For those out there with young families, how do you handle the family life / windsurfing combination??? Does the missus give you a hard time? What have you done to compromise? How do I sell windsurfing as a family activity or am I just dreaming/screwed?
It's even harder if you are the missus!
Husbands dislike being left home with the kids even more than wives do!
So here's a female perspective as advice for you guys:
To sell windsurfing as a family activity -
Go on warm sunny days when it's not too windy to be unpleasant for the family on the beach -
Include a picnic. Help prepare the picnic. Go to a spot where there is a good playground.
Invest in some light wind freestyling equipment so you can still enjoy yourself.
Let the kids see you having fun.
Take them out for a ride on your board, play balance games on the board etc
Invest in a proper kids rig and board and be ever so patient.
Get together with other windsurfers with similar aged kids/ wives with similar interests.
Be extra loving/ affectionate/ helpful/ complementary * to your wife during and after windsurfing outings, and be supportive of her outside interests!
* women will do anything for a little romance...
It's true. We crave it. We are simple creatures who just want to be loved and appreciated. Why do you think chick flicks and daytime soaps are so successful?
now that's bound to spark some comment!
Well the first positive, is that small kids usually like it when its not too windy. So morning sessions are the go. Keeps the kids out of Mums hair on Saturday mornings (her free time) and same for Sunday mornings, get up grab the young guns, and naf off down to river, or flat spot in ocean, to give her a great sleep in, and more self time. She will love you for it, and even join in for a morning by the beach with no afternoon sand drive seabreeze wind.
Works like a bloody charm
Harp, whinge, moan, complain, look outside at every opportunity, appear totally distracted, dont concentrate on anything, keep opening curtains or venetians and peer meaningfully at trees/ sky etc so in the end the missus will have had enough and tell you to bugger off and if that doesnt work do what Mineral said
Seriously, be fair and communicate. Then lie![}:)]
Make sure when you get back they all get special attention - then they'll want you to go more often - and do a deal - or give them the alternative that you will take up smoking drinking and goin to the pub each night. eventually they understand or they'll leave you!!!
You need to organise a baby-sitter and/or take the little one(s) for adventures yourself, preferably in the morning before the breeze kicks in.
Personally I've shipped a mother-in-law across from Russia for summer. Yes really. It's going to be tough at times, but overall it's worth it.
Yeah, it's tough.
Easy- address the problem at it's source, leave the wife 
Shipping the mother in law FROM russia panda? shouldn't it be going the other way 
Or if you're after a touchy feely answer then in short windsurfing is not a family activity for young families.
For every hour you put in on the water you should at least spend equal with the wife and that again with the kids. *edit* which is not inclusive of daily duties but quality time spent with them and then again you have to give partner time to herself just as you have had. Think smart and you will make it all fit, but as katapult said below my sailing was reduced in length to 1-2 hours rather than all day.
But option A is easier 
I have a 9 week old baby girl. (Thats about as small as the children get!)
When we first found out that the missus was pregnant I really thought that I would not be sailing at all for the first 6 months whilst we were adjusting to the new addition. I have found that this is was not the case. Over the past 2 months I've managed to get out for a short sail most of the time. In fact, my missus has even told me a few times to get out and go for a sail. (I must have looked sad and longingly at swaying trees outside the windows!)
Here's a bit of advice for the first time parents.
Firstly I have been helping out as much as I can around the house. I have spent whole days on the weekend and late nights after work cleaning, washing or helping out in any way I can with the baby.
Secondly when its windy, don't disappear for the whole day. Its not that fair.. Just head out for a few hours at most and make the most of it whilst you are out. Don't sit on the beach for hours waiting for the wind.
Thirdly, organise the in-law's to come over to visit or go shopping... My last big windsurf was when the girls all went out on a shopping trip. They were out all day and I had a great sail... I will be encouraging this more of this in future...
Lastly as Windxtasy said, try to understand and be considerate of her needs...
Personally I find what helps is 'reciprocity' : she needs to have a passion too - windsurfing or other. If she does, then she wants her own time and she will understand. It will be a trade-off.
If she doesn't, then you're toast. No amount of fawning and house chores will do it. It's gonna be one of those "you don't see me going around windsurfing" type of deal.
And if she doesn't have a passion and still sends you windsurfing all day, then the kids may end up looking like the milkman...
Back to kids, which really was the question: flat-water freestyle. I'd found a place where the kids could be in sight in a pram or picnic table. It's gotta be a Narrabeen kinda place, not a Wanda kind. I'd stick around very few hundred meters and practice all day. Suited me to the ground. When they were older (3-6yo), then pretend to coach me, would laugh at me falling, etc.
In lesser winds, I'd take them out on a longer board - ages 2-10 say. Was fun too.
Kids are seldom a problem.
Yes. Well.
Welcome to my life mate. Iam a single dad of 4. oldest is 8.
Started windsurfin when the ex wife dumped kids and took off 2 yrs ago.
I am fortunate that my new partner loves the beach but not so the wind.
To answear your question, I think you have to get them ( the wife ) involved.
I bought mine a kyack ,( she tried SUP). I stay on the beach building sandcastles and getting the kids on the big board while she's out then i go out and practice some light wind stuff.
When we get home she's rapt cause where done stuff together as a sort of family. then i get to out in the arvo when the wind is stronger.
Ultimatly the go is to get her windsufin.
For my last b'day present she gave me 10 " I.O.U. windsurf sessions." tokens. Cool as.
I also do all the bitch jobs around home as well as look after the 3 yr old. Thats my job, Iam their dad, but gets me sum brownie points.
Sumtimes I'll take kids with me after school to the beach and rig up and when the GF finishes work we meet up and she takes the kids and i can get a couple of hours in.
End of the day mate it's all about compromise.
I dont get to go out anywhere near the amount i'd like to. (or need to).
But when i do io love every moment, make the most of it and are always the last one out of the water.
Windsurfin has kept me sane and keeps me stoked to be alive..
Hope you can get out there..
Hang in there. We have a 11yr old boy and a 18mnth girl. Luckily Alex has just reached the golden age where he can surf and sail ( kinda) with me, as opposed to just hanging onto my leggy yelling me to paddle quicker cuz the sets are comin. We now get a surf every day for at least 2 hrs and get to go on boys weekends to comps and camping at gerroa ect. He even starting to ask about boys trip to Maui now. Only if your good Alex 
WindXtasy's comment about romance is spot on.
We have just returned from our second annual long romantic wave sailing weekend in Taranaki (Taranaki Wave Classic every Labour Day weekend). Left the kids (3 and 8) back home with Family.
Wife gets to laze around the beach, read books, listen to music that is not High School Musical 1,2 or 3, indulge in some photography and drawing and gets taken out for dinner each night.
Amazing how much extra time you have without kids. Meanwhile they get special treatment from the Grandparents or Aunt and Uncle and cousins so everyone has a great time.
Ohhh, and I of course get to pretend I can wavesail 3 or 4 days in a row (wind permitting - which didn't turn up till the last day this year).
In summer my wife windsurfs as well and we go down to the local river spot, take kids and bikes and take turns sailing and entertaining kids (and there should be a playground completed by this summer )
Also helps that Wifee knew I was obsessed before she married me
Just posted re 50d camera - I have nothing to complain about now, my wife is getting into photography, which means while I am windsurfing , i am essentially practice for my wife taking photos. While all this is going on, my little guy (3yo) plays on the beach.
I agree with other comments posted so far, play with the kids while your other half gets to sleep in/do what she wants/etc and balance that out with getting time on the water. I even managed 2 weeks away to Lord Howe island earlier this year while she and the little guy visited relatives in WA......I am sure that this won't happen again..she will be coming in 2010.
.......and include the little guys/girls in the fun
My wife is a golf player so on the weekend mornings has 18 holes and I look after the grommets. In the arvo when the breeze is in its play time for me
Also in winter she does not like to play when its wet and windy so I get it pretty good.
It is about comprimise. Give a little take a little
If you have a young family perhaps consider making windsurfing something to do only when the family is off doing their thing! Spend as much time with them as you can while you can. You can windsurf later. I have 3 grown up kids and 1 teenager who still lives at home (I think? well her laundry ends up here but we never see her). My wife has a career and works 50-60 hours a week and I have a job that I can work around the wind strength!! but I would give anything to have 4 little kids running around the house again. Believe me you can windsurf all you want when your kids grow up, and it won't be long!!
Have a look at this, put mouse over the shirt thing to see better.
Cute.
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But I can see the athletic 2nd one starting seriously very soon. He loves coming on the board with me.
i wash me mums car and unpack dishwasher to suck up and get her to drive me to beach :) and i shout her maccas on way home.:)
Addendum to last post. Just heard grandson pooped on the sundeck then rode his bike through it today. I just happy being a lonely dude who only has to worry about if it's gonna be windy tomorrow or not!
windxtasy I like your suggestion of getting together with other windsurfing families- both my partner and I sail but have to take it in turns to go out while the other hangs out with the kids- with another family that would double your time on the water- one adult to look after the kids while the rest of you go out. plus the kids get some instant companians. If any other windsurfers in the perth area with young kids ( ours are 4 and 6) want to meet up pm me. Especially any other windsurfing mums who would like to meet up at the river after the school pick up!
I did once meet a salty old windsurfing couple with 3 now grown up kids who, when the kids were little, used to leave them on the beach with a flag which they would raise if they had a problem. Not sure we could get away with that now.....
