Summer time!

What do you think of when you hear the word summer? Whenever summer approaches I think of that Summertime song from Will Smith. I also think of lounging by the pool or being on a beach somewhere like my fellow blogger, Gracen, got to do recently (and I’m jealous, by the way!). Hot muscular men in swim trunks, fruity drinks, and sand. Sounds like heaven to me! The reality of any of that? It’s not for me or most people if you have kids. And being a writer on top of it all? It seems almost impossible.

My kids got out of school May 27th. My son had this pent up energy of some sort that made him go crazy the first day of his summer break. I was ready for him to go back May 28th. If you’re a parent, you probably understand. I no longer have those quiet days to write. Instead of characters in my head telling me what to write on the screen, I get to hear “Mom I’m bored,”. Or maybe “There’s nothing to eat,” when the fridge and cupboards are full. And if you have more than one child? I don’t even want to start. Just know the computer they share is shut off for awhile because I’m tired of hearing about who was not being fair today!

Summer. Used to be the magical time of the year. Everyone was happy. The days were carefree. Not anymore. What happened to the luxury of eating popsicles in the backyard all day like when I was a kid? Now we have to fill the days with activities to stay sane. So where does that leave our writing time? Lost in limbo.

Here’s some tips I thought of for us to grab a chunk (even a small one) to keep going during this zany time of year.

~Find a trusted friend to exchange play days with. You take her kids for a day, she takes yours another day. It’ll give you a few hours of good writing time.

~Kids need something to do? Look into your local parks and rec program. I know most had budget cuts (ours did) but see what they have to offer anyway. Ours offers free swimming and some great classes at low cost. Ours also has an adult lounge to hang out in. It’s always quiet in there!

~Are you spending more hours at kid events than at home? How about writing while you are there.

~Set a certain time that’s writing time each day. Set limits. Trust me- they’ll learn to respect them. Mine have.

~Get up before the rest of the family. My schedule has changed but I still get up at my old time so I have that hour just for me. It’s awesome and well worth it.

~If all of these fail? Put on some headphones, some good music, and tune ‘em out!

So let me know how you manage!


Talk to you soon,
Wendy Ely