I live on a teeter totter. Life for me is up, down, up, down, standing in the center with my arms and legs spread trying to keep my balance. Sometimes I fall off.
ouch
My dream job is, of course, to be a full-time writer. I admit to a huge spat of jealousy when I think of Mandy Roth, a friend and amazing author, who quit her FT job to write FT three years ago. green with envy
That’s what I want, but that’s not what I’ve got.
Right now I’ve got a full-time job as a technical writer, what seems to be a full-time job as a novelist, two kids (11 and 15), a mortgage, a husband, and somewhere in there, a social life. Ergo, I live on a teeter totter.
It is a difficult world to balance, to know when to give DH attention, to not ignore my children, get edits and manuscripts in on time, keep my house at least partially clean and food in the fridge, and not lose my mind.
How do we do it? Working mothers have to be the most insane people on the planet. We push ourselves daily to do more, accomplish more and we usually give a lot more than we take. raising hand I fall into that category.
Lately it’s been really insane around here. In between school (6th grader and 10th grader), marching band (15 YO), bowling, edits/writing, work and trying to get ready for the Women’s Expo in TN, I am spinning like Taz.
Life is a balancing act for everyone. How we make it work for us is important. I keep my balance by keeping one thing in mind, my family comes first, always. If my children need me, there’s no edits in the world that will keep me way. My DH needs attention now and then too. 
What about y’all out there? Do you live on a teeter totter too? Or have you graduated to something else?
I’m totally on that see-saw with you, Beth. On the plus side, I don’t have an out of the house job. On the minus side, I feel like this means everything else should come easier, and when it doesn’t, there goes the ego! My kids are little — I placate myself by imagining they will be less work when they get older. But it sounds like it’s just as much!
I kind of remember what a social life is. Its been awhile since I had one. LOL
Its VERY hard to juggle it all. There as some days I want to the throw in the towel and admit defeat. It seems like when I’m at my lowest someone, like you, pops up and says the sweetest thing… reminding me that I’m not alone in it all and that everyone has a ton that they shoulder each and every day.
(((( hugs))))))))))))
You’re an amazing woman, writer and friend!
Graduated to something else, Beth. No teeter-totter here.
My job is part time and not challenging, affording me lots of time to do my “other” work while at work. Yes, I’m ethically challenged so sue me.
The last of my three girls left for college this year. No one needs me except the dogs and cats—and they are demanding enough. Oh, right, and the spouse. But he’s a big boy and good at entertaining himself. All I have to do is throw food at him now and again, rather like the pets. At least he doesn’t need to be let in and out all the time.
Anyway, this writing thing couldn’t have happened for me any earlier than the last couple of years. It prevents empty nest syndrome. I don’t feel lonely even if I have tons of time to myself now. I have too many character voices clamoring to get out. I can write at work and at home without much interruption. It really is wonderful.
Jody ~ I bow to you as a SAHM. My kids are older and more self-sufficient, but still there are challenges. Every one of us has a balancing act!
Mandy ~ Gads, you made me cry!! bawling like a baby – You are an amazing woman yourself!!
Bonnie ~ Very cool! You surely don’t look old enough to have three girls in college. o_O I look forward to the day (albeit in 7 years) when I can say the same thing!
Chores, errands, bills, homeschool, cooking, writing, promoting… I frequently wish I had a clone. I’d give her all the jobs I don’t want to do. LOL
I clean my house by making my children do it.
It might not be spotless, but I keep telling myself I’m grooming them for adulthood. So far, they believe that… heheheh
~~Becka
Oh, boy this is something I learned the hard way last spring. But, when I decided to start writing again, I was a SAHM. So technically, I wrote as a job, since I didn’t hold a job outside of the home. Before I was published three years later, I had my second child, so I had to give something up to be able to write and that was TV. I still watch little of it, now that the youngest has started school full time, but I have moved to more of a movie watcher.
My balancing act now comes from my husband’s job this year. He’s on the AETC IG(inspector general) and has to inspect bases. Which means a lot of TDY, so a lot of single parenting and changes in schedules when he breezes in and out of our lives. We also might be moving this year, so I am working to get ahead so that I will not be so far behind when we get settled.
Becka ~ Oh, girl, you have my utmost respect. Homeschooling plus everything else. Wow. I use my kids to clean the house too.
Mel ~ Yeah, it’s a challenge when your DH goes away (or if you have no DH) and you’re a Mom 24/7. It’s such a balancing act, isn’t it?