I haven't written a thing, beyond code, for over two months. I had a child and then switched jobs to a real family-friendly company. I learned that having a child means giving up nearly all your free time as the little one is completely dependent upon you at all times and there is always other, more important work to be done when the little one doesn't have an express need. That's not to say that I don't sit with the little guy in my arms and watch sci-fi channel. Don't worry, I keep his head looking at me rather than the TV showing a wraith or a dalek.
I could write extensive observations about how my life changed and how old high priorities have been eliminated entirely and are replaced with new, more pressing issues: changing diapers, soothing, feeding, carrying, pushing the stroller and keeping my kitchen clean. I think the only observation I found fascinating was the before and after mental transformation that occurred at his birth.
You may know developers that are a little, well, crazy about making sure they are optimally available for the family. One individual actually said "I'd step in front of a moving car to protect my family." My reaction was pretty close to "that's nuts." That was before my kid, now I understand that there is this deep instinctual drive to protect one's family beyond your own personal safety. I figured that we had evolved beyond that and that parents chose to be like that. Really, it's the other way around: some parents choose to override instinct and not protect their kids. The instinctual switch flipped within the first five minutes of birth and I found myself carefully eying anyone that came near my son. It's weird to say the least and I don't think the nature of it can be understood until you have kids of your own.
