A few years ago, during a long heart-to-heart with my husband, he asked me what I needed to become a better writer. I told him I needed time. Time to myself, to write more, instead of grabbing an hour of computer time after the kids were in bed and the dishes washed.
"August 2020," I said with confidence. "When Amelia starts kindergarten. I'll have eight hours a day by myself, and I'll be able to write so much more."
I had been counting down to my youngest child entering kindergarten pretty much ever since we decided we weren't having any more kids. All that time! I was going to accomplish so much!
Well, 2020 has changed everyone's plans, hasn't it? My daughter started kindergarten last month, as scheduled, but over Zoom, not as scheduled. Our district allowed parents to choose whether their children would attend school in-person or online, and I opted for online. Juggling 3 kids' Zoom schedules is not easy, to say the least. It is not a perfect solution, but it was the one I felt was best for us right now. We're all trying to do our best. It's okay if that doesn't look the same for everyone (unless you're refusing to wear a mask in public; you're not doing your best you're just an a-hole).
I'm not getting the extra hours of writing time that I've been dreaming of for years. And I'm sad about it. Some days are harder than others. Some days aren't so bad. I keep reminding myself that this won't last forever, and I will eventually get the time to myself that I need. I managed to write a bunch of books in the small space between the kids' bedtime and mine, and I'll continue to do so. For now.
The pandemic probably didn't help a whole lot.
ReplyDeleteJust stopping by to thank you for being an amazing woman.
I'm getting ready for the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge. And hoping to honor the wonderful women in my life on March 8 for International Women's Day.
J Lenni Dorner~ Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge, Debut Author Interviewer, Reference& Speculative Fiction Author