When work gets in the way

My sister and brother-in-law invited me to go to St. Anthony Sand Dunes.  They are going tomorrow thru Thurs.  It is the only time my Bro-in-Law could get off work.  Unfortunately I cannot take time off.  This is a major bummer.

What do you do when life conflicts with fun?  Well at different times in my life I might have responded differently. When I was a teenager I would have said "screw work, I am going to play."  The perspective was much different back then.  I didn't have a family to take care of. If I took work off it really didn't effect me.  I didn't have bills to pay.


These days it seems like going and playing has to be planned carefully around a set schedule of work and family time.  My kids are still too little to get them involved in Power Sports so I end up leaving the family home.  This means that with me gone all day from work, it is hard to justify being gone the rest of the weekend to go playing without my family.  The wife tends to get upset.

The Justification:
"But Honey, this makes me happy, and when I am happy I am in a better mood."  You say that almost expecting it to work?  Guess what, it won't work, it never has and it never will.  The best solution.  Give you wife plenty of notice then make it up to her.  Even if she seems completely OK with you going... YOU STILL HAVE TO MAKE IT UP TO HER.  I am lucky enough to have Fridays off work.  This is great because I can get away and go riding.  On Saturdays I spend all the time my wife wants with her.  We go shopping, we go out to eat, we go do what ever it is she wants to do, and I don't complain. 

It is a tough balancing act but you can do it.

What techniques have you used?  Please comment and share as we could all benefit from insight to keeping our spouses happy. 

Thanks for reading,
DPS