We no longer have a preschooler in our house.
My boy is now a nearly kindergartener.
“Awesome,” he said about how it feels to be a preschooler no more. “A million awesomes awesome.”
I’m tempted to knock off a few of those awesomes about the situation. “He’s ready to be home with you all the time,” a friend pointed out. “Be afraid. Be very afraid.”
Now my son is an amazing kid. He sees the world in a totally unique way and makes me laugh until I cry at least once a day. I’m looking forward to spending time with him.
But as a writer who works from home, I’m also scared that the end of preschool might mean the end of productivity. And my writing is just kicking into that awesome could-write-for-hours phase! (Please pass the whine.)
Here are my son’s summer plans: “We’ll go for walks, I’ll blast you with water guns, we’ll catch frogs, I’ll splash in the creek, we’ll go visit places and have picnic lunch at parks, we’ll have playdates…”
Notice “I’ll give Mommy some quiet time for writing and drinking hot coffee” isn’t on the list.
My goal is to keep writing daily, and find a way to do that without the electronic babysitter turning my children’s brain to mush. My daughter has another two weeks of third grade, and then I know from experience I’ll have at least an hour or so to write while they devise new and creative ways to annoy each other. (The latest: One screaming “nanananananana” as the other tries to speak. It’s a million awesome awesome.)
As I said before, my writing flows the fastest amid distraction. But if you notice, each of my son’s summer goals directly involves me at all times. No time for finishing another chapter when there is frog school to lead and water gun battles to ensue.
So folks, please share. Which steps do you take to keep writing daily, no matter what?