Time Crunch

Blogging as a mom offers so many rewards. I love the sense of not being alone that I feel while my comment section fills up with commiserating moms when I'm having a hard time. Also, I love having the blog as a journal of my daughter's life; already I've forgotten details of her early months that I've cataloged in my blog. I can't imagine life without blogging.

But one issue presents itself again and again: TIME.

For me, blogging isn't just about writing a blog. It's about reading other blogs too. I read over 150 blogs a day (thanks to a blog feed reader, it's not as hard as it sounds). I love reading these blogs, many of them by other mommy bloggers. Frankly, it's some of the best writing I've ever come across.

But as I've gotten busier, and my daughter has grown older, I've found it harder to be a participant on those blogs in the comment section. I've become a "lurker"--someone who reads but doesn't comment. There's nothing wrong with lurking, but I hate not having enough time to show those bloggers how much I love what they write--the way people do on my blog.

Now of course I'm writing here as well as in my own blog. Plus I write for a living. But my daughter just turned two years old, and since I'm a work-at-home mom, I'm finding it almost impossible to have the time I need to work--let alone blog! My daughter demands more attention than ever.

Over the spring she was going to a Parents Morning Out program at a local church a few mornings a week--boy did that help! But now that's over for the summer, and I am all mommy, all the time. I don't know what we'll do to make working possible for me this summer. As a matter of fact, I'm typing this right now while sitting on the floor with my daughter sitting on my leg. I'm glad my daughter loves me so much, but sheesh!

It seems like my only option is to give up me time--particularly my relaxing evening television time. If I concentrate on working while my daughter is asleep, I can just barely manage to get everything done. But that means my day becomes entirely about my daughter and work. That feels like a recipe for resentment and frustration.

What do you do? How do you manage your personal and parenting time? It must be especially difficult for work-outside-the-home moms too. Let's share our tips for staying sane while being great parents, shall we?

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mrshannigan  - I'm with ya, sister!     |2008-06-14 23:26:03 I'm a WAHM writer, too. I have 6 daughters and I'm homeschooling. My laptop is in my kitchen with me all day. Kids come in & out of my "office" all day with homework questions and I'm constantly switching modes to check a math assignment or read an essay or make lunch. I think a houseful of kids is a little easier than just one. My girls keep each other fairly busy. Sometimes my brain can't handle several distractions- that's when I read blogs. Sometimes I feel like a naughty lurker. I've made a point of sending one (just one) blogger a personal email of appreciation each day. There's no time in the world to comment on everything!

freerangemom  - stay focused     |2008-06-16 13:03:04 The key to getting it all done is to stay focused on what's important. In my house that is: 1. time with kids 2. earning money 3. taking care of myself (exercise) 4. keeping up the house 5. relaxing 6. on-line social networking (twitter, blog reading etc.) #6 is a big time sucker -- keeping a sense of where it stand on your list is important.

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