Today is the 20th post in my 30-day blogging challenge. Between you, me and the entire internet, I didn’t think I’d get this far. I have now posted more blog posts in the past 20 days than I did throughout the entire year 2014.
Last year was a slow blogging year for me. Two major work contracts, a new house and a healthy dose of self-doubt kept me away from my keyboard.
The past 20 days have been a juggle, not because of the blogging though. As well as entertaining Little Fairy and Boy-Who-Asks-Questions during their school holidays I’ve also had to squeeze in work. Thankfully, not major work projects, but work I still had to complete to keep some kind of income flowing during the holiday period.
For working parents the school holidays can be hard. Sometimes I wondered whether I was squeezing my work around my kids, or my kids around my work. And then there was that blasted daily blog post and the pressure I felt to ‘write something good’. But I quickly realised that if was also going to squeeze in a daily post as well, the need for perfection would have to wait. There have been posts that I so desperately wanted to delete or leave until tomorrow. But perfection is not the point of this 30-day blogging challenge. Declaring ‘feck it’ and publishing it anyway, is.
But my kids have been great. They understand that ‘mummy works’, and that sometimes she has to be ‘left on her own’ in her office. Although it can be hard for them to resist sticking their heads into the office every minute to either sing “I swear” to me in minion, or to show me their latest artistic interpretation of a puppy in crayon. And equally hard for me to stop my frustration from seeping through as I try to explain that mummy ‘just needs 10 more minutes to herself to get her work done’.
The other day I came out of the office to find these signs stuck on the door…
Today is officially the last day of the school holidays and I’m mixed with emotions. I love hanging out with my little monkeys, but I’m also relieved for the routine that school brings to our lives, as well as the uninterrupted and guilt free work hours.
But today, it’s all about them.
As soon as I hit publish on this post we are going swimming. Just us. There will be no phone calls. No emails. No conference calls.
Just us.
How have you coped with the school holiday juggle?
Ms_MotorbikeNut says
January 27, 2014 at 10:11 pmWe are semi like that when we have our daughter A over for our share of access, when she is with us we give her all our attention & spend time with her.
When she is sleeping or at school,playing with friends or with her mum for her share of access we then go on twitter more & do things we can’t do with her around we have our me time then also.
(((( Hugs ))))
whatsinemmasbrain says
January 27, 2014 at 10:44 pmBalancing everything is a tough one. I am sad about my youngest starting school, but I am also relieved that some of the balancing will be made easier. xx
Sam Stone says
January 28, 2014 at 2:37 amMy daughter is only about to start school so we haven’t had the school holiday juggle yet. I am already thinking about the first school holidays though! hahaha
Pinky Poinker says
January 28, 2014 at 7:37 amI’m on the other side now with all my 5 kids finished school last year BUT I’m a Primary teacher so still had to go back to work today 🙂 I did miss the little devils and the routine a bit so it’s good to be back.
Palu Toddd says
January 28, 2014 at 9:40 amWell, I’m glad that you realise that us teachers are just glorified babysitters in the end. As much as we endeavour to impart knowledge to you darlings at the end of the day, we are merely conduits for working mums and dads everywhere to enable a productive nation. But we do do our best to fill in the gaps, really we do.