A Delicate Balance

In addition to being an author, I'm also a stay at home mom. This means that in the middle of trying to up my word counts on the latest WIP, I'm also trying to make sure the house isn't in a state of total disarray, and not neglecting my children.

Some days, I can do all the chores while still engaging my kids, and then do a little digging into my latest story, while somehow not feeling like I'm dying a slow death.

Most days, I daydream about writing and never get anything down on the page because I'm too tired and/or too busy looking after two very cute but very needy little girls.

Sometimes I choose a clean kitchen over starting a new chapter, or a conversation with my husband over writing the next scene.

Most times I sit down at my desk to write, and my kids don't allow it for longer than ten minutes.

But that give and take, that delicate balance, is well worth it. As a SAHM, it's such a struggle to make room for something just for me. Writing does nothing for my family and my house. But writing is a part of me that has always been there, even as a child, and pursuing it now has me feeling...complete. I'm coming into my own as a writer, and it's been the thing I've missed most about my life before having kids (besides the sleep and silence). And it's hard for me to remember that my happiness is important too. Becoming a mom doesn't require me to abandon myself.

That being said, I don't want anybody assuming that I'm doing all the chores. My husband and I are a team and he doesn't expect me to do it all. I'm grateful for that, and grateful that he understands how important it is for me to write.

Life is a messy, imperfect balance. Sometimes I don't get it right, and sometimes I do. But I know that I can be a good wife, a good mom, and a good writer. It's just all about keeping that balance.