Question A break from playing

[Jamie M]

Hi chaps

Since my son was born 5 months ago I really have not played at all. I just cannot get a minute to pick up the guitar so I have stashed it away for now. Have any of you found this is an issue with a new baby? How long did you stop playing for when you had a little one?

 

[beej]

Two kids, similar problem both times. Luckily you'll get time back eventually.

Enjoy the circus while it lasts, it goes by so quickly

(Oh, and I turned to an old classical guitar I left lying around in the living room- good opportunity to learn lullabies, wheels on the bus, and work on your singing.)

 

[YandasMusic]

I have a one year old now, they certainly make things harder, but you will be back at in no time. Your son will start to become more independent soon and require less attention. My kid is at an age now where I can set him down while I play (at low volume obviously). He will just stand there and watch me, he loves it. I might have to get him a cheap uke to play with

 

[DrKev]

Mine lil' un is 7 1/2 months now. Difficult to play but not impossible. Working for myself is a plus and as I teach guitar for most of my income these days so the guitar is never out of my hands long. But it is very difficult to play/practice/develop what I would like to do for myself. Even rehearsal/prep for gigs and recording is difficult. I get some playing done in the evenings or mornings when she's at creche but not often. My chops have suffered, no doubt (though they do come back).

Tip: Schedule playing time for yourself. Trying to fit our playing time into the holes in our schedule is what we try to do but those holes vanish quickly with cooking, emergency diaper changes, laundry, groceries, admin, catching up on sleep. So schedule your playing time, give it the importance in your agenda that you would like it to have. Be realistic about how much time and when, and you'll be happy.

The bonus us that I may end up writing an album of silly kids songs or lullabys. Remember - grab your phone when putting baby to sleep and start recording if you feel the need to improvise a new lullaby!

 

[fbecir]

Jamie, let's face it :

• the world does not need another Englishman (besides Englishmen are not Europeans anymore ...)
• kids are awfully expensive
• wait a few years, and he will not respect you

The best thing you can do is to sell him (in one piece or in several for organ donation) and buy a new guitar with the money. Trust me you will thank me.

But if you stick to the idea to have children (I made the same mistake twice ...) try to play when the little monster is sleeping. Of course you need a room where you can play (quietly) without disturbing him and a babyphone for keeping an eye on him). And if you need time, burn your TV set (no TV set in my house since 1996).
When he will be older, play with him in the same room, he will become musician.

(now my daughter plays classical guitar better than I do and my son is a drummer. I think I will start a new career of drum-road-crew in a few years)

Good luck

 

[xjbebop]

Lot's of truths posted above
I had 2 many years ago. I concur with keeping an acoustic handy and learning/writing/playing kid music. I accidentally wrote a couple of my favorite things like that.
Another crazy thing you might consider is getting an inexpensive ukulele and learning that crazy thing. They're tiny & light, easy to plink on when you only have a moment, challenging....and actually fun sometimes!

 

[Fender_Champ]

First of all, congratulations! I remember how difficult it was to find time for anything at that point.

I actually started playing/learning after our daughter was born (about 4 yrs ago). We always had music playing in the house, but I wanted her to grow up with music being 'played' in the house. It was been a great experience and has definitely had a positive impact. She is 3 y.o. now and has been strumming in time since she was 1 y.o. (on her uke and my guitars). I leave guitars around the house and play anytime I can - while she's playing with toys, while dinner is cooking, ect - and also after she goes to sleep (naps and at night). I have both electric and acoustic, but find myself playing the electric unplugged mainly. When I want to plug-in and keep quite, I play through the my iPad (BIAS app) and headphones.

Good luck!

 

[DrKev]

(no TV set in my house since 1996).

Same in our house since 2012. But French TV is pretty awful so the 160€ yearly tax was better spent.

When did you get rid of your minitel, François?

 

[Rick C]

Babies are best! I used to sit and play my Les Paul unplugged while putting kids to sleep; this never seemed to bother them. of course headphones work too as already noted above.

 

[jones4tone]

Congrats on the recent birth!

If you have an amp with a master volume so that you can regulate it to a non-earsplitting volume, I believe it's possible to play even while the baby's going to sleep. They are very adaptable creatures, as a lot, and learn to function in the situation they're given, like most adults. If they commonly hear some guitar music from another room while they're going to sleep, it's just "normal" for them, in my experience. We always believed that the family life had to go on with a new baby in the house, and allowed older children to carry on playing as usual, watched TV at normal volumes during bedtime, whatever. (We didn't shoot fireworks in the living room or anything, but we didn't want to spend years tiptoeing around and whispering all evening, afraid to wake up the baby.) The babies learned to sleep quite well in that environment.

That's only one aspect of it obviously, and when it comes to the time squeeze, well, that's your opportunity to demonstrate your ability to be an adaptable adult. It does get easier with time. Enjoy the time with your newborn - as others have said, it passes very quickly, and there are things you'll absolutely miss about it in the future.

 

[Cordarino]

I had to take a 2 1/2 yrs break when my daughter was born in 2012; then a friend of mine involved me in a songwriting project. Started writing my parts with headphones laaate night, little bits every night.
Tomorrow will be in a studio to arrange final mixing and mastering for a self produced cd. And my life is full of so many new emotions, thx to my little one. Have faith, music will find her way back in your life.

 

[Rick C]

Jamie: As soon as my babies were big enough to sit on my knee, I would stick a guitar on their's and let them play. A little Martin Backpacker was perfect for this. I did the same with drums and keyboard; I've never forced them to play and I'm waiting patiently for one of them to get the bug. My littlest is showing the most promise so far.

 

[threeminutesboy]

Same in our house since 2012. But French TV is pretty awful so the 160€ yearly tax was better spent.

When did you get rid of your minitel, François?

No more TV here also for me. Must be a french/EBMM thing.

 

[jswilliams]

i stopped playing seriously for a couple years when my first kid was born. i didn't think it was a problem i just focused on other things for a while .