Juggling Writing and Kids ~ Guest Post from Sara Dawkins

Please welcome freelance writer and nanny, Sara Dawkins, to Guest Post Friday at Caveman Reflections Cyber-bistro...

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Juggling Writing and Kids

As a nanny, I often find myself entangled in sticky fingers and knotted shoelaces. Whenever I think I might have a break, someone cries, needs a new diaper, or wants a snack. It seems like a never-ending battle to get all the kids settled down long enough to even sit down for a moment, not to mention write something coherent! There have been some things I have been able to come up with, however, to make sure they get the care they need and I get the writing done that I need:

1.    Set aside time – If you never make sure you have time to write then you will never get any writing done. Whether it is kids, chores, or friends, you need to set strict boundaries and make sure writing time is writing time and nothing else. The more you do that the easier it will get, so keep it up.

2.     Work smart – Did you ever hear the saying work smarter, not harder. Well, it is true. The more organized and scheduled you can keep your writing the better. You do not want to spend half your time searching for a paper or trying to figure out what you have to do next. Make a plan and go with it.

3.     Short bursts –There is not always time to spend hours in front of the computer, so plan on writing in short bursts. Get to the point where you can write for a few moments and then move on. I know you want to keep going when you are in the flow, but if you make a practice of writing a little at a time you will be better off.

4.     Quiet time – Involving the kids in writing is something that is often overlooked. They need to work on their skills too! If you can get them quiet and thinking, then both you and they can accomplish something. Creating their own story books is a great way to get them interested in writing, and they can always illustrate their work when they get done writing it!

These are just a few ways to get writing done when you have kids hanging around. These tips also work for any work from home parent who has to deal with a lot of distractions. Remember to set up firm boundaries and keep your workplace organized. You will get more done in the long run. Good luck!

Author Bio

Freelance writer, Sara Dawkins, contributes to the Cyber-bistro.

Sara is an active nanny as well as an active freelance writer. She is a frequent contributor of http://www.nannypro.com/.  Learn more about her here.