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zanecafe
Oct 26, 2004, 3:09 PM
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i'm looking for other climbing moms...you know those us who juggle parenting with the passion of climbing? i'm interesteding in finding partners as well as forming a parenting group. just wanting to know if there's anyone out there intersted. thanks, lisa
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opheliaascending
Oct 26, 2004, 4:14 PM
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Hi Lisa,
I'm a climbing mom. I'm 23 and have a 3 year old daughter and my son will be a year old on Halloween.
I started climbing in late July/early August. Because of the kids, we only get out once a week and even though we'd love to do more, we realize we're lucky for that. We both also work full time, so we try to be with the kids as much as possible.
It's really hard to create a balance right now. We're building a bouldering wall in our garage so that we can be with the kids and still train, plus Ayla, my daughter likes to dink around on it, too. She always says, "When I get older, I'm going to go rock climbing." It's cute.
Next year, we'll probably bring them up once in a while, to the secret crags where they can play safely. In a few years, when they're older, we look forward to going on trips and leaving them with grandparents for the weekend.
I was actually thinking about this topic this morning. The other night, my mom was at my house and she was reading about a few fellow climbers that died this past year. She asked me about it and I told her that yes, people do die and get injured while climbing. Though we try to minimize the chances of getting hurt, it's still a possibility. She just looked straight at me and said, "Well. Why do you do it then?" (In that "MOM" voice) She implied that I shouldn't be doing it because of the kids. I keep thinking about that and wondering if I'm selfish for continuing to do it. However, I could just as easily get in a car crash while driving to work, or even worse, have a brain aneurism (sp?) any moment. I know two people who died last month in my community from these very same things. I guess I love climbing and need that time to myself once in a while to clear my mind and prepare me for another week of being a working mommy.
Thanks for reading my long winded post!
It's too bad that we're so far apart. I'm in eastern Oregon. Haven't found any other chicks to climb with yet, but I'm optimistic.
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zanecafe
Oct 26, 2004, 4:52 PM
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thanks for your reply. i've can relate to taking risks as a parent. i've been climbing for about 15 years and my son is 9. his dad died about three years ago so i think a lot about the risks of what i do. two of my other siblings climb as well so my parents are pretty used to hearing about it. i sport climb, do big walls and love trad but recently moved to an area that has lot's of ice climbing. i don't do as many peaks and don't lead ice yet. i know climbing can be a safe sport depending on what you choose to do and i feel good about the decisions i make. now were taking zane, our son on multi pitch climbs and that brings up a whole other set of risks. the fact is that i'm a climber and climbing will always be a part of my life. it's such a wonderful part of my life...it's made me a better mom and wife and person. so...that's why we do it, right?
enough of the sermon...i'm trying to resurect a parents climbing group i started in boulder and will keep you posted of what i come up with. thanks again for your post. lisa
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gblauer
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Oct 29, 2004, 1:17 AM
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I am a climbing Mom. I have three teens, 17, 15 and 13. Two out of the three climb, they all work at the rock gym.
I think about the risks when I climb and when I bring my kids climbing. I balance that with the pleasure that we all get from climbing.
Climbing is an integral part of our lives and we woudn't have it any other way.
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brittamac
Oct 30, 2004, 8:40 PM
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I have 3 daughters that also like to climb, and I'm really proud of their accomplishments - it great to see them so confident. I can relate to the problems with your own Mom, mine is pretty much in complete denial that I climb, and will do anything the change the subject if it comes up. She actually hung up on me once when my husband and I called from the top of a climb to say goodnight to the girls (we were on the west coast, they were on the east coast) and she said "call me when you're down. click."
I think you need to be comfortable with how you mitigate the risks associated with climbing, and find a place for it in your life. Its like any other risk you consider in your life while being a parent. :)
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rosemom3
Oct 31, 2004, 11:07 PM
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I have three daughters ages 10, 7, and 7. They all climb at the gym with me once or twice a week. I have taken them outside a couple of times but they got a little freaked out. My oldest lost her footing and "fell" six inches and scraped a leg. She cried and I hugged her and you know how it is. Anyway, I know a couple of other parents and sometimes we talk about getting them out. Right now I just let them climb on bouldering rocks when they go with me for an afternoon - hoping that will get them more interested. I would love it if one of them loved it like I do but I'm not expecting it. I am more safety cautious though because of my role as a Mom - what happens if I die or become disabled - they pay more than I do. My Mom has asked to come watch me and I think it'll just freak her out.
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indiansummer
Nov 1, 2004, 1:25 PM
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I have two boys, 8 and 12, who occasionally love to climb. Their motivation is directly effected by who is watching...you know, cute girls, other kids. Gotta brag a little, my 8 year old sent an 11a at indian creek a few weeks ago...i'd kill for his little fingers and strength to weight ratio!! We don't live too far from Ouray....in durango, and are always looking for other families to get outside and play, so PM me and let's make plans to play!
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just4fun
Nov 17, 2004, 2:01 AM
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Well hello, I have been waiting for something like this for agesbut you see I'm 22 and I have a four year old and a two year old and I live in New Zealand! Bouldering is the best and they have loads of fun (supervised and a very safety cautious mum who is an ambulance officer) I have been climbing for about 9 months and just started lead climbing, now approaching summer here its all about to go outdoors! Wahoo! Here in the Alpine Club we have a Sub club Called Women climbing and through that we have mums here, but I am yet to find any in North Otago in the South Island. In the mean time I just climb with the guys. My Mum died when I was a kid and Dad used to do Alpine climbs 20 years ago so I know too well what can happen in life and you have to take every precaution there is. So get out there and Crank hard and love those kids heaps, my little kids always say "mummy can we go" or "I'm going to climb big things when I'm a big girl".
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wa_hoo
Dec 4, 2004, 3:22 AM
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It's great to hear from other moms trying to manage this tough balance. I'm 38 and have been climbing for 2 years. My hubby started climbing with me about a year ago, and we have an almost 5 year old.
I teach so can get some time outside alone in the summer, but it's hard to give up the little family time we have on the weekend for our sport. We've worked it out so we (me and hubby) climb at the gym for a couple hours on the weekend and one weeknight. It seems to be working.
The risk is a tough issue. We just started leading, and that brings a whole lot more into the whole thing. But as several of you have said, it's important to follow your heart, show your children what passion is about, be very careful, but also have fun. What fun is it if you sit home and watch your life roll by. I did that for 36 years and it got me nowhere.
I love climbing and hope our little guy will enjoy it more and more as he gets older. He comes with us to the gym about once a month and boulders and rope climbs.
Thanks for getting the thread started, it's great to hear from other moms and share.
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lewisiarediviva
Dec 17, 2004, 3:44 AM
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Go forth and climb! My husband and I climbed when we dated and then we had kids and climbing slipped from our schedules. Do not let this happen. If you wait you will have weird issues to deal with. I went through the entire "teaching your kid how to bike safely on the road" thing then one day I went climbing again. Climbing is so much safer but my brain was all messed up. That was last spring. Let me see if I can find a photo my husband posted of our then 9 year old on his first lead.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/cgi-bin/photos/jump.cgi?Detailed=34938
Any way, climbing has tought them so much, Our entire family is happier.
I'm 33. My kids are 10 and 8 and both climb better than me.
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ricochetred
Dec 20, 2004, 4:38 AM
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I'm a climbing Mom. I have my kids every other weekend and they don't like to climb. I used to be able to take them along but now they're teens 13/15 and don't want to go. They don't like to camp, especially in cold weather. I also have lots of other obligations, being a single Mom. Everybody else's needs seem to come before mine and am really frustrated about the minimal time I get to climb. Where are you located? I'm near Los Angeles.
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zanecafe
Dec 20, 2004, 3:09 PM
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i live in ouray, colorado but have climbed quite a bit in calafornia. i'm hoping to spend a month in yosemite this summer. we are taking our son, zane, and will be trying to find people to switch off with so we can do some big walls. i was a single mom for a few years and understand your frustration. ironically, i am a much better mom and wife when i meet my own needs (climbing) first. even though i'm married i still get frustrated trying to find other female partners or familys who climb. in my experience, much of the time the dad is out climbing while the mom is content to stay home or at camp with the kiddos. NOT EVEN HERE!! my husband and i are both desperately looking for other folks with kids who climb and are into the adventure stuff...big walls, desert towers, black canyon, that kind of stuff. it's so much fun for zane when there are other kids around, even if it's just at camp. we are even psyched to meet other families at sport areas and indian creek.
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indiansummer
Dec 22, 2004, 12:18 AM
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Registered: Sep 30, 2004
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I understand your frustration, Lisa. I hoped that when I moved to colorado I'd have more luck finding families that climb, backpack, or even just hike. What I've found is more parents willing to let me take their kids climbing or backpacking. Okay, so my kids have company, but I still don't have a partner. So let me know when you want to go to the creek, I promise I'll leave the neighborhood kids at home and just bring mine!
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wa_hoo
Dec 22, 2004, 2:50 AM
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Registered: May 26, 2004
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So indiansummer and zanecafe (and other CO mom's) - where in CO are you and how old are your kids? I have a 5 year old boy and we live near Boulder.
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zanecafe
Dec 22, 2004, 4:58 AM
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i'm in ouray... we moved here from boulder about 1 1 /2 years ago. we are about 3 1/2 hours from indian creek. we have a son who is 9 1/2 and he has climbed quite a bit but we are mostly interested in meeting other parents so he has someone to hang with and we have someone to swap partners with. we may be headed there over x-mas break if anyone is interested. it's either that or shelf rd....which ever place has the best weather.
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raelinn
Dec 23, 2004, 4:41 PM
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Hey there! Nice to see so many moms getting their kids outside and into climbing!!!
I'm not where we could partner up, but I'm a single mom and have 3 kids age 13, 12, and 6. My younger 2 love to climb, and my oldest at least loves to be outside. We hit the crags often. My 12 year old even volunteers at the climbing gym till he's old enough to actually get paid to work there. It doesn't even really feel like juggling to us. It's just what we go do on weekends.
I hope you're able to hook up with some cool folks and have a relaxing, fun day at the crag!
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