I’ve got grandbabies on the brain–my first, Bodhi, just got born this morning at 5:43, and boy are we all tired. His mom, sweet Roxy, is completely exhausted, as is the daddy, my oldest son Nathan. While I wait for them to take a well-deserved nap, I’m thinking about how writers with children, grandchildren, steps, fosters or daycare charges can still manage to get writing done.
We all know the trick to “sleep when the baby sleeps,” but what if you have kids who’ve never taken more than a ten-minute nap? Here are some creative ways to make progress on that manuscript:
- Stand Up for Yourself! One of my favorite tricks from parenthood: If you look as if you’re doing chores, and not something for yourself such as reading or writing, kids seem to accept it. Take this a step further and work on a laptop or read while you stand at the kitchen counter. Tots will think you’re peeling a boatload of potatoes, but you’re really getting that word count in or reading that new novel you’ve been dying to finish.
- Learn to Nano-write. Not NaNoWroMo, but nano as in word count. We’d all prefer to get in the zone and stay there, but little kids crying on the other side of the door might draw unwanted attention. So learn to sneak in a sentence here, a paragraph there. With i-phones and tablets, it’s easier than ever to jot things down. For those who don’t yet have these, a pad of sticky notes or a notepad and pencil still work.
- Make a Deal. At the credit union where my daughter works, free time is called PTO, or Personal Time Off. This is the one thing new parents are always short on. Instead of dividing chores, negotiate with your partner for hours. So much sacrifice (2AM feeding, emptying the diaper pail, checking for monsters under beds) is worth an hour, an hour in which you’re free to lock yourself away (in a closet or bathroom if necessary) and write. Don’t worry about getting into the zone and forgetting the kid–the other parent will undoubtedly let you know when time’s up. You can’t stay locked in that bathroom forever.
Forget peace and quiet! Develop the fine art of multi-tasking. I well remember kissing my little son’s boo boos and rocking him in my lap while I gave first grade daughter her spelling words. Yep, and writing through it all!
So true, Kay! In my early learning-to-write days, I ran a daycare in addition to my own 4 kiddoes. At naptime, they rested in my living room, around the corner from the kitchen. I hauled a Royal Electric typewriter (yes, I’m that old!)onto the stove top and typed and peeked around the corner for an hour or two. Multi-tasking is the only way to go! ~Linda