Writing, life and everything in between

Okay...I get asked this question A LOT.

How do I write with two children in the house?

While my system isn't perfect (I don't write every day) it works for me. So hopefully there are a few tips in here you can use to your advantage.

I start the morning at around 8-8:30 AM. If my boys are still asleep I sneak into the study and write. Even if it's to type in a few ideas or transfer a few notes into my computer I at least got that tiny bit done.

By the time 9 O'Clock rolls around my children are officially awake. So that means diapers get changed, little boys are sitting on the potty, breakfast, cartoons, bribes are made, time outs are handed out and before I know it...I look at the clock and it's 11 AM. By this point my kids have finally settled on a cartoon (my youngest is sitting in the playpen gnawing on a toy and my oldest is sitting on the couch). But no worries, while I was feeding them breakfast and changind diapers I was still writing. It's all in my head...which means I have to hurry and write it down before I forget but still...I have a story which is the important thing.

I do a lot of thinking and plotting while I'm doing mundane chores around the house. When I'm doing laundry...I'm really thinking about character description. When I'm washing the dishes I'm thinking about witty conversations between Bianca and Ming. When I'm driving I'm thinking about what dreams Bianca is having while she's staying in Everafter. I finally get a chance to do actual writing while I'm sitting in the parking lot waiting to drop off my son at school. And even more writing if I'm lucky and Peter has taken a nap while Mason is in school. That's 3 whole hours all to myself!

One thing that does suffer is the house work. Because I've spent all the time writing, I didn't vacuum the carpet or dust, or put the kids' toys away...or fold their clothes. But the good news is that I figured out my way out of chapter 5 and I wrote almost 2,000 words worth in three hours. :D

Before I know it, it's time to pack up Peter and pick up Mason from preschool. And what am I doing while I sit in the parking lot? You got it...I'm writing. 10-15 minutes worth of writing amounts to 3 pages in my notebook. I don't waste any time at all.

Then it's time to give my son's their snacks, change diapers, sit Mason in the potty, watch cartoons or play video games because that's Mason's favorite thing to do...make ME play. And once more I'm living inside my head mapping out more of my novel. Now before you assume that I'm not emotionally present with my children or give them my full attention, you are greatly mistaken. I am able to set my writing aside to be there for my children. It's just that I'm able to multitask certain things in my mind. I also take my kids to the park, the mall, read books with them, color (if they feel like it) and any other activity they are interested in at that moment.

Let's not forget dinner (my least favorite task), because I also have a husband to take care of too. :) Then it's a whole new set of things to take care of. Dinner for the family, take care of the dirty dishes, bath time (myself included), checking facebook (excesively), emails, and then at around 8PM I ask my hubby to take over with the boys and I get a little writing done. Then at 10PM Mason is asleep, Pete is still running around because he's a baby and doesn't understand the concept of sleep (he's a very energetic 1 year old) and by 11PM my day is officially done.

Time for sleep...and then the following day I get to do it all over again.