Finding Me Time

-
I'm sure you've been through this. Day after day of taking care of kids, cleaning the house, doing laundry, homeschooling and foster care (in my case), grocery shopping, library visits, and God knows what else, it dawns on you that you do everything for everyone else except yourself.

Our foster care case worker came over the other day to visit the new baby we have. She asked me what my days are like and I told her. Then she asked me what I do for myself each day. I shrugged and said, "I read a few pages of a book for ten minutes before I fall asleep." That sounded pathetic even to me.

She told me as a parent I should take time out every day to something just for myself. It felt almost impossible this week to do that, especially with a five year old and a three month old baby. But I paid closer attention and tried. I ended up getting to read a writing magazine for an hour the other day when the baby had a visit with his mother and my husband played a video game with my son. And last night I got to go to Target with my girlfriend and shop. We took the baby, but besides a small crying fit (the baby not my girlfriend) which I quickly ended by swaddling him, he was fine.

I guess the only downside I've seen of homeschooling so far is that I won't get a break like most parents who send their kids to school. And believe me, I'm not complaining, I love being with him. I just need to get creative on how to carve out a little more time for myself. This next week I'm shooting for actually getting some writing done.

How do you fit time in just for you when life gets in the way?

Comments

Bethany Elizabeth said…
Life never gets less busy, does it? :( I'm hoping I'll get a couple years between college and marriage when I can get a lot of writing done, but we'll see.
But you DEFINITELY should take some time for yourself and your writing. :) If, you know, you can find it... best of luck! :)
April 23, 2011 at 1:49 PM
Leah (aka Mary_not_Martha) said…
Ah, the elusive "me-time". Even though my kids are in school - it seems like there's always one home for whatever reason. I don't think it's abnormal for a mom to not have "me time". I think people should suggest it but it shouldn't be a burden on you to check off your list. One way I sneak in me-time is running them a bubble bath, grabbing a book and sitting in the hall just outside the doorway where I can see them but read and not feel the need for constant eye-contact.
April 25, 2011 at 1:02 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Name is Lisa and I Write Crap

-
Image
I used to be so afraid of writing something horrible, that I wouldn't write anything at all. I'd have a half-hour or so to myself and instead of getting as much down as I could, I'd type, delete, retype and delete again. I had to have perfect sentences formed from perfect ideas. It didn't work. It took me years to finally learn to just write anything. Even if it's crap (and it usually is first time around). But I'm finally OK with writing a crappy first draft. If it's still crap when I'm done, well, that's another problem all together. I used to think, What if I died tomorrow and my family found this notebook full of god-awful first drafts? They'd think I was a terrible writer! If I can write only awesome sentences, they'll realize what talent I had and be sorry they didn't take more interest in my amazing stories... or something like that. Anyway, now when I start writing a story (whether it's a novel or a screenplay) I just
Read more

Yet Another Embarrassing Confession (you would think I'd have run out by now)

-
The absolute worst part about being a writer for me is grammar and punctuation. With every post I put up, every email I send and every story I write, I am waiting for someone to come back to me and say, "Seriously? How can a writer not know where to put commas?" Commas are my enemy. I have no clue where they go. I try to put them where I think would be a natural pause in a sentence, but I know I'm usually wrong. I basically toss them up in the air willy-nilly and let them land where they want. Can you recommend a grammar/punctuation book that is easy to understand? (I never took a "real" English class in high school, so I'm starting fresh). The Elements of Style is too...sterile for me. I need something I can easily grasp onto. I'd greatly appreciate any, suggestions. (<< that comma was a joke. See, at least I can joke about my ignorance)
Read more

Out of the Closet in 1st Grade

-
I went to #30 school for first grade. Every morning I walked by myself down Otis Street to the school. There were always a bunch of kids outside the door waiting to get in. The older mature (10 years old) security guards wore their safety belts guarding the doors. No one was getting past them until it was time to go in. One morning when I got to the doors there was no one there. Not one kid was outside. I was super late. Or so I thought. I ran through the doors and down to my first grade classroom. It was completely empty. I wasn't late, I was early. Instead of going back outside to wait for other kids to show up, like a normal person, I decided to climb into the coat closet and sit on the floor and wait. I don't know how long I waited in the dark on the floor, but eventually I heard kids coming into the room. I nonchalantly slid the closet door open, stepped out, hung up my coat and sat down. If I looked suspicious, no one ever said anything.
Read more