The problem with hobbies

Hobbies are great, but the pursuit of them can often interfere with the family life. I am interested in racing, however the involvement need to race is too great for me to pursue the sport I love. As a father, my family needs me to be more involved with the interests of my children. The only way for me to pursue my passion is to support my kids if they choose to race. Hobbies have many benefits. These benefits can be a drawback if not nurtured in the correct manner.
The foremost benefit of racing is the time required to enable one to race the next weekend. If a child's enjoyment of racing is nurtured correctly it is more likely that the child will refrain from delinquent acts. A sociology study, called Socialization Via Interscholastic Athletics: Its Effects on Delinquency" found in Sociology of Education found, “rates of delinquency (from court records) were highest for students who engaged in no extracurricular activities.”. Racing is a time-demanding sport. One must work on a car throughout the week to ensure that it is in optimum condition for the next race. This time intensive work ensures that the child is busy and not out “running a muck.” The saying “idle hands are the devil's playground” says it best; if a child is bored they are more likely to cause trouble. The time involved with racing has a secondary benefit, it strengthens the bond between the child and the parents.
Travis Anderson, a late model driver, recounts the memory of spending all weekend in an R.V. with his parents,“the time we spent together (in the camper) helped me bond with my parents.” The more time spent together on a common goal the stronger the bond between a parent and a child. This is evident in the bond between my wife and our daughter. Carmon is the youngest, so while the older two boys were at school, my wife was able to spend an unequaled amount of time with our daughter. Now consequently our daughter is very attached to my wife, more so than the boys are. Hobbies, if pursued by the family as a family, can help the family ties become so strong that the family will become an insurmountable force. On the other hand, if pursued individually, the hobby has the ability to weaken a family's bond to a point that the family is easily splintered. Hobbies also have an ability to teach children how to become better, more responsible people.
Most people who race have a “day job.” The drivers that I have spoke with have emphasized that they have this job so that they can pay their bills and hopefully have enough to race. Gale Carter, a driver at Meridian raceway, admitted, “Racing is a drive for me to be responsible. Keep my bills paid, then try to come up with enough extra to support my racing.” The same is true for most hobbies, they all teach us to be better individuals. What better way to exemplify these values than to sacrifice what we may love, in order to support our children's love?