mini-series from Marvel Comics and for co-writing 
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Art and motherhood: A difficult combination?
Found this on UrbanMamas.com:
Art and motherhood: A difficult combination?: “
At Wordstock last month, I sat in on several readings and discussions by writer mamas, and recently I’ve been very closely following other mothers and writers on Twitter and Facebook. I’ll admit to a fascination that’s part curiosity and part … jealousy? longing? … as I watch them juggle motherhood and their art. From a distance, it seems they’re doing it better than me.
I’ve finally gotten to the point where I believe I could finish my book proposal any day (really!) and I’m finally having a essay published in print this month. After years writing online, I’m coming into this artist-writer bit, slowly, with lots of squeaking and complaints from my family. It’s been hard, especially on those nights where my oldest has decided to go off melatonin, a gentle sleep aid we’d been using to good effect, and I must restart the process of coaching him on calming himself. For three hours.
A friend Tweeted she was locked in her bedroom this weekend, finishing a few last chapters of her book as her husband wrangled her boys. Another acquaintance, a writer dad, seems as if he’s frequently out of town on book readings and fabulous events, trading off childcare duty and glamorous writer things with his poet wife. I asked an author I admired at Wordstock how she managed to write with children — and she’s a single mother, having adopted a little girl internationally. ‘Very expensive childcare,’ she answered.
Then yesterday, I read in the Oregonian about this fabulous couple here in Portland. They’re both visual artists and she’s an accomplished writer. They’re gorgeous and cute and funny and successful. They have a three-month-old baby. I’m so jealous! (On the same page: a story about the Decemberists’ guitarist and his lovely girlfriend, Seann McKeel, who’ve started a series of concerts for children and parents to help entertain their three-year-old child. She’s also an artist. Oh!)
In my house, juggling art and motherhood don’t go that well. A two-year-old literally hangs from my arm when I’m in the middle of typing an especially inspired sentence. I go to a coffee shop to write for three hours, and when I come home, the slow cooked meal I’d begun has burnt and homework hasn’t been done — my husband was focused on the littlest and his nap, the laundry…
Are you, too, trying to combine some passion — whether it’s writing, art, a political or non-profit endeavor, or a really rewarding job — and motherhood? How have you managed? Do you sometimes feel that everyone but you is doing great? Or do you have secrets, tricks of the trade, that make it all come together?”
(Via urbanMamas.)
Would you say that is how you are feeling? Its a great little article.
I have twins who are now almost 6 years old. I am very driven, ambitious, and disciplined by nature and throughout the past 6 years I have felt this way soooo many times. I had this urge to work (my own business, writing, painting), simply to feed my adult brain, but I just could not keep it up. I also felt like I was doing nothing right. It was very frustrating. Now however, my kids started school and I see light at the end of the tunnel. My windows of opportunity get larger and I can feel WE are ready for me to get back into things. My advice: you can’t force it!! You have to be patient and wait until the kids are a little older – unless you don’t mind dropping them off in daycare all day long, which I never could!! Otherwise it will be crazy at home and nobody will be happy!! Good luck and hang in there!!
P.S.: You can check out my new project at http://www.MyKidsArtOnCanvas.com – here you can convert your child’s art into a masterpiece on canvas!!