Anyone with advice on how to get a leave pass (3-4 hours is enough) with young kids at home. Open to all suggestions.
Earn the brownie points first.
Get up with the kids, get 'em out the house, let her have a lie-in, do the various jobs she's been asking you to do and then you should be gold.
The trouble with brownie points is they can evaporate for no reason.
I run with Loto's suggestion
I kind of blend Lotos and Flicky Spinny's. Watch the forecast and do as much as possible in the quite days and say I need a break when it happens to be windy. If it is windy for the whole week I go one day, help out the next, go again and so it rolls.
Emloy a 17 year old Swedish exchange student as an au-pair. Your wife will love it!
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
The trouble with brownie points is they can evaporate for no reason.
I run with Loto's suggestion
Yeah - I've found that with brownie points too.......
Select to expand quoteikw777 said..
Emloy a 17 year old Swedish exchange student as an au-pair. Your wife will love it!
Male or female? I'm thinking female....
Give the missus something where she dissapears 2-3 days a week for a few hours. My turn one day a week. no arguments EVER...
Select to expand quotePalleaon said..
Give the missus something where she dissapears 2-3 days a week for a few hours. My turn one day a week. no arguments EVER...
Yeah - but what if she doesn't want to "disappear" for anything. This is a problem. Have thought of this one.
I waited until the kids grew up (and left home). I notice that no one has mentioned that their wife and kids love to sail as much as them....no need for a leave pass! They probably Come home from work to find the gear loaded and trailer hitched. 
I've got a working wife, and 4 and 8 year old kids.
You are going to hate me. I windsurf average three times a week.
Tip one. Encourage your wide to go back to work. She will better understand the need for down time.
Tip two. Support her in her interests=brownie points.
Tip three. Teach your kids to windsurf. I am just starting this one.
Select to expand quoteSputnik11 said..Mark _australia said..
The trouble with brownie points is they can evaporate for no reason.
I run with Loto's suggestion
Yeah - I've found that with brownie points too.......
Brownie points only exist in the males mind, not the females.
Take the kids if they are old enough.
Take everyone if the wind allows (direction to beach)
Teach the kids.
Arrange friends to look after them.
When you are given any points use them then & there (on you or her) like maybe a light wind board & rig to be used when points are allocated on a windless day
Divorce (not ideal as money to spend on gear might totally dry up)
Select to expand quoteBSN101 said..
Take the kids if they are old enough.
Take everyone if the wind allows (direction to beach)
Teach the kids.
Arrange friends to look after them.
When you are given any points use them then & there (on you or her) like maybe a light wind board & rig to be used when points are allocated on a windless day
Divorce (not ideal as money to spend on gear might totally dry up)
That works as well. The missus got a get ski. My sailgear sits above it in big custom built rig. Also got stuff flr my two young boys. Some sail days can be a full family day.
Select to expand quoteR1DER said..Sputnik11 said..Mark _australia said..
The trouble with brownie points is they can evaporate for no reason.
I run with Loto's suggestion
Yeah - I've found that with brownie points too.......
Brownie points only exist in the males mind, not the females.
What is the half-life of a brownie point? 
Select to expand quoteWineman said...
What is the half-life of a brownie point?
It's a quantum mechanics thing. It simultaneously exists and doesn't exist until you try to cash it in, at which point the duality resolves and you find a hitherto unknown anti-brownie point has annihilated what you thought was a positive brownie point.
If it's on a week end, attend the morning shift for baby/kids than take her and kids for an early breakfast. In theory you should be good for the arvo... that works for me, it's tiring when baby wakes up early but worth it!
Take a 14 year break from windsurfing until the environment at home is that of (1) kids are old enough to look after themselves and (2) wife actually enjoys you NOT being around
CAUTION: This may make you weak and as a result you will only be able to initially sail for about 10 minutes - followed by a whimper and snooze. Oh, and you will also regret not windsurfing for 14 years and wonder why all the technology has changed and people are doing tricks called 'vulcans' and 'spocks' - that simply confuse you and make your brain hurt when trying to decipher how they actually do it....
Do yourself a favour. Don't do what I did...
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
The trouble with brownie points is they can evaporate for no reason.
You guys are doing something wrong.
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
The trouble with brownie points is they can evaporate for no reason.
Or...
They can change colour without you knowing it.
There are 50 shades of brown
But we can only see 2 or 3! 
Select to expand quoteFlickySpinny said..Mark _australia said..
The trouble with brownie points is they can evaporate for no reason.
You guys are doing something wrong.
The problem is we have no idea what we have done wrong
+1
Remember though that windsurfing is like riding a bike, you never loose the skills just the fitness, and be prepared to become Really frustrated remembering what you used to be able to but can't seem to get it right at first because of fitness.
I remind the misses that I could be a drop kick pisshead that stops at the pub after every shift and gambles away our income. Not sure if it helps but it make me feel better about spending a small fortune on gear that I don't get much time to use. At the end of the day I suck it up, lock my Daddy guilt in the glove box and go sailing (if she says its ok)
Select to expand quoteadamhatfield said..
You guys are doing something wrong.
The problem is we have no idea what we have done wrong
Bahahahahhhaaahaha... good point!Select to expand quoteSTU7777 said..
I remind the misses that I could be a drop kick pisshead that stops at the pub after every shift and gambles away our income. Not sure if it helps but it make me feel better about spending a small fortune on gear that I don't get much time to use. At the end of the day I suck it up, lock my Daddy guilt in the glove box and go sailing (if she says its ok)
Yup. So true. It definitely helps to have a few slightly drop-kick-ish / useless dad-husband mates around to remind your wife how lucky she is.
I know what you mean about the Daddy Guilt.
All you dudes should man-up.
Quit being victims,
take back your pathetic lives.
lol.
Select to expand quotewaveslave said..
All you dudes should man-up.
Quit being victims,
take back your pathetic lives.
lol.
I don't think that we ever lost them.
