure you that there will be waves again another day, you’ll never have this time again with your new family.
Introduce Your Little One to the Ocean
The ocean is an important part of your life and you’ll want to share that with your child. Familiarize them with the scene early and often. Strap them to a carrier and take them for walks on the beach. Let them play in the sand (have fun cleaning it out of all those cracks), and let them dip their toes in the water and splash in the tide pools. Put a life vest on them and let them float around with you on your board in the shallows. Swimming lessons are essential and it’s never too early to start. Instill in them the same love, appreciation, and respect you have for the ocean.
Take a Trip
With all this talk of less surfing and more stress, why not change it up and get away on a family surf trip? Most airlines don’t charge for lap infants under the age of two so take advantage of those savings while you can. Go somewhere you have a good chance of scoring waves for a few days. It doesn’t have to be a hell-flight halfway across the world, it can be somewhere less exotic or closer to home. Yes, this trip will be different from the trips you’ve taken before, and it will probably require a bit more planning, coordination, and patience. But you’ll be creating important family bonds, new experiences, and memories that you’ll never forget.
Do Date Night
The baby will take a lot out of you and your partner. Much of your lives will revolve around your new child but make sure that you’re not neglecting one another or your relationship. Getting some quality alone time with your significant other is essential to maintaining a healthy relationship. Find a good babysitter or enlist the help of Grandma and Grandpa. Planning dinner and drinks can do wonders for your sanity and your relationship.
And don’t talk about the kid the whole time you’re out.
Go With the Flow
As a new parent, you’re in a perpetual state of change. Just when you think you’ve figured out your child’s little quirks or the nuances of a particular stage in their development, it all gets flipped on its head with a new challenge. Don’t try to fight the change, go with it and embrace it. Be flexible and open to change and be patient with your little one and your partner. It’s all part of the ride, so try to enjoy it!
Editor’s Note: Find some other thoughts on rad parenting for those who love the outdoors from people like WSL CT retiree Josh Kerr, snowboarder Kimmy Fasani and skier Chris Benchetler, and our Senior Editor, Joe Carberry.
