Today, instead, I want to share the day in the life of a woman with three kids going to school tomorrow. The reason I share this, and those of you considering kids in the near future might want to skip to Wednesday's post, is to remind myself why I wasn't overly productive this summer (especially with a cross-country move).
Before I start, a blast from the past...
And now the day...
7:45am: Started the day at my middle daughter's new patient appointment for her allergies. When you have to start the appointment with, my daughter tends to befuddle doctors, you know it's going to go long.
9:30am: Yes, 9:30am, we finally leave the doctor's office to run home and get my other two girls. Then, we are off to the mall for some school clothes. Why the day before school? Well, as the girls tried on things this weekend (remember we moved into our new home 7/29), they realized they had grown yet again. Really, when does that stop (my oldest is 13)? Oh, and their tennis shoes no longer fit, so three new pairs of tennis shoes were needed. Funny how you don't know their feet have grown when they wear flip flops all summer.
Noon: We do have a nice lunch.
1:00pm: To Target to get school supplies for my youngest daughter who did not find out for sure what school she was assigned to until last Friday. Three stores later we finally had the 12 blasted red pens (thank you, Staples).
3:00pm: Finally get notice from CVS that all my daughter's medicines are in. Pick them up and run them to her school before they leave at 4pm.
4:00pm: Run by grocery store to replace the milk my baby daughter announces she used the rest of that morning. Can't start a school week with no milk for cereal.
5:00pm: Home to dinner. Eat quickly and then run to baby girl's school to find out her teacher.
6:00pm: *** if you are squeamish, please look away *** Collect poop samples of baby daughter for some tests thanks to our vacation and a nasty guest she might have picked up. You would think that after 13 years as a mom I would no longer dry-heave with smell. You would think wrong.
7:30pm: In an effort to make sure all my kids go to bed on time after a long summer of being vagabonds, I am sitting in a dark room with two of my kids (hubby is out of town) and writing this post.
Tomorrow, I will miss them. I'm sad to see summer end, but I'm looking forward to focusing on book 2 and finding a CA writer's group. We all need some structure, because quite frankly creativity doesn't thrive well with poop scoops, red pen traumas, and begging my children to close their eyes.
Plus, I consider days like this character study on how teen and pre-teen girls handle chaos. Today, I learned quite a lot.
How do you carve out writing/creative time on days like this?
8 comments:
On days like this I wait until the kids are in bed or occupied with a video game, book, writing, or TV. It helps that my work schedule is in the evening and night!
Love the photo -- I remember it from years ago. Hope they all have a great school year.
Despite the intensity of the day, the poop, the rushing back and forth, the sense of being on the brink of something brand new for your girls, the beginning of the school year, all shows your love for them and commitment to family. Underlying this frenetic reality, is the pull to write. Once they begin school, flip flops aside, new shoes donned, I believe you will find uncluttered time again to write. Persevere! Organize! Schedule! Seize the moment! And celebrate that creativity that pushes you on.
I'm exhausted! Tia, as I was reading this, I felt my pulse quicken. You are WonderMom.
I never had children, so I am in constant awe of women who manage writing careers while raising their families.
I am in awe of all moms, especially those WonderMoms who manage a writing career while raising munchkins.
I did this a couple years ago. At the time my kids were still toddlers. Might be interesting to look at my day and see how it's changed.
I hear you on the new shoes. They grow out of them so quick. Hope the school year is a good one for you all.
I admire anyone who can write with children around. When my kids were small, my creative writing mostly went on hold, with the exception of poems and song lyrics. So I completely sympathize! These days, it's grandma duties once a week, and I usually don't get any writing done then either. :) Good luck!
I hear every one of these daily events, Tia... though blessedly, with one child as opposed to three, I do have things happening on a smaller scale.
You are absolutely wonderful to be facing this all as stoically as you are. I mean, I suppose you know this is all temporary and that gives you some strength, but it still takes internal reserves... No wonder the writing is on hold!
Don't worry. You will get there. :-D
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