I really appreciate this. Spoke right into my soul. I usually wait for them to go to bed, or for my two year old to be at nursery and my 6month old is napping, but it makes me feel guilty because I'm sacrificing chores.
Let's acknowledge that none of that is a good situation for getting work done. It's hard. But it is possible! I say carry a notepad or index cards with you everywhere, and write down a word or a sentence or a note if it comes to you. See if you can get your 2-year-old to work on "writing" while you do. Even if you don't get in the flow, you'll get some words down. (Also don't feel guilty for sacrificing chores! Also I had a friend once say to me that if something can happen when the kids are awake, it should. Chores are like the writing in that sense. They get done BETTER if no one is around, but you can do a passable job when they're awake. I feel like so much of my life anything I got done -- vacuuming, cooking, writing, exercising -- was done while various children were literally draped over me or strapped to my back. Again, not ideal. But possible.)
Thank you for this. I have been telling myself that I’ll write a lot on the next weekend of holiday or whatever, and they are just my excuses. It’s the same mindset keeping ping me from losing weight. Thanks again.
Give yourself some grace, too. It is hard. And you certainly CAN write on the next weekend or holiday. But tell yourself that that future writing session will go better if you do smaller sessions now.
Oh goodness! The fear of the phone ringing with a call from school is so real! Being the default parent definitely makes time alone, never completely alone. Thanks for the reminder that I can still get work done in the midst of...all this.
I had no idea how much that "waiting for a call" would always be there, and how distracting it could be. Before it's not an unfounded worry! The number of times I get a call is not insignificant! If anyone has a trick to not paying attention to the constant tug of this waiting, I'd love to hear it.
Needed this! My kids are grown, so none of those interruptions, but there has been so much on the plate the last couple of weeks. This is a good reminder that I don’t need those blocks of time. Write when and where I can!
I dread the “you kid is sick, come pick them up” call. Basically if the phone rings anytime both kids are at school, I panic and assume it’s that call. 😂
If the phone rings and my kids are ANYWHERE, I assume it's that call. My 16-year-old goes skiing with his friends, and oh wow if the phone rings while they are doing that I vault toward it like some kind of Olympian. I was trying to explain to one of my kids how I am not able to truly relax unless everyone is in the house and I can see them, and she was flabbergasted (of course the second part of that is: everyone is in the house and they are being very, very quiet so as to allow me to relax) (this might be the reason I have trouble relaxing, you think?).
I really appreciate this. Spoke right into my soul. I usually wait for them to go to bed, or for my two year old to be at nursery and my 6month old is napping, but it makes me feel guilty because I'm sacrificing chores.
Anyway, thank you!
Let's acknowledge that none of that is a good situation for getting work done. It's hard. But it is possible! I say carry a notepad or index cards with you everywhere, and write down a word or a sentence or a note if it comes to you. See if you can get your 2-year-old to work on "writing" while you do. Even if you don't get in the flow, you'll get some words down. (Also don't feel guilty for sacrificing chores! Also I had a friend once say to me that if something can happen when the kids are awake, it should. Chores are like the writing in that sense. They get done BETTER if no one is around, but you can do a passable job when they're awake. I feel like so much of my life anything I got done -- vacuuming, cooking, writing, exercising -- was done while various children were literally draped over me or strapped to my back. Again, not ideal. But possible.)
Thank you for this. I have been telling myself that I’ll write a lot on the next weekend of holiday or whatever, and they are just my excuses. It’s the same mindset keeping ping me from losing weight. Thanks again.
Give yourself some grace, too. It is hard. And you certainly CAN write on the next weekend or holiday. But tell yourself that that future writing session will go better if you do smaller sessions now.
Such a timely reminder that just doing it at all is so much more important than where (and how). Hugs, all! And thank, you, Julie!
Oh goodness! The fear of the phone ringing with a call from school is so real! Being the default parent definitely makes time alone, never completely alone. Thanks for the reminder that I can still get work done in the midst of...all this.
I had no idea how much that "waiting for a call" would always be there, and how distracting it could be. Before it's not an unfounded worry! The number of times I get a call is not insignificant! If anyone has a trick to not paying attention to the constant tug of this waiting, I'd love to hear it.
Needed this! My kids are grown, so none of those interruptions, but there has been so much on the plate the last couple of weeks. This is a good reminder that I don’t need those blocks of time. Write when and where I can!
I dread the “you kid is sick, come pick them up” call. Basically if the phone rings anytime both kids are at school, I panic and assume it’s that call. 😂
If the phone rings and my kids are ANYWHERE, I assume it's that call. My 16-year-old goes skiing with his friends, and oh wow if the phone rings while they are doing that I vault toward it like some kind of Olympian. I was trying to explain to one of my kids how I am not able to truly relax unless everyone is in the house and I can see them, and she was flabbergasted (of course the second part of that is: everyone is in the house and they are being very, very quiet so as to allow me to relax) (this might be the reason I have trouble relaxing, you think?).