There are some crazy similarities between being a parent and being a writer. Both require periods of undivided attention, have moments of stress and/or doubt, and evoke amazing love and pride. Neither is for the weak in character/faint of heart/non-committal types. Should you ignore either of these roles for any length of time, much of what you may have gained in experience or progress is often lost. And it is, as I have found, a dizzying volley to try and maintain balance in both roles at the same time.
When I am immersed in one, I am unintentionally neglecting the other. A vicious cycle of constant redirection; sometimes I believe this is what it feels like to slowly go insane. It's no surprise to me when I hear of people finally getting caught leading double lives. How on earth can they manage that pace for any length of time?
The more I try to split myself between these two vocations (and make no mistake parenting is a lifetime career), it becomes clear just how much dedication and drive is required. Any interest or activity outside of these two roles...say earning a living, can definitely cut into the already limited time available to dedicate to being both a mother and a writer. Never mind the mundane, yet oh-so-necessary things like driving, sleeping, eating and such. It's a wonder there are as many published authors out there as there are when you consider all the hurdles, distractions and outright roadblocks the average life contains.
Creativity is an amazing thing, though only if it's honed. There is little benefit of being able to write well, if that talent is rarely utilized. And zero point in parenting if a person lets their child run amuck. At least in my opinion. Not everyone who is a parent strives to be their best, and not every person with creative tendencies or promise wants to be an artist. Of course if a person does, then, for the most part - at least if they are doing what is required to survive in tandem with honing their craft, they need to be willing and able to make adjustments every day. Not to mention give themselves regular pep talks to re-root their resolve.
I'm nowhere near finding the balance I need to be a productive writer, but I'm working on it. Sometimes you reach a point where the only option is to start over. If parenting has taught me anything, it's how to stick with it no matter how difficult it may seem, and to celebrate even the small things; like completing a blog entry every night.
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