Making Time to Write With Kids

I’m sure the following scene will sound familiar to other mothers who are writers:


His hand reached for her and she felt his touch awaken something deep within her soul…

“MOM! Luke is being mean to me!”

“Hold on, boys, give me one second!”

Her eyes drank in every inch of him and she knew this night would change her life irrevocably…

“MOM! Luke is chasing me with a fork!”

“Ok, ok, I’m coming.”

Let me start off by saying I LOVE my boys. Being a mom is the most rewarding and awesome thing I’ve ever done in my life. But it can also suck out all of your energy. After a long day of taking care of two little ones under the age of five, I’m not exactly feeling the creative juices flowing (it’s more like I’m cleaning up the spilled juices). However, I think it’s very important to keep up with your writing and carve out time for it each day. Here are a few tips I can offer up:

1) Invest in some Benadryl. No, I’m totally kidding. But if you’re lucky enough to have children that nap, take advantage of it. Even if the house looks like a bomb exploded, you can always straighten up later after you’re done writing.

2) Work around their schedules. Kids are busier than most CEOs these days and it’s always good to have a notebook or your laptop on hand to do some writing during after-school practice sessions. Writing after they go to sleep is something that also works very well for me.

3) Enlist help. Since I also write freelance articles, I treat any writing I do as a job. When the hubby gets home from work, it’s often daddy time. I slink off to my office while the boys get some bonding time in. Whoever you can get to help while you write, take advantage of it.

4) Create small and achievable writing goals. Writing 5,000 words per day is not likely to happen when you have little ones at home. Instead, write in small spurts whenever you have the chance. It may be a pain to walk away, but novel creation doesn’t have to stop when you walk away from the computer. I always work out scenes in my head or find inspiration when I’m taking walks with the boys.

Keep writing mommies!