Now that our eldest son is seven months old, I wanted to honestly share my thoughts on parenting, car life, and what lies ahead.<\/p>\n
Attending Car Events with Kids<\/h3>\n
Some time after our second daughter was born, our family started attending various Porsche events\u2014driving schools, track days, races\u2014with the kids in tow.<\/p>\n
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At first, we had no idea how to manage, but gradually we gained wisdom like “I should have brought that,” “That wasn\u2019t necessary.”<\/strong><\/p>\n We used to bring a stroller, but places like Fuji Speedway don\u2019t have elevators, so a baby carrier made moving around easier. Also, backpacks are better than tote bags because they free up both hands, making it easier to get around.<\/p>\n Also, kids often get bored during waiting times or races<\/strong>, so it\u2019s better to bring simple things like coloring books or origami to keep them entertained. Since kids get cranky when hungry, it\u2019s wise to bring some snacks too.<\/p>\n After visiting the circuit many times, we now know where the restrooms and vending machines are, and how to navigate the flow, so the recent track day felt quite comfortable.<\/p>\n Another joy is how warm and welcoming the other participants are toward families with children.<\/strong><\/p>\n Once, when I was trying to carry a stroller down stairs, someone kindly said, \u201cI\u2019ll help you!\u201d People chat cheerfully with the kids and even gave them snacks saying, \u201cEat this on your way home.\u201d<\/p>\n When attending events with kids, I sometimes feel \u201cSorry for the noise\u2026 I\u2019m probably bothering others,\u201d<\/strong> but every event has been filled with kindness and warmth, making me think, \u201cI\u2019m so glad I brought the kids.\u201d<\/p>\n And the kids say, \u201cIt was fun! We got lots of snacks! We want to go again!\u201d<\/strong> So as long as they want to come along, I hope we can keep going to events as a family.<\/p>\n However, as life surrounded by children becomes routine, I think there\u2019s a side effect where memories with the kids increase, but \u201cwhat I want\u201d gets pushed aside.<\/strong><\/p>\n For example, when I\u2019m writing my blog at home, the kids quickly interrupt me with \u201cMom, look at this!\u201d \u201cMom, that\u2019s missing!\u201d \u201cMom!\u201d over and over, forcing me to stop.<\/p>\n When going out, the focus is on preparing the kids: \u201cDo you have a change of clothes? Diapers? Towels? Baby carrier?\u201d And even when we\u2019re out, if they say \u201cI\u2019m tired,\u201d \u201cI want to go home,\u201d<\/strong> I often give them juice midway or give up on what I wanted to see and head home.<\/p>\n Even when I occasionally go shopping alone, I think, \u201cOh, my eldest daughter wanted this, so I\u2019ll buy it,\u201d<\/strong> or \u201cThis is a favorite side dish of my second daughter, so let\u2019s have it for dinner tonight.\u201d<\/strong> I end up thinking only about the kids.<\/p>\n After years of this lifestyle, I\u2019ve gotten good at giving up on \u201cwhat I want to do,\u201d<\/strong> even for small things, and I\u2019ve stopped even considering those desires. I feel I\u2019ve lost the hunger and drive to challenge myself like before.<\/p>\n Then recently, my husband pointed this out:<\/p>\n \u201cWe have sports cars like the Boxster and 911 at home, but you haven\u2019t driven them at all lately. You used to get in when I said, \u2018Why don\u2019t you drive?\u2019 but now when I say that, you just say, \u2018No, I won\u2019t,\u2019 and don\u2019t drive. Why is that?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n There are many reasons\u2014postpartum hormonal changes, lack of sleep, the Cayenne being so comfortable that I prefer it when driving (laughs)\u2014but I think the root cause is that by putting myself last, I lost my hunger and desire for many things.<\/strong><\/p>\n That\u2019s not good.<\/p>\n And after all, I write a Porsche blog and am fortunate to have sports cars at home, so not driving them at all is unthinkable for someone calling herself a Porsche blogger, lol.<\/strong><\/p>\n When I was working hard before, I met many people daily through work, got inspired, generated ideas, and acted\u2014a great cycle. But lately, I\u2019ve been home all the time with almost no new encounters.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why I think it\u2019s important to create stimulation for myself.<\/strong> No matter how old you get, if you want to be a wonderful person who keeps challenging and stays curious, you have to start changing your actions right now.<\/p>\n My son is now seven months old, and I have more mental and time leeway than before, so now is the time to move. It\u2019s time to change, even if little by little.<\/strong><\/p>\n Back to the story about attending car events\u2014every time we go, I meet couples who come just the two of them after their kids have grown up.<\/strong><\/p>\n They walk around the pits together, watch races, eat meals laughing\u2014it\u2019s such a lovely sight, and I think, \u201cAh, that\u2019s wonderful. When our kids grow up and are independent, I hope we can be like that.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n When we first got married, I had no interest in cars and never imagined sharing a hobby with my husband.<\/p>\n But now, through cars and this Porsche blog, my world has expanded, and I\u2019m truly grateful.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why I want to keep creating opportunities for challenges (without losing my own pace) and enrich my life even more.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Parenting and Car Life When it was just the two of us as a married couple, and then after our children were born, there were far more changes than I had imagined in many aspects. How we spend our time daily, our lifestyle, priorities, interests… before our second daughter was born, I was such a workaholic, living centered on myself, but now I live a life centered around my children\u2014I never imagined this back then....","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":22433,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/?p=22342"},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_1266-800x533-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_1341.jpg\")
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<\/p>\nPrioritizing the Kids and Its Effects<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nThe Car Life Ahead<\/h3>\n