Keep Writing This Summer–even with the Kids at Home
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As April draws to a close, if you have children coming home from school for the summer, you may feel a slow panic rising to the surface of your mind. What will you do with the kids? How will you get any writing accomplished?
Summer can be a great time with the kids and for your work if you have the right perspective and begin to plan now. If you are a freelance writer who works at home, first count your blessings that you get to spend so much time with your kids over the summer break. You’ll never get that time back. That perspective helps keep the pressure we put on ourselves in check. Enjoy, don’t dread this time.
Kids respond well to structure. So start thinking about ways to plan structure into their day. Involve them in positive activities while you are writing. Of course, a lot depends on the age of your children. With preschoolers, plan some fun activities to do with your child several times a week, but count on hiring some help. Trying to write with a preschooler tugging on you or getting into who-knows-what in the other room is a recipe for insanity. It’s not really fair to either of you.
Start looking for some “mother’s helpers,” which are 10- to 12-year-old girls who can supervise your children for a few hours while you write. Some neighborhoods publish directories listing girls and boys willing to baby-sit. Ask if they or a younger sibling could spend time at your home several times a week. It’s a great way for them to gain babysitting experience with an adult around, as well. Once they go home, return your full attention to your children.
If you have school-age children, you have many possibilities. If they swim on the swim team, play baseball or soccer this summer, take your laptop along and write while they are practicing. You can also enroll them in half-day camping activities throughout the summer or Vacation Bible Schools that many churches offer.
If you want them to stick close to home, set up a daily schedule in which you block off several hours of time for everyone to get some work done. Get started with a summer reading program at your local library and begin each day after breakfast with an hour of quiet reading in their rooms. You can also buy workbooks and computer software to complement reading to keep their school skills up.
There is nothing cruel about having school-age children do some housework, too. Pay them for it, and then you can all go to the pool or get some ice cream later. Studies have shown that kids’ self esteem rises the most when they are challenged with a task, accomplish that task and are rewarded for it. Watching TV for hours leaves kids feeling bored and restless.
If your children tend to be a little demanding, you can also use a co-op approach. If you know another mother in your neighborhood with children home all day, trade days with her to watch all the children. If you are watching children on Mondays, assume you will get no writing accomplished that day. If that is your expectation, you won’t beat yourself up for not getting anything done.
When your neighbor watches all the kids the next day, make sure you are organized and know what writing you need to accomplish that day. Don’t spend the day with laundry and grocery shopping. Make those hours count.
If you apply these tips and other time management techniques, you won’t have to dread the summer months. Have fun with the change and before you know it, the kids will be headed back to school. Then we can all breathe easily again.
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