| It's the middle of summer, your kids are home with you | | | | about your writing for the afternoon and really focus |
| ALL DAY long. They're probably unintentionally | | | | on your children and what they want to do with you. |
| diverting your attention from your writing. | | | | This can be refreshing to say the least, and it may also |
| It's a beautiful, sunny day and they are insisting that | | | | be just the break you need to be able to redirect your |
| you turn off your computer and come outside to play | | | | thoughts to your writing later in the day. |
| with them or take them to the pool or the park. The | | | | - On a rainy day instead of letting the cartoons bellow |
| temptation and/or frequent requests from your | | | | from your television all day, turn the tube off and play |
| beloved little ones is enough to distract you - long | | | | games with your kids. Board games like Junior |
| enough that you lose your train of thought... | | | | Scrabble, Monopoly and even Sorry! can be |
| Or perhaps it's a dreary, rainy day and your kids are | | | | entertaining and educational for BOTH of you. The |
| stuck inside the house, tired of watching cartoons, | | | | diversion alone may help to solve your immediate |
| bored to tears, bouncing off the walls and begging you | | | | inability to write. |
| for "something to do..." (despite the fact that they have | | | | - Take time to eavesdrop on your children and their |
| a room full of toys and games that they could play by | | | | conversations with each other and/or their friends. Find |
| themselves...) You can only respond to their repeated | | | | out what they're talking about among themselves. You |
| requests for your assistance a handful of times before | | | | can not only learn more about your kids and the world |
| you inevitably fail to be able to focus on your writing | | | | as they see it, but you may also hear about something |
| effectively... | | | | that sparks new ideas for your writing. Children are like |
| If either one of these scenarios sounds familiar, you | | | | sponges, they absorb almost everything that's going on |
| may find yourself eventually facing the dreaded | | | | around them. We, as adults, sometimes fail to realize |
| "Writer's Block." | | | | this and in turn lose out on learning what really goes on |
| Instead of allowing your children to contribute to your | | | | their little minds. |
| battle with being able to write a functional sentence, | | | | - Be honest with your toddlers and/or teenagers about |
| much less think clearly enough to construct an | | | | your writing dilemma. Explain what you're feeling in a |
| effective paragraph, consider how your kids can | | | | way that they can understand. Ask them for help. You |
| actually help you beat writer's block. | | | | may just be surprised at what valuable advice they |
| Children generally have excessive energy and an | | | | give you. |
| array of brilliant ideas dancing around in their young | | | | It can be easy to complain about your kids and blame |
| minds. You can use their natural curiosity and pure | | | | your writer's block on them. But I think it may be better |
| brainpower to get your own creativity going. | | | | to try to interact with them in a way that benefits both |
| Try some of the following techniques to let your | | | | of you. |
| youngsters alleviate the anxiety you're feeling when | | | | Remember summer only lasts for three months. Less |
| you cannot seem to write anything worthwhile. | | | | than a month from now, you will no longer have the |
| - Talk to your kids. Ask them questions. Try "What if..." | | | | luxury of this extra time with your children. |
| questions that tap into their fantasy/dreamworld. Listen | | | | Make the most of their vacation from school - for their |
| carefully to their answers, which may just give you | | | | sake and your own. Our children are priceless. |
| new ideas to write about and/or a new way of looking | | | | They grow up very quickly. We cannot pause time. |
| at your writing. | | | | We can take a pause from our writing. It will always |
| - Give into their requests for you to go outside and | | | | be there. |
| play with them. Let yourself go be a kid again. Forget | | | | Our kids will not be kids forever. |