The calm summer months. From my youth, I recall the lilac blooms that heralded the oncoming weeks spent free and away from school. I still enjoy those calming images...and then I turn around and realize, I'm not the one who is supposed to be enjoying these months, my kids are.
But often these days, I find myself chained to my desk, trying to fit in my freelance writing business in the midst of my own kids camp, complete with 8-, 5- and 2-year old children running circles around me.
While I love being a mom, I dislike the constant battle to find the elusive, amoeba-like balance for a family. Balance such as slowing my marketing as we neared the end of the school year. Or the balance that precludes any of my fiction writing while I winnow down the paying assignments.
I left my job to stay home, take care of the kids and write. And while balance can be tricky (which is why I'm awake at 4 a.m. on days when the kids' swim meets will run into the night), I also tend to be more lax and willing to put movies on that will entertain, nonchalantly checking the running time.
"Great, an hour and 15 minutes? I can get at least get started!"
Sometimes it works well, sometimes I find myself drifting through the Internet when I last remember writing a blog post. Asleep at the keyboard, again!
I'm fortunate that I am able to work through how to start a draft while I make lunch or that I have some good friends who take pity on me, helping me to arrange a play date for one or two of my kids. Or that I can often mine daily struggles and write something about them.
However, there are days when I wish I could slow down and just enjoy my life as a mom, not only my life as a freelance writing mom. Or just maybe enjoy my life as a freelance writing mom who gets to hit the snooze button more often than not.
Elizabeth King Humphrey is a certified Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach and freelance writer who enjoys the bubbly joys of life and parenting. She also blogs at CoastalCarolinaMoms.com and TheWriteElizabeth.com, where she contemplates finding creativity in everyday places. She's going back to bed now...hopefully.
I can totally relate to that entire post! My kids are a bit older (8, 8, and 7) they usually play well together(usually is the main word there) but most days I feel like I am the activities director on a ship!
ReplyDeleteDo your children like musicals? Because Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Sound of Music are exceptionaly long! When my kids were very small I would put those on so I could work or do things around the house, now they love musicals and music! (Plus they are LONG!!)
Have a fantastic writerly week!
Jennifer
You are singing my song! I have had to send both my younger kids away to granparents' houses just to get ANYTHING DONE. With one very energetic redhead (8) and one very needy blonde (9), I have my hands full. It really takes a lot out of my writing time. As in, school ended May 30, and I have just managed to finish all my paid projects. NO personal projects at all. I don't know what to do, honestly. With me not working full-time (so I can be a writer!), money is tight and right now we don't have a lot of room to wiggle. So, it's basic entertainment on Mommy's part. I guess I need to learn the discipline to get up at four. LOL with my computer in my bedroom, it's going to be fun convincing my husband this is a good idea. Wow, thanks for letting me rant. I feel better knowing other people know what I'm going through. Ok, I'm through with my pity party now. Thanks for your time :)
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean! Here it is ... 1:30 in the afternoon on a beautiful, sunny summer day and where am I? Trying to get caught up on email and writing!
ReplyDeleteBah, humbug!