Writing with the little guys

The morning sun is peeking over the trees and there is a hush over the land that is almost reverant. A cool breeze wafts through my open window and caresses my cheek, inviting me to come outside. I still have the a childish side of me that aches to dance among the glistening dewdrops that cling to the grasses, but I know better. This is my time to write.

My two year-old toddler--the real head of the household--is sleeping happily in his bed, a slight smile is tugging at the corners of his mouth. It's obvious that he's dreaming of the mischief he will get into today. About a year ago, I learned how difficult it was to write with a toddler.

It started off as an uneventful summer day. As usual, my preteen son and toddler woke at the crack of dawn to watch "their shows" on PBS. Even though my oldest is WAY to old to watch Sesame Street, he and my toddler have made it a habit to watch it together. I look at it this way; years from now, that is something they can both look back on with great fondness.

After breakfast was finished and the dishes washed, I trod happily down the hall to my office, leaving them to watch their shows. As usual, the toddler raced happily up and down the hall, stopping occasionally to peep mischievously into my office at me. Every once in a while, I would hear the unmistakable clatter as he pulled something out of the toybox.

After downing a cup of much needed coffee, I turned on my computer and steeled myself for the job before me. Days ago, while working on a manuscript, I had encountered the dreaded writers' block. That manuscript soon became an albatross around my neck. I spent hours grinding my teeth and pulling my hair, searching for that bit of inspiration that would get me over the "hump." I think I would have slammed my head in the bathroom door a few time if I thought it would help my thought process.

Maybe it was the coffee or the fact I had allowed myself to relax, but that morning inspiration flowed through me. My fingers fairly flew over the keyboard. This is wonderful, I thought. I'll be through with the manuscript by lunch at the rate I'm going.

My celebration was cut short when I realized it was quiet, too quiet. It dawned on me that it had been several minutes since I had heard the slap, slap, slap of toddler feet in the hallway.

"*Seth?" I called to my older son.

"What?"

"Where is your brother?"

"Oh, I don't know. He's around here somewhere." That was not the answer I wanted to hear. My heart in my throat, I raced down the hallway. I soon found my toddler. I have a loveseat that is against a window in my living room. To my horror, Rob was standing on the back of the loveseat, leaning against the window. He had his mouth and his hands plastered against the window. He looked like one of the suction cup animals you find hanging in car windows.

More relieved than angry, I removed a protesting Rob from his perch. I knew that since he just learned how fun climbing on the sofa was, there was NO WAY I could write without jeopardizing his safety. At the moment I changed my writing schedule.

Here are a couple of suggestions on writing with a toddler around.

1. Schedule your writing around your toddler's sleep schedule. For example, write early in the morning, during naptime, and after your little darling goes to bed at night. I find that writing early in the morning works well for me because my thought process is a little better.

I use the time Rob is up to clean house and spend time with him.

2. Create a "kid-friendly" area in your office. I took an old dresser, removed the mirror, and filled the drawers with toys, papers and crayons. Since Rob doesn't see those toys very often, they are always new and exciting to him. I also have a bookcase filled with children's books that he has easy access to.