Seven Days to a Successful Mommy Blog
In my unending quest to get a couple of (gasp!) peaceful moments to myself, I decided this week to attempt a challenge. Mission: See how long it takes to write an overdue blog. Here’s how it went.
Spoiler alert: (only because the outcome is totally predictable) I managed. Barely. And even that is questionable.
Now, if you’re a mom, you know that accomplishing even the simplest of self indulgent tasks is often pointless. Hence, you should also know better than to bother trying, which is exactly why I have dared to push the limits- I’m dumber than you. Taking one for the team- that’s how I roll.
The idea behind this little operation came to me one night while I was doing what I’m doing now: attempting to write. Imagine that, me being so brazen as to think I could just sit down and git ‘er done. It’s actually a wonder I succeed at writing anything, considering I’m doing so despite:
- a zealous toddler, hardhat in hand, insisting I be “Wendy”
- various spillages and / or potty training debacles and / or tantrums
- a chatty husband, sharing details of his day while rolling down the top of a crinkly chip bag and maxing the tv volume
- some dude at the door asking if we need our driveway sealed
- my mom calling to say she thinks my headache is a sinus infection
- oh-crap-it’s-dinner-time-and-I-don’t-have-anything grocery runs
- nighttime pre-ovulation “trying to conceive” sex interludes (sorry dad)
…you get the jist.
The point is, it’s damned hard to write, and that bugs me. I mean, why? Why must it take several days of battling disruptions to do something so simple? It wasn’t nearly this hard to accomplish things when I was single and had my own place, and sometimes I resent it.
That’s not to say I want to go back. Before becoming a wife and mother, I had a bachelor “condo” in a questionable neighbourhood and a $20 weekly food budget, and those are not things I miss. But what a treat to come home from work every day, plunk my size zero butt in front of the computer, snarf some KD and just write. What I miss from those days (aside from having the size zero butt) is the personal time. With the exception of garbage bags tumbling down the chute directly outside my door, I had quiet. I had peace. I had two. freaking. seconds.
But no more.
As a side note, I have no idea how mothers of two or more do this kind of thing all the time. If you are one of those mothers, I applaud you. And I hope your next blog reveals the secrets of your got-it-all-together-ness for the sake of unworthy slouches like me.
So, let’s see how long it takes for one belated mommy blog to materialize, shall we?
Day 1 – Sunday
All attempts to write: Squelched. It was my mom’s 60th birthday and family visited from out of town.
Result: Total writeoff.
Day 2 – Monday
Attempt to write #1: Failed: Got up at 6 thinking I’d get some work done before Devan woke. Most days he sleeps until 7. This morning? Yep. 6.
Attempt to write #2: Failed again Decided I’d wait until Devan’s nap and try again. Most days he naps for 2 hours. Today? No nap. Perfect.
Attempt to write #3: Aborted. Finally got Devan to sleep after an hour of refusal. Crashed with a nasty headache.
Result: Zip.
Day 3 – Tuesday
All attempts to write: Abandoned With thanks to what was probably the most torturous headache I’ve ever had.
Result: Surrender
Day 4 – Wednesday
See day 3.
Day 5 – Thursday
Attempt to write #1: Failed: Got up at 6 again thinking this was finally it. Devan got up at 6 too. Sensing a pattern.
Attempt to write #2: Semi-failed: Managed to get Devan interested in a re-re-rerun of “Caillou Goes to the Beach” long enough to log in to the blog’s “write” page. Wrote two sentences, erased. Paused to take some ibuprofen for aforementioned headache. Wrote 6 sentences, pausing repeatedly to say “no” or “stop” or “don’t hit the tv”. Gave up and couched it.
Attempt to write #3: Meh: Got Devan down for his nap just in time for hubby to come home. Hubby had stories to share. And share. And share. Wrote a paragraph while listening, deleted it. Wrote another paragraph while trying to block out the penpal episode of M*A*S*H. Deleted it. Wrote two decent sentences while considering whether my mom was right about the headache. Realized we needed dinner. Succumbed to fate.
Result: 5 hours sleep + 8000 distractions + 2 Life brand liqui gels = 8 sentences.
Day 6 – Friday
Attempt to write #1: Didn’t happen: Figuring on another 6:00 wake up for Devan, I decided not to bother trying. He slept ‘till 7:15.
Attempt to write #2: As if: 2:30 p.m., Unbuckled sleepy boy from the van. A non-napping buddy and his mom, out for a walk, decide to stop and chat. One sleepy boy no longer sleepy, one frustrated blogger and one neglected website. Again. But at least my headache was gone.
Attempt to write #3: Debatable: You’re reading it now. Buckled down at 10:00 p.m. and made it happen while hubby watched Clash of the Titans, 2 feet away. Managed to keep my concentration as I’m not into Sci Fi. I think it had something to do with Medusa?
Result: A finished, legible, semi decent article that will hopefully make you forget it’s been over a week since I published anything.
Et voila. One mommy blog, ready to post 7 days later at 12:35 on a Saturday morning. Getting up at 6 should be great!
Comments? Click here to leave one- we’ll post comments here, below the article.
Comments:
Name: Denise
Date: August 14, 2010
“As a stay-at-home mom of two, I feel your pain. For me, the challenge is studying for a correspondence university course. It cannot happen in the house, I’ve decided. So I have regular appointments at the library where I can actually accomplish something. Perhaps you could try that in the evening?”
Sara:
Love that idea! Tried it once but the guilt got to me. But in the end, it would probably help me save time. I could write a piece much faster there, which would allow more time for being with my adorable men. I may start trying it more, thank you for the reminder!
Posted by: Sara Hodge on: 2010-08-14 Permanent Link: Seven Days to a Successful Mommy Blog
