Married with young kids and playing GT5? Please share your thoughts here.

  • Thread starter Thread starter chippy
  • 270 comments
  • 22,120 views
I will turn 30 this summer, a 6 yrs old son and a little girl who will be here in july. I manage to find few spots to play, specially when sleep don't come at night and everybody's sleeping or when the kid is at school. I'm lvl 36/39.
 
I'm 38, I have a 2 1/4 yr old daughter, I work away from home but I work long hours during the week, so I can get away early on a friday to be back home in time for bath time, so no PS 3 down south. I also train sunday mornings, and mainly manage around 3 -4 hours a week. the PS3 is attached to. When no one is using the main telly as that is whatStill managed lvl 29 A, Lvl 21 B. Economy of effort is the best for me. So no endurance races as they don't give the money or experience.
 
chippy
I am a 32 year-old happily married husband and a dad of a 1 year old adorable girl. I also happen to be an avid Gran Turismo player, have been so since GT1. I arrive home from work every evening at around 6:30pm after which I spend like an hour or so playing with my daughter and feed her dinner. At around 8:00ish we put her in bed and my wife stays with her until she sleeps. The latter process usually takes around half an hour or so and it is only during this time that I get like half an hour of ‘me time’, which I, admittedly, happily spend on GT5:).

Obviously, half an hour later, once my daughter is fast asleep, my husband duties come into play, and promptly (not always:sly:) I turn off my ps3 and and go to have dinner and watch a movie or TV with my wife. Notwithstanding all this, with an average of one hour a day of play time (weekends included), I somehow managed to reach A-Spec level 20 and B-Spec level 14 but at this rate there is no way I can ever reach level 40, get myself an X2010 or take part in an endurance race anytime soon, if ever.

I am not complaining, mind you, not at all – as much as I love my hobby, I am fully appreciative of the fact that the intrinsic satisfaction of being an active father and husband significantly supersedes the short-lived, albeit huge fun derived from GT5, or any great game for that matter. The reason why I opened this thread is to see whether there are others in a similar situation out there who would like to share their thoughts and/or useful time management tips. Fire away guys!
Click to expand...

Good for you!! I'm somehow quite similar to you with a nine months old girl. But I start my GT5 online race at around 11pm when wifey is asleep. Before that I'll just b'spec my bob for credits.
 
I am 38 father of three. Been a gamer on and off since I was 7. The last time I played was GT4/V8Supercars2 about 5 years ago. Back then we only had one kid and she just slept through my gaming.

I just started playing GT5 yesterday and all three kids want to play. The 5 1/2 yr old can manage OK on a couple of the oval tracks. The other two just giggle... We didn't have a console in the house until yesterday so it is going to be me playing in the wee hours so that the kids continue their console free childhood as much as possible (they have plenty other computer games and things to do).


Playing in the wee hours is no big deal for me as I am usually reading emails/newspapers/working from 5 am. At least this way I won't be working :-). I managed Level 9 (from scratch) in about 5 hours last night (three hours taking turns with the kids and two hours this morning 5-7 am). That bit was easy but starting to get harder.

I'll probably do 1 1/2 hours each day in the morning from now on.
 
Last edited:
I'm in a similar situation, 32, 2 young kids (3 & 1), doesn't leave much time for other things does it?! But, wife and I don't watch much TV and I spend some time most evenings on the PS3. Not just GT5, I was addicted for a while but getting slightly bored of it now, I just don't want to do the same events over and over!
My advice on progressing: do B-Spec.. You can let this run while you are doing other things. Bob is racing for me when I'm cooking, exercising, sometimes when playing with kids. You don't need to watch him if you are over-powering the competition, I only needed to get involved at all with the NASCAR and FGT series. You get some excellent cars that you can then trash the competition with in A-Spec when you get some free time. I'm at A31, B36, you can progress!!
PS Thanks for a post that isn't moaning about content and real people with real lives can relate to. Makes a nice change!👍
 
I am 38 and father of one. My 5 year old son enjoys pretty much Burnout Paradise for its spectacular smashes, but hates GT5 for always loosing the race.
I hate my PS3 for that beep when turning it on because it wakes up my son on weekend noons when I want some GT5 time devoted just for me :)
 
I am 25 and a father of two. One is 4 and he was not mine biologically, but I ended up adopting him after I married his mother. We had another one who is now 1-1/2 years old, she's a hand full and likes to mess daddy up while he is racing...lol My wife reads her books while I play GT5 or she plays on her facebook.
 
Happily married 38 year old with 2 year old daughter.

My daughter is normally asleep when I get home from work at 7pm. I eat dinner with my wife and then I will play until 9pm and then we watch something together unless she is watching something like one born every minute an I will play for longer.

On Satudays my wife goes to temple and takes my daughter so I get from 7pm - 11pm to have a good session.

In fact my wife appreciates my hobby and the fact I'm home with her and not down the pub everynight. She has also bought me a GamePod GT2 this week so I am very fortunate indeed.
 
I'm 42, married with 2 kids (12 & 4 years old) and have been playing video games and collecting consoles and computers since about 1979! I've played all the GT series apart from GT4 and that was due to work and family. I now have more time on my hands and have a very understanding wife who has her own hobbies in the evening but we will still always spend time together as I never play during the day.

I have considered online racing but haven't gone for it yet as I wouldn't be able to commit to it regularly. However, I am in for the long haul with GT5 and, even though I might not be able to burn the hours trying to get 100% or wish to fill my garage with every car, I am finding the Seasonals some of the most enjoyable challenges of the game.

Anyway, I always have my Bob's for company, and what a bunch of retards they are... but that's another story. (My wife does sometimes post on Facebook how she's been dumped for someone called B. Speck... whoever he/she is :rolleyes: )
 
Last edited:
30 years old, my son is two and a half. He loves cars so I can play while he watches. We can usually get 30 minutes or so in before dinner. When he wants to play I'll turn the wheel off and start a B-Spec race (he doesn't yet realize he's not really controlling it).

After dinner we usually have another hour before he's off to bed, so depending on what my wife is doing (watching TV or reading a book) my son and I will get back on the track. The best part is when I'm not playing and he asks me, "Da-dee gun drive da race ca?" I swear that boy loves it as much as I do. When he goes to bed is when I get online though, I run in spec races two nights a week (Tuesday in Forza and Thursday in GT5).

My wife is pregnant again though, and I'm expecting another son in May. I'm sure my racing time will be cut drastically for at least a few months until he's sleeping through the night. Hopefully my second son will be as in love with cars as my first one is.
 
JaiAE86
I'm 13...

I don't have kids, don't have a job, don't care about homework, or school for that matter, and play GT5 14 hours on weekends and 8 to 12 hours on the weekday!

I don't think I'd be able to bear having a kid eating up my GT5 time! :nervous:
Click to expand...

don't worry you'll grow up and get used to it...:sly:
 
Cainius
don't worry you'll grow up and get used to it...:sly:
Click to expand...

He should worry about going to school instead of 8 to 12 hours of GT5 on weekday. Go outside, there's life beside GT5! Discover the world! ...
 
New dad here. My little one is a month old. Ironically, I purchased GT5 in November, but didn't start playing it until February while on maternity leave. The guilt is horrible; whenever his mom starts feeding him I use the that time to jump on GT5.
 
Huh, if you are married with young kids, then you have issues. But if you are married, and have young kids, thats another thing baby. GT5 scares me some times, due to the odd people playing.
 
TT3AZ
Huh, if you are married with young kids, then you have issues. But if you are married, and have young kids, thats another thing baby. GT5 scares me some times, due to the odd people playing.
Click to expand...

hahaha... good one :sly:
 
Wow, more fathers on here than I expected. I'm 32, with a 2 year old son and a brand new 3 week old son. Yeah, not really any time for GT right now... But before #2 was born I managed four or five hours a week, usually about two hours at a time in the evening after he went to bed. Just played a little bit last night - managed about 20 minutes with the younger one sleeping in my arms, he didn't seem to mind. I think I'm about 27 A-spec/6 B-spec.
 
Hi, guys! Almost same situation, Im 32, married and 2 kids, 5yo girl and a 3yo boy. I ussually play at night when the kids go to bed, or afternoon, now that they are going to school. The problem at night is the force feedback noise!!
Regards from Argentina!
Patricio.
 
32 years old, as good as married, a baby boy who is about to turn 1 year old.

I don't get much chance to play GT5 because it is hooked up to the family TV. If my son is with me, I'll sit him on my lap and race and he is happy and content with the controller in front of him as I race. I have caught him grabbing a controller from its recharge dock and holding it, pressing the buttons like I do. It's quite scary how much children pick up - even when they are that young!

I find that setting up a B-spec endurance race before going to bed is the best way to rack up the B-spec points and lift your B-spec drivers that bit higher while you sleep soundly. It makes up a bit for not being able to spend much time racing yourself.

I do the 'husband time' with my partner after the little one goes off to bed. It's important for her to have some decent adult conversation for at least 2 hours per day! Cuts in to the GT5 gaming, but if I had to choose between having a life with my partner and my baby and very little GT5, or lots of GT5 and not having a partner or a baby? Well, there's no comparison. I wouldn't change a thing from what I have now.
 
I am 43, have a 5 and and three year old set of girls. I am laid off right now, and doing some classes to chage careers, but all in all, race more than I should. Bought the PS3 just for GT5, and now must bought a G27 too. Trying to decide on the Fannatech wheel stand or the Wheel Stand Pro. The fanatech looks a bit wider at the base so I might go that direction. I have another tv set up in the 'dining room' (which is a train table, bean bags, shelves with toy storage boxes for the girls) for them to watch shows and I get races in as much as I can. But am out taking them to parks, swimming, and just hiking, so that is good for us to get away too. My wife gets addicted to games too, hers are usually Wii Mario type of games. She knows this is my only real passion in gaming, and knows that Chrstmas will mean a Xbox and probably either the adapter to make my G27 work on the Xbox, or perhaps a Fanatech with the heavy duty pedal set. Adapter if they look like they are working fine.

My oldest wants to watch me race; now that I have the wheel I need to start getting her to do some slower races.

Oh, and the wife and I have been married almost 22 years. Since I sold my Boss she knows I need some sort of high speed release for my racing frustrations. Plus she knows I have visited the Shelby production shop in Vegas a couple of times now, and we rented a Mustang convertable on our last trip, so I think she knows what is coming next!!

Plus, she is understanding as she is addicted to her time managment games on her iPad. Which is what both of us have done for the last three hours since the girls went to sleep.
 
I'm 31 with a 6 month little'un!! I have to move around the house to play when I can (whatever room the wife isn't watching telly in!) but then of course I have to spend as much time with the wife and family as poss too.

Just convinced the missus that a Wheel Stand Pro was the way forward so I can move my setup around the house and in fairness I probably get about 3-6 hours a week on GT5.

Love playing online but the most difficult thing is to commit to a certain day/time each week for a league or something (although I am now giving this a crack).

Maybe we should start an 'old man Dads' group for some adhoc online play just as and when people are around! :rolleyes:
 
Hi Guys,

Glad to see there are lots of us in the same situation. Im a father of two boys 3 and 5, common law partnered but I still call her the wife :)

Im very lucky as mine lets me play most nights after Ive given her some of my time once the boys are asleep. We race at MWCRC Married With Children Racing Club run by Pianoman. Really clean hard racing, a really nice group of lads! We race only stock premium cars at the moment but are testing the RM cars. Its a great club for us as sometimes one of us has to drop out of a session when one of our little ones wakes up and none of us mind as we are all in the same boat at the end of the day. Only one official competitive race per month so it doesnt take over our lives.

It is a strict criteria I know but the married bit is relaxed now as some of us choose not to be married (YET).

Pianoman is not actively looking for more members at this exact time but we will be soon as we need more active members! So check our group out here

A taster of one of our unofficial practice sessions, only three on track but you get the idea!



Chow 4 now
 
Last edited:
- Hey dad, look what I have found in your stuff! That murcielago you're driving in GT5! Cool!!!

(OMG! Here goes my precious 1:18 MR Lambo down)
 
PantalonUK
Hi Guys,

Glad to see there are lots of us in the same situation. Im a father of two boys 3 and 5, common law partnered but I still call her the wife :)

Im very lucky as mine lets me play most nights after Ive given her some of my time once the boys are asleep. We race at MWCRC Married With Children Racing Club run by Pianoman. Really clean hard racing, a really nice group of lads! We race only stock premium cars at the moment but are testing the RM cars. Its a great club for us as sometimes one of us has to drop out of a session when one of our little ones wakes up and none of us mind as we are all in the same boat at the end of the day. Only one official competitive race per month so it doesnt take over our lives.

It is a strict criteria I know but the married bit is relaxed now as some of us choose not to be married (YET).

Pianoman is not actively looking for more members at this exact time but we will be soon as we need more active members! So check our group out here

A taster of one of our unofficial practice sessions, only three on track but you get the idea!



Chow 4 now
Click to expand...


nice!

Is having kids a requirement to join in MWCRC races? I do not have kids, but I tend to be a workaholic and have little time for the GT5 grind so my progression is slow (level 19 A-spec, Level 11 B-spec).
:)
 
Patrocles
nice!

Is having kids a requirement to join in MWCRC races? I do not have kids, but I tend to be a workaholic and have little time for the GT5 grind so my progression is slow (level 19 A-spec, Level 11 B-spec).
:)
Click to expand...

Sorry m8, thats the one thing we all do have in common we are all 30+ with kids. When someones kid is screaming down their mic, or fighting in the background (not that it happens that often mind) or they have to drop everything at a seconds notice we all share those experiences and understand.

Mics are off for comp races by the way
 
PantalonUK
Sorry m8, thats the one thing we all do have in common we are all 30+ with kids. When someones kid is screaming down their mic, or fighting in the background (not that it happens that often mind) or they have to drop everything at a seconds notice we all share those experiences and understand.

Mics are off for comp races by the way
Click to expand...

How do you get involved in this club, is it through the website? Believe me, I qualify for this on so many levels... :)
 
axletramp
How do you get involved in this club, is it through the website? Believe me, I qualify for this on so many levels... :)
Click to expand...

Please contact Pianoman via PM please or myself. We are particularly interested in people who are going to be active members for our Friday track day sessions and/or Saturday practice sessions, not to forget our competitive monthly races.

We have a good 30 or so members but not all are active.

We also get together in the week for short races and a jolly good laff :D

You must be:

A dad
30+
Married or partnered
Not to mention a clean fair racer fast or slow :)

Ive said enough now, dont want to take over the thread here!
 
jjaisli
Sometimes a pictures says a thousand words... :)

picture.php
Click to expand...

Awesome picture sir!!👍
 
jjaisli - cool pic!

May I ask where you got those cock-pits, steering wheel/pedal and such. My 3 year old son would love the one your daughter has and I'd love one myself.

Secondly, can someone point me in the right direction as to what's a good steering wheel for GT5(that will work with other racing games as well). Because I'm sure it must've been discussed somewhere, I simply can't find it. Obviously, I'm looking for the best bang for the buck type of deal, as I'm not willing, nor do I have the funds to spend $1000 on these things. Any recommendations would be helpful.

But to keep on the topic, I have very little time as well. I'm a single Dad nearly 30 years old, and although I don't have my son full-time, I still don't have alot of time for video games anymore. Work full-time and there's simply never enough time during the day.
 
Back