How's parenthood? | FerrariChat

How's parenthood?

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by alx355gt, Jun 22, 2004.

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  1. alx355gt

    alx355gt F1 Veteran

    Feb 3, 2004
    9,524
    Belgium
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    Alexander
    Well, I was just curious how it was like... and at what age did you became a parent...? If you would like to answer of course... thanks already...

    Also... do you think it's combinable with owning a Ferrari at some point?

    Greets, Alexander
     
  2. Zupra

    Zupra F1 Rookie

    Mar 31, 2004
    3,661
    St Louis
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    Chesney
    I dont know...I dont know
     
  3. tonyh

    tonyh F1 World Champ
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    Dec 23, 2002
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    Tony H
    #3 tonyh, Jun 22, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Best thing that's every happened to my sad life ;-). Dad at 29, Ferrari at 34 and the 2 are defo compatible.
    Here's Rebecca, 4, and i have a son , Nick , 8.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  4. Enzo

    Enzo F1 Rookie

    Feb 14, 2002
    4,088
    MinneSOta
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    Pat Pasqualini
    Father at 31 and it is the best thing ever. When I have a bad day at work I can't wait to get home to see her smiling face.
     
  5. alx355gt

    alx355gt F1 Veteran

    Feb 3, 2004
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    Alexander
    Thanks for the quick replies already, guys...

    And beautiful pic Tony, you sure look like a very happy dad :)

    Guess I will be a father soon... and a Ferrari owner a bit later...

    Greets, Alexander
     
  6. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2001
    24,510
    Dallas, TX
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    Jim E
    Best and hardest thing you'll ever do. Owning a Ferrari doesn't come close to comparing.
     
  7. smsmd

    smsmd Karting

    Nov 12, 2003
    150
    San Jose, California
    Full Name:
    Steven Scates MD
    Father at age 41, now 2 boys 6 and 8.

    Nothing is better than being a parent. You learn an entirely new definition of love, and, at times, concern for them.

    For now, they are still young enough that they see me as an ideal. I remember when I saw my father that way.

    As much as I like the 360, it is still an car and could be replaced. Not true of the boys, nothing could replace them.

    The boys make me think about a Mondial or 612 so I could have them with me, but it wouldn't be good for me to buy another f-car now.

    steve
     
  8. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 14, 2003
    60,788
    In front of you
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    BCHC
    Having a son (at 36) was the best thing that ever happened for me. I appreciate him every day and couldn't be happier.
    I was already on F#3 when he came. Hearing him ask, "Daddy, where's the racecar?"...well words can't describe how much fun that is either!

    1st pic is 8 months, the rest are at 3. :)

    DL
     
  9. Dom

    Dom F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 5, 2002
    8,475
    #9 Dom, Jun 22, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Parenthood makes you really appreciate having enough sleep.

    Had my daugher in October, 2000 (I was 32). Had my son in August, 2003.

    I bought my ferrari after my daugher was born. It is a 4 seater. The day I bought home the car, my wife gave me a "congratulations on your new car" card. In it was a note asking if she thought I could fit 2 car seats in the ferrari. That's how I found out she was pregnant with my son.

    Having kids is a ton of work, but is the greatest experience you could ever have. Hearing them say "I love you daddy" will just make your day.

    While we are all posting pics of the kids, here are a couple of my daughter (I still need to get a couple good photos of my son and the car).

    Dom
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  10. alx355gt

    alx355gt F1 Veteran

    Feb 3, 2004
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    Alexander
    Thanks for writing down your experiences everyone... :D
    And the pics look great! Thanks again... :D
     
  11. Erich

    Erich Formula 3

    Sep 9, 2003
    1,190
    Poway CA
    Full Name:
    Erich Coiner
    Father for the first time at 36.
    Two boys 9 and 7.

    Being a parent makes you realize how selfish you have been your entire life, and how that life is changed forever. And that is a GOOOOOOOOOOOOD thing.

    The old has passed away and its on to completely new experiences.

    You are now allowed to watch Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc without guilt :)

    Reading Harry Potter to your son before bed is great. Listening to him read it to you is priceless.

    Raising children ain't cheap. Has it delayed getting a Ferrari? Absolutely. But it doesn't matter because spending time with the kids with better than a Ferrari any day.

    Erich
    somewhere there is a 330GT with my name on it.
     
  12. 134282

    134282 Four Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 3, 2002
    40,647
    California
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    Carbon McCoy
    Having first-hand experience at being a son, i will never be a father. Ever.


    Alex, i think having children and owning a Ferrari at the same time are feasible, it's just something that needs to be worked towards and worked at, constantly... Being a parent is a full time, round the clock job... If EVERYTHING goes right, than at least half of all of it has gone wrong... There's no experimentation, there's no practice, everything is the first and last time; every decision you make could make or break you or your child... Every word you say is so accurately memorized and held onto that saying the wrong thing at one point or another is nearly inevitable... What you do to, with and around your children as well as other people, all day, everyday, help to mold your child... There is no dress rehearsal... Children don't stop growing when you need to stay late at the office or when there's marital discord or when bills pile up or when there's not enough money to keep up with their growing... In fact, according to Murphy's law, that's exactly when they need you the most...

    There is no guarantee that children will live long lives... Some children die; some run away, some - despite your best efforts - don't turn out to your expectations... All of this reflects on the parent(s) in one way or another... Kids are just like other parents' kids and even adults; they can get hurt; they break bones, they get sick, they get in trouble... As a parent, it's excrutiating to watch things like that unfold... When you bring something into this world that is of your own flesh and blood and you love her or him, you're so precisely careful with every thing you say and do to the point where you make mistakes you don't even know your making... Sometimes, in what you think is the best interest of the child, you'll make totally irrational and illogical decisions... Some parents hit kids... Some parents don't... There's so much to consider, it's almost enough to drive you nuts just THINKING about it... Just think about the absolute WORST moment of your entire life and multiply it by a million...


    ...then imagine you had a child or children of your very own to take care at that very point in time. If you still think you were capable/willing, then you're halfway towards THINKING that you're ready for parenthood.


    Good luck, though.
     
  13. b-mak

    b-mak F1 Veteran

    What?!?! If this **** is true, I'm sending my kid back to the hospital from whence he came...

    Children are a blessing. They are a joy to their parents, grandparents, great grandparents.

    Because my child is such a delight, I work hard to send him to private school. And that's because it's pretty f-ing cool when you see a kid read any book he chooses (this week it was a Frank Lloyd Wright biography) and learn multiplication and division before age 6.

    It works that way--you do for the child and the child gives back a hundred-fold.

    After all the bills, tuition, high and lows of family life, I am going to buy that damn f-car for my 35th birthday.

    Cheers,

    Brian
     
  14. Glassman

    Glassman F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed Silver Subscribed

    You guy's should try having a step son some time. I think you might change your minds!!!
     
  15. abarre

    abarre Formula Junior

    Jul 9, 2003
    295
    If you think driving a Ferrari is fun, just try it with two girls (3 & 5) in the back seats. They start screaming when the revs get above 5000 and it turns to complete laughter near the redline. Who needs a tach?

    It's also fun watching F1 on Sunday morning and hearing my older daughter say "Daddy, Michael Schumacher won again. He has a red Ferrari that's as fast as ours!"

    I'm glad Ferrari makes four-seaters. Otherwise, I wouldn't own one.

    Kids are awesome and they really make you prioritize your time. They also put your material possessions into perspective.
     
  16. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    Nov 26, 2001
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    You're going to get a biased response, simply because those who are unhappy with their decision to have kids aren't going to post it on a public forum. In addition, the demographics here skew to the higher income brackets.

    Go to a Walmart on a Friday or Saturday night and really look at the people there. Most of them look completely beat down by their offspring, shuffling along as their kids rampage around them.

    How often have you seen in the classifieds must sell my (boat|car|motorcycle|sporting goods) due to new baby? How often have you heard coworkers say I'd love to quit and be doing XXXX, but I have to pay for my kid's XXXX

    I'm certain that raising kids, if done in a stable environment, is a joy, but think carefully before bringing someone new into the world. There's a lot of kids in unhappy households, and even the very young ones know when they're not truly wanted and that has to affect them poorly.
     
  17. matkat

    matkat Formula 3

    Mar 18, 2003
    1,840
    Scotland
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    Dave McGuire
    Became a Father at 34&35,best thing thats ever happened to me.My Son(11)and Daughter(10) take turns in the 355 and they Love it.IMHO owning a Ferrari comes a very poor second to being a Father for the previous posting reasons.
     
  18. Varenne

    Varenne Formula Junior

    Nov 8, 2003
    555
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Mark
    Alex,

    It's absolutely compatibable with Ferrari ownership assuming your disposable income is great enough to afford children as well as an F-car. However, there's still a catch. Besides the money, you've got to realize that your available time will have suddenly diminished a great deal (in my case at least). For example, I don't have an F-car now even though my could afford one. The reason is that my evenings and weekends are completely consumed by home and family related activities. My two daughters are 11 and 14. I might have just 3 days in a month where I could take off for half a day to take a long drive, or meet up with others for a car show or someting like that. In my case, the time just isn't there. So I would have an F-car that I can't even enjoy properly. If you still have enough free time as well as the disposable income, then by no means go for it. In my case, the income is there, but not the time.

    Best Wishes Alex.
     
  19. Robin

    Robin F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    2,931
    Arlington, VA
    Sounds like everyone's kids are pre-teen.. We should revisit this thread in 5-6 years and see how everyone feels then ;)

    -R
     
  20. 134282

    134282 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Aug 3, 2002
    40,647
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    Carbon McCoy
    Awesome post. Awesome.


    Brian, please re-read my post... There's nothing wrong with having children... Being a parent is probably a wonderful thing for some folks... i was just trying to put an alternative spin on things because, as Tillman said, we're probably not gonna get public replies from parents who regret bringing children into this world...

    Abarre's post is great; it seems like he genuinely enjoys being a parent... That's awesome... i'm willing to bet that his kids even love him, too... It's a match made in heaven... However, not all family situations work out like that... Just take a look at Glassman's succinct but insightful post...

    i'm just trying to post an alternative point of view, that's all... No disrespect and i'm definitely not trying to downplay parenthood...


    Robin, LMAO...!
     
  21. Riv

    Riv Rookie

    Nov 4, 2003
    40
    Poconos, Pa
    I never really cared to have children until I met my wife. First ferrari at age 33 second at 35 (trade up) and first time parent at age 35. I now have a beautiful 4 month old daughter who's smiles bring tears to my eyes. Everything now must be prioratized but everyone is happy. If the finances are their and you have the energy to do everything then having an f-car and a baby can go hand in hand. We welcomed her into the Ferrari family at 3 months at her first FCA event. My wife followed me in her SUV and everyone welcomed her into the family. She also seems to love red so that is a good sign. It all comes down to time management. My wife and I plan out a month ahead what events we will attend together with our daugther or just the two of us or me by myself. It has worked out well so far.

    One more thing, when you have a child you do change and I always said I would never change. You become so much more patient and less selfish. I love my daughter! I would not change a thing!!

    Riv
     
  22. rpmtifosi

    rpmtifosi Formula 3

    Nov 5, 2003
    2,466
    Belgium
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    Guy
    Alex,

    After reading the other replies i can only say: in the end, it's all up to YOU!!
    You have to make the decision wether you are able to combine the two, kids and an F-car!
    It sure isn't gonna be easy! First you have to earn enough cash to raise the kid(s), which really isn't cheap these days!!! AND you have to have the money to buy and maintain a Ferrari! Then i haven't even said anything about the time you have to spend with a kid, which you cannot spend with driving that nice 355 you want!
    I don't know you that long but i think i know you good enough to know that you REALLY want a Ferrari! Even harder then me i guess! So the Ferrari just have to come one day or you won't be happy!

    On the other hand, having kids must be something fantastic! Maybe you just forget about owning a Ferrari for yourself when you have the pleasure of raising your children! Or maybe it's just not important to you anymore then!
    My uncle for example is a real car-nut himself and now he has 4 (FOUR!) kids but no sportscar! Yep, he drives a spacewagon now!!!
    A Ferrari is just a car, but children,..... are something pretty unique!

    But don't let any of these replies change your mind actually! You really have to make the decision yourself TOGETHER with Kelly, your girlfriend!
    I don't think it will be easy but you just have to think, what is the most important thing for you! Now and in the future! The answer has to come by itself, you may not force yourself to do this or that! You have to stand 100 % behind your decision!

    I for myself won't have children before i get my business and stuff all settled!
    This doesn't mean i won't have any, i just don't have the time for it now (and no girlfriend at the moment ;) )

    Hope this makes some sence!???

    See you later!

    Guy
     
  23. b-mak

    b-mak F1 Veteran

    Fair enough, but I just don't see how any rational human being can make their life miserable as a result of having kids. I think that's just misdirected frustration.

    Every family goes through its ups and downs, but you only get what you give. If you don't put in, your family's going to fall apart. It's as simple as that. Clearly, you have to start with a solid foundation before you decide to become a parent and once you have that, you can withstand any storm. I certainly have. Oh yeah, despite what his papa says, the boy wanted to say that it's not all daisies in our family:
     
  24. alx355gt

    alx355gt F1 Veteran

    Feb 3, 2004
    9,524
    Belgium
    Full Name:
    Alexander
    Thanks for the replies everyone... :D I know there are positive and negative sides about being a parent and a lot of things can go wrong... however, I also know having a kid can be very beautiful and me and my girlfriend Kelly will make the best out of it... :D:D:D I'm very happy but also very nervous about becoming a father... :D:D:D
    And actually I was just curious about what reactions I would get on this question here :);)
    The pics posted here look great! I'll definately post some pics of our son/daughter in a Ferrari when where that far... :D Maybe in my own one, maybe in the rental F355 Spider... :D

    @ Guy, thanks for your reply too. You already know the story from Kelly by now :) I'm sure we can combine the kid with a Ferrari some day... probably not a 355 though... now we need a new Alfa first... CU in Francorchamps for SpaItalia this weekend...

    Greets, Alexander
     
  25. Doug

    Doug Formula 3

    Nov 13, 2003
    1,473
    Louisville KY
    Full Name:
    Doug
    I was 33 and 2 weeks before my daughter was born, my wife had a friend over with a 7 month old. The friend asked if I wanted to hold the baby for practice, and I declined because I had no interest in holding babies. Two weeks later, and for the last 2.5 years, I can't hold my little girl enough and have another daughter on the way. There is nothing more rewarding and fulfilling than a great big hug from your young child.
     

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