Anyone Gig More Often After Having a Child?

[jive1]

I'm curious, did anyone gig more often after they've had a child? For example, if a mom were to stay home with the children and there was a loss of income from that, did anyone try to make up the difference through gigs? Or is a scenario like this just not a reality for anyone?

[stoneboy26]

I did - just so happened that around the time my daughter was born I started up a cover band with a mate. Played more in 12 months than the previous 12 years.

Wasn't to try and get any extra income or anything because the mother wasn't working as her and I split around the time our daughter was born, but the extra cash helps and it is good fun!

[CliftonBonney]

Gigging picked up for us after the first kid. Of course, there was some gigging/practicing downtime after the baby was born. But once the wife and I adjusted to life with a baby, things got back in gear and, as I said, even picked up. I'm not sure why. Probably just more opportunities came to us. It definitely wasn't to make up for the wife's lost income. That just wouldn't be possible. Music is my hobby, not my career.

Now, we just had number two. Gigging and practicing have ceased again. We'll eventually get back into it once we adjust to life with two kids. I'm curious how long that will take. Anyone got this experience?

[bassplayer8953]

Originally Posted by CliftonBonney

Now, we just had number two. Gigging and practicing have ceased again. We'll eventually get back into it once we adjust to life with two kids. I'm curious how long that will take. Anyone got this experience?

I stopped playing when my gf (then wife) were dating. Seven years and 3 kids later, I started getting the itch again. Wife said to go for it. Been playing ever since, and the kids are now past college age. It can be done, it's just more complicated to work it all in. And requires support and understanding from the other 1/2.

[0utlier]

Not an exact answer to your question, but I gig WAY more now than I ever did prior to kids. We have a 4 year old and 6 year old. I don't play to supplement our income though. Bass is my "hobby", much like golf is a hobby to others.

[zulujack]

We are having our first in about 8 weeks. We've had this discussion and the trade-off (always a trade off) was that I could do paying gigs if I stop racing motorcycles. The money does make a difference, and she is definitely not shy when it comes to putting a hand out. Just the gigs I did in the last moth has paid for all the baby stuff - cot, stroller, baby seat, etc without us having to use any of our savings. Normally this would have bought me tyres for my bike. Last year our guitarist lost his job and he was without work for about 5-6 months shortly after they had a kid. We had a weekly residency back then and that money was enough to see him through without having to dip into savings or get a loan. Its not enough to live on, but it is enough to make a difference. I also think it is good to be out there doing stuff and not just turn into another typical citizen.

[MNAirHead]

I definately did...

Basically came to the understanding that I'd put a portion of the cash into a college fund....

REALLY helps the home life handing the Mrs cash and asking her to put it in the kid's college fund.

Before the kid, the cash would go into my car collection and bass gear.

Timmy

[Kamelion]

Yes. As our kids get older, I find I have more time to gig (I'm the primary carer in our family). The extra cash does indeed help out. This year it has paid for all of our camping gear for the summer, helped with food bills etc. It's not much, but if you can gig regularly, it does add up and goes a long way to keeping the missus happy Having her and the kids come to a festival we played at a couple of weeks back was also good. Lets mum get out instead of babysitting and lets the kids see daddy on stage for the first time. All good.

[WalterBush]

Short answer? Yes. I've got four kids, from 1 to 8 years old. I've been gigging since I was fifteen, but I probably made more money the last three years than I did the decade previous.

Support and understanding from my wife, as well as regular deposits to my bank account, helped a lot. It's kind of neat to have four people who think their dad's a real life rock star. I intend to foster this illusion as long as I possibly can

EDIT: More specifically, yes, I've not only gigged more lucratively, I've gigged more often, and in front of larger audiences, since our first child was born.

[Feral Feline]

No kids, that's the plan. Sticking to the plan. If, through some stroke of bad luck with contraception, a kid entered the picture I dare say it would drive me to tears, uhm, touring. Lots and lots of heavy duty touring...

[lowfreqgeek]

I gig way more often now than I ever did before kids. Ours are 3 and 7. My wife is incredibly supportive, and even encourages me to keep my gig earnings for my needs. She's happy as long as I leave the bank account alone - and the only way I can do that is to gig.

I did overdo it last year - 4gigs/wk + church on Sunday had my kids begging me to stay home and my wife going insane. This year has been far more tame and everybody's happy, though I could use a few more gigs each month.

[JimmyM]

i didn't gig more. i just got more serious about playing gigs that paid worth a crap. unfortunately, that meant traveling more, so it was a tradeoff. but now they're grown so i've been known to take occasional lame paying gigs just for the fun.

[agreatheight]

I will be shortly. I wound down a bit for the first couple of years after my son was born, but I am expecting things to be picking up soon. Our understanding is clear - 2 nights out a week max (1 rehearsal, 1 gig, 1 rehearsal & 1 gig, or 2 gigs) and half the money earned goes to the 'house,' lol. So I am not exactly going to be tearing it up, but that more than I have played in a very long time.

[TroyK]

I gig about the same before and after. Of course, people you play with expect you to gig less, but I found no real change there. If it's something you do, it's something you do.

I did find, though, that logisitics are suddenly tougher. We shared a car and suddenly, if I have it, my wife doesn't and where before maybe she walks to the corner store, takes the bus or waits, now "what if there's an emergency?" She also works very early (middle of the night) and in the old days, there were nights that I was coming and and she was going to work. With a baby asleep in the house, gotta make sure that there is no gap.

So, I bought a used Saab wagon and we plan a little more carefully, but otherwise it's the same.

Quick story, the two of them dropped me at a gig when he was 4 or 5 months old. I set up and looked down during the first set and he was on the bar in his little carrier well inside the "21 and over" movie rope. It's cool having a kid. Go on being you.

[SteveC]

I'm gigging more but it has nothing t do with kids. My band has developed a following of sorts, and relationships with venues over the years. Hence, we play more often. I still impose my own limits as I want to be home with my kids, especially when they are younger. I also am fairly particular about what gigs I take. I don't have time to waste. If you want me, it needs to be a good gig and/or you need to pay me accordingly. Money is mine to do with as I please. If I don't need anything gear related, I use it for other stuff - patios, tree removal, etc.

[jumbodbassman]

i did a lot more. wife stopped working and i had to play more paying gigs to supplement my day gig. wife didn't like but understood and needed the money

[tycobb73]

About the time my first son was born I started playing agian after a 10 year break. Just happens that a coworker got me interested again.