Summer is here. This means: No more rushing to school. No more after school activities. No more driving to and attending sports practices and games. No more packing lunches. No more carpool. No more homework. No more school projects. No more school functions and PTA meetings. No more fundraising (wrapping paper and candy bars.) No more helping the kids study for tests or buying supplies for projects.
However, as a mother of four, this now means my kids think we should have nonstop sleep overs, go to the beach everyday (it is less than 40 minutes away from our house), sleep until noon (the kids not us- my husband and I still get up at 5 am) and have continuous uninterrupted entertainment- with me being the financer and chauffer. On top of this we have a vacation planned to visit family in Illinois and Minnesota. No doubt that this is going to be a busy summer.
All of my kids think that they are too old for camps. In the fall my two youngest will be in 9th and 7th grade. In addition my two older children (18 and 19) want to continue their freedom by coming and going at all hours of the night and day- and have friends crash over anytime they please- as they did living on their own. We’ve always had a houseful of kids- but to have “guests” 24/7 for three months leaves not only chaos but often a mess as well. And to top all of this off, our house is on the market and has to be clean and ready to show a prospective buyer at a moment’s notice.
Yes, it is a nice three-month respite from the rigid schedule and nonstop demands of the school year. The kids need a fun break. However, for me this summer is a little unnerving and fraught with challenges. How so? I am desperately trying to fit in all of my writing and publishing goals for 2012. Including: indie publish three full length novels. LIQUID LIES is already up, HARMONY HILL is in the works, THE CHUBBY CHICKS CLUB (book one) needs to be written this summer. I have also made commitments to submit short stories for four anthologies. ETERNAL SPRING is done, and WG2E SUMMER FLING will be out soon. I still need to write stories for a Halloween and Christmas anthology. As you all know, I write bi-monthly for this wonderful blog as well. Because I really want to attain my writing goals (for once) I cannot take off this summer. I need to write. However, my dilemma is how and when do I find time to write?
It’s Your Turn, WG2E-Land: Do you have suggestions on how to fit in writing when kids are home for summer vacation? Any suggestions on what works for you? I’d love to hear them!
The Best of WG2E Summer Writing Wishes — Lois Lavrisa
Yes, it’s a challenging time ahead for me too. I have two kids who are 5 & 6 yrs old. I find the only way I get writing time when they’re on holiday is to write at night when they are asleep.
Also, my sister has them for a week every summer, so I get to write like crazy then too.
Kiru- does your sister want to take on my four children as well?
I think in the UK school holidays are a bit shorter – schools don’t break up until the middle of July
But still, it is a challenge. My daughter is 4 and an only child – therefore very demanding of my attention (Come and play with me, Mummy! Now!), but I still manage to get a little writing done when she’s at home if I set myself realistic targets, like an hour a day in two half hour chunks. What I do is create a vacuum and hope she fills it (translated as ignore her for a while until she gets bored and goes off to play by herself). I then get at least half an hour before rewarding her with some baking or painting.
Also, I trade playdates with other mums. I have their kid/s over for a couple of hours and then when they reciprocate I write like crazy. And all the other stuff – tweeting, answering emails, chatting on blogs etc – I find I can do during the day in little bursts while she’s temporarily engaged in something. So, I guess, have everything to hand ready to go and pounce the minute an opportunity presents itself, but be prepared to do each task in short bursts throughout the summer!
Joanne- great suggestions. I think instead of getting long bouts of time to write- I may just have to write in short spurts. Great ideas, thank you for sharing:)
Just leave the refrigerator door open. The pesky little rascals will congregate about the provisions, feeding periodically and otherwise falling into a comfortable peanut-butter and pizza induced stupor.
If all else fails – duct tape!!!
Steve- too funny! Yumm- peanut butter and pizza- yum. Two of my favorite foods:)
I feel your pain. Yesterday, a “writing” day, turned into a bill-paying, phone answering, vacation-prep, chasing-kids-out-of bed day. Not one word on the page. Sigh.
Jill- I so feel your pain! How do we get it all done and keep the kids happy??
I have one word for you – employment. Tell your kids that they need to earn money over the summer for their pocket money for the school year. The older ones should be getting resume building internships (although it’s really too late for that at this point) and the younger ones can babysit, cat-sit, do gardening chores for older neighbors, etc.
I’ve got an 18 yr old doing an internship (unpaid, unfortunately, but resume building) and his 16 yr old sister is taking classes she needs to graduate – tech this summer, health last year, and, just for fun, musical theatre.They’re busy. I’m happy.
Merry- great suggestions. I love the idea of internships and summer jobs. The trick is to keep them busy- and you provided some great example to fill their time ( and hopefully give me some of my own time as well:))
Lol, ours is always a full house, and we homeschool. Somehow, the writing gets done. When inspiration strikes, I can write in the middle of complete chaos. Mind you, I’m lucky, my children play together and get on very well, most of the time. They also know the signs, when Mummy’s on fire, do not disturb
Exactly the same situation in our homeschooling family. I try to be up a few hours before the kids to get writing work done and they know not to disturb me until I stop typing. Then, most days I tackle it again between 9 and 11 at night. If I really am on fire and need to write all day, then I declare a Book Day and the kids are encouraged to either read good books or start writing one for themselves.
I like the idea of summer employment for older ones. I’m already training my oldest to be my first intern and hope to turn over some blogging and book review work to her next year. Now if my next one would just learn how to create cover art…
Heather- my children have their moments of playing together well- but there are times when you think they will kill each other. Ah- siblings huh?
My kindergartner is on a weird year-round schedule in the states. He gets July and January off, as well as a few weeks in March and October. I’m thinking July won’t be a very productive writing month, although I have carved out “quiet time” for at least one hour each day where he must entertain himself. The quiet time coincides with the 3YO’s nap time. One hour in the middle of the day is not a lot of time for quality writing, but I also find time to write after the kids are in bed.
Tamara- love the schedule your child in on. I am glad that you have found ways to make time with your child as well as get some writing done as well It is such a balancing act.
Oh, this so resonates with me!! My kids are 9, 11, and 13, also don’t want to go to camps, and if I don’t do something with them, they will spend all day playing the Wii. Plus, I’m home with them for a reason – I WANT to spend time with them, taking advantage of all the summer offers in new learning experiences and fun. But I also want to reach my writing goals.
Here’s what I’m doing so far (and it’s working pretty well): scheduled blocks of time where I’m writing, with no interruptions unless the house is on fire. They’re free to do what they want during those times, but NO INTERRUPTIONS. And I’m flexible when during the day those happen, but they do need to happen. The payback (for the kids) is that the rest of the time, I’m all theirs – no distractions, no trying to do email/etc. I think we’re all happier as a result.
Good luck with meeting all your goals!
Yes, you are so right we want to spend time with our children, as well as carve out some time for our own – a catch 22 at times isn’t it?
I homeschool too, and there’s nothing wrong with making the rule that if they want friends over they have to clean up to your specs afterwards–if they don’t, they’re grounded. Also nothing wrong with them helping to do cleaning before the house is shown. I have already homeschooled 4 and on my last 2 (although 2 of the older ones moved back, one with his family, to go back to college so we still have 8 people here) and all the older ones can cook, clean, shop and wash clothes, because they did it when they were kids.
Wow- impressive that your children cook, shop, clean et- these are such valuable life lessons:)
I hear you. Mine (aged 9, 13 and 14) have four days left of school before the summer break. I happily dreading it: it’s the best time of year; it’s the most unproductive time of the year. Pooh!
There’s no doubt I’ll fall behind in some things, but the way I keep on top of the important things is to get up early and get as much done before they roll out of bed. I also don’t watch television, so while they’re chilling out watching TV in the evening, I’m working. I never plan any big writing projects for summer because I know from experience that days…weeks…have a way of drifting by without notice.
For the most part, I just hold on, do what I can and enjoy the summer with the kids. In a few short years, they’ll be out working and their childhood will be history. That’s a good bad thing, too.
Diane you said it so well! “I happily dreading it: it’s the best time of year; it’s the most unproductive time of the year. Pooh!”
Lois, I’m getting tired just reading your post. My husband is a real estate agent, so I know how stressful it is to have your house on the market and keeping it in show condition at all times, on top of all your kids and their friends coming and going. Whew!
I always wanted to write when my kids were growing up, but I never seemed to find the time. It wasn’t until they were out of the house that I began to write a few years ago.
Sorry, I have no advice, just a huge dose of compassion!
Thank you for your huge dose of compassion. It just that for the past 20 years I have put my writing career on hold while I raised children. Just this past year – my youngest was 11 yrs old , and two were out of the house- I thought that this would be the year to set some big wring goals. All is going fine- but I forgot about the three months of summer when I set my ambitious goals- and all the kids home. Maybe I will do what I can- enjoy the kids and summer- and make up for writing (like a madwoman) as soon as the last one enters school in the fall.
As a mother of grown kids, I say this from experience. You will never look back and say I wish I had written more, but you might look back and say I wish I would have spent more time with them. You never get those young years back. You’ll have many years ahead to write. I say enjoy your kids while you can, then get back to writing in the fall.
Very wise advice:) thank you Debra
Thank you Lois, this post is so timely. I’m currently struggling with a DDJ, a two year old, a husband who wants my attention and books that need to get written if I’m to hit my goals. We already go to bed at 9:30 because we get up at 5:30 in our house. Any suggestions or am I just stuck waking up at 4:45?
Nana- I still get up at 445 am every morning-0 even though school is out, and still can not seem to fit writing in with all the summer fun chaos going on:) Good luck:)
Lois, I know you said you can’t take the summer off, so I totally feel for you! Trying to write with my 10 and 9 yr old around is hard! (How’d I do it when I was working more??) I had planned to have the sequel for my RS Lost In Italy done by Sept. 1st, but then got scheduled at work to fill in for a bunch of vacations (I’m part time, so fill-in is part of my duties), I have a 5 day country music festival I go to with the neighbor, family vacation in July, and a bunch of other stuff. I’d put so much pressure on myself to get the book written, that I couldn’t bring myself to do it and then could feel myself getting down about my goal stretching farther and farther out.
So I gave myself permission to take the summer off. No fresh writing is required and I’ll start the book when the kids go back to school and the people at work are done with their vacations.
Now, summer off is a bit misleading. I do plan to re-edit, format, and self-publish 4 of my backlist titles, schedule their releases and some promo, write a short bonus story to go with a boxed set I’m releasing in December, and maybe another short to go in an anthology. Plus I’m signing up for extra promo/blog guest spots and participating in some summer promo events.
But taking the pressure off my shoulders to write that new full-length book made a huge difference in how I felt in less than a day. I’m actually enjoying my summer.
I hope you get sound advice from everyone else and manage to make it through your summer sane.
I am beginning to think for my sanity and my kids, that I too should take the summer off from new writing, an instead focus on editing my full length novel and perhaps plotting my next two anthology stories. Then go full force on the new book when all of the kids are in school (late August) Great ideas:)
If you are okay with that decision, based on my experience, I say go for it. You know what you can handle, and besides, you’ll still be getting valuable work done, and hopefully be energized for brand new writing come September.
The best part of this self-publishing business? We’re our own bosses and don’t have to kill ourselves (or our families) to meet contract deadlines.
Gotcha- we do have the freedom as indie writers- which is wonderful:) No tight deadlines- instead we have “flexible” ones-and I need to know that yes I have some big goals- but taking a few weeks off of new writing (and just editing, promoting etc) is okay:)
Summer is always the best of times and the worst of times, it seems! Somehow I manage to work my writing in around our summer schedule.
I always thought that when my kids got older I have so much more writing time, but it turns out that we’re busier than ever. Nap time was great for learning to write in short concentrated bursts. Still do that today.
Sara- isn’t it weird- the older they get we do get busier. And I had also thought it would be the opposite way around. Thanks for sharing:)
My children are grown and it still amazes me how much they disrupt my day. Son calls, needs money, must drop everything and go do Western Union. Daughter calls hyperventilating and crying (She is 30 BTW) and it takes an hour to calm her down. Damn, where did my writing day go? Only 1100 words and now I’m pissed too. LOL
Ha!! Yes they are our children forever- good and bad:) Too funny Jill:)
Great topic, Lois!
I don’t have any children (although, I do consider my two dogs as my kids, but they’re very writer-friendly
). But, I do have a psychology degree, and that means, above all else, I’d recommend you make the most time for what makes you the most happy. In other words, determine your schedule by those things that truly bring you joy. When your heart and soul are truly happy then you won’t feel as if you’re missing anything. In fact, you’ll end up being even more productive across the board! 
And doing something out of guilt or “should be doing” mode is not out of joy and happiness.
What brings you the most joy and happiness? Make time for those things first. And live truly in those moments, not thinking about what you could be doing or will be doing next.
I know, easier said than done. But it starts with that conscious effort and thought-pattern.
You are so right “And doing something out of guilt or “should be doing” mode is not out of joy and happiness” this is something I must keep in mind. Thanks DD- you are always there with your great wisdom and positive advice- love it:)
I get up each morning at 6:30 AM to write. Since I am a homeschool mother of a six year-old special needs child, it does not matter if it is summer, spring, winter or fall I don’t get huge chunks of time to myself. But having those couple of quiet hours each morning before anyone else gets up allows me to write a couple of thousand words each day.
Home school mother of six? You are amazing:)
Wow–I feel ya!!
I have four elementary-aged kids at home all summer, too. What I started doing was telling the kids I needed to get a certain number of pages written each day (usually 5). We do not go to the park, the pool, or anywhere else until Mom gets her pages done. They have learned that the more they behave during writing time, the quicker we can go out to do fun stuff. On days I don’t feel very motivated, they nag me until I get busy. I was surprised at how well this works, but it does!! Now if I could just incorporate the dreaded treadmill into this equation….
Good luck!
Bethany
(40 days until school starts here in Tennessee!)
Bethany- I love that you have a countdown on when school starts! Summer is wonderful- but also chaotic as well. And your idea of a daily page count before play time is super!
I find plenty of time to write with my 3 kids home … just during those ‘wasted’ hours between 9:30 pm and 5:30 am!!!!
Oh … really … I feel your pain. I don’t give my two oldest still-at-hom kids (8 and 10) a choice about camp. All they do is bicker, interrupt, demand attention, destroy the house and complain they’re bored if I let them stay home. It’s off you go. And when they turn 14 and say they’re too old, it will be off-you-go as a volunteer camp counselor. And when they turn 16 and say they’re too old, it will be off-you-go as a paid junior counselor or a paid full-time job. That’s what -I- did at that age and am the better for it. And that’s what I made my eldest do, now grown and flown the nest, and the work experience was good for her.
The little guy has special needs. I can’t get a camp to take him. So I’ve trained him to amuse himself for blocks of time while I work (work-work write, not creative write) and then we do blocks of things together. Then I work some more. Then we do something else together. He likes to go for long walks (1 hr) and so do I, so that’s often what we do. And then I end up doing my creative writing the same time I do in the winter … after 9:00 at night when the kids are in bed and the oldest is allowed to quietly read in her room.
Anna- wow you have your hands full as well! Great suggestions:)