Funny how life plays these little tricks on you. When my own children were toddlers, I put my writing aspirations on hold because it was too difficult to care for them and write at the same time. I know many authors are able to do both, but I discovered I couldn’t. Not happily so, at least.
Putting my writing on hold was a sacrifice, but I felt good about my choice. I knew my little ones would not be little for long and I wanted my care for them to be free of the distractions and frustrations that trying to write would bring.
Later when they were in school, other obligations and adventures kept me away from full-time writing. That too was a conscious choice I felt good about. My plan was to retire early and devote myself to writing then. And that was what I was doing, with great pleasures, until very recently.
That’s when life played its little trick. The saying goes: “Man makes plans, and God laughs.” Well, he seems to be laughing now. But maybe not for long. For the time-being though, I must learn to write with toddlers playing at my side, or put my writing aside, again, for a little while at least.
My beautiful little granddaughter is living with us for a while. For how long, I’m not sure. I love having her here. She’s a joy and a delight. I feel so blessed holding her in my arms, watching her play, teaching her to swim, reading and singing songs together. But finding time to write is almost impossible while she’s awake, and when she’s asleep, I’m so exhausted that writing is the last thing I want to do. Sleep is what I crave. Mindless rest. No thought.
So my posts here may be fewer and far between for a while. I’m still working on the final copy-edits for my novel, and sending off queries to agents and publishers. That’s as much as I can manage for the moment.
If you are a writer with small children and have suggestions on how to care for both at the same time, I’d love to hear them.
Deborah J. Brasket 
Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S™ III, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
Reblogged this on cautivadulce.
Thank you for the reblog!
…yet another slice of ‘living on the edge of wild’ life-path…
one step, one word at a time.
peace
Yes, indeed. 🙂 Thank you, Laura.
First of all congratulations on the blessing of having a beautiful little granddaughter. I am at the age at which my kids are leaving home and I am looking at old photos from the past 22 years and wondering where the time went and asking myself why I did not appreciate those precious childhood times more than I did. In such a mood my writing ambitions begin to seem pale and faded. When the kids were young I also put personal writing ambitions aside because I just did not have the mental real estate to give adequate attention to that and to the kids. I guess serious writing requires blocking out everything else for a given time each day. I could block out my husband, shirk “duties”, and neglect social life, but I could not block out my children. Still I did continue to write in journals, just to keep in practice, as I told myself. And that practice, done in doctor’s waiting rooms, on my lunch hour at work, on the porch while half watching the kids play outside, was important and it did help.Congrats on being at the point that you are doing edits on your novel. I hope I get to read it it soon!
I know what you mean, CJ. I try to remember my children at her age and I only have a few fleeting real-time memories. Most of my memories are stirred by photos, but I have far fewer than I wish I had. With my granddaughter I have a gazillion already. So much easier with today’s technology. And thanks for the kudos on my novel! It’s getting there.
It’s a difficult decision, especially since it is clear you are wanting to be a responsible, engaged guardian! I always tell my friends that family comes first, and that’s very true.
As I’ve have to put my writing on hold as well while preparing for our international move and grad school, I understand your position…. I just keep hoping one day I’ll wake up and there will be such an aligning of the planets that I can do both!
An aligning of the planets! I like that. It will happen, for both of us I’m sure.
Deborah, what a life change! I wish you rest, peace, energy, and a smidgen of time to put a thought or two down on paper. Best to you!!
Thank you, Laura!
Deborah, enjoy this time with your beautiful granddaughter. You can’t replace this time with her. I hope as she gets older you won’t be as tired and then can squeeze in more time to write. Wishing you the best.
It is a precious time, and I’m so grateful to have her in my life. Thank you, Susan.
So lovely. I would do the same but my grandchildren do not live close to me.
I’m lucky mine do live close by. I still haven’t been able to see them much–until now.
You did the same thing I did with putting the writing on hold. Re your granddaughter, how lovely to have her with you. I just hope it’s not for a sad reason that she is there. xo