School holidays start very soon! Just seven days of school left, or for one of mine it’s five days & two inset days, and the for other it’s six and a half days as he finishes at lunchtime on the last day. At the moment with them both at school I feel I am chasing my tail, am never on top of anything or everything & the to do list never gets any smaller. So how on earth will I cope with six weeks of entertaining children whilst still running my business? So that’s issue number one.
Issue number two is that my eldest is special needs, very special needs. I’m talking 13 years old but is very much a toddler, no idea of safety, fear & likes what he likes & nothing else. I also have a very neuro-typical average 9 year old who likes what 9 years olds like, doesn’t necessarily want to do the stuff his brother wants to do & is all too fond of a screen if I let him.
Resources are limited for my eldest, he will go out with carers a couple of times in the holidays, then the 9 year old gets to dominate the day. The 9 year old is also going to attend some holiday activities to give him some respite from his brother, as harsh as that may sound he really does need it.
So how will I run my business around these two cherubs?
Firstly, thank goodness for smart phones! I can access my email & messages anywhere I have a signal, which is pretty much everywhere now. Even if I do not deal with what I need to deal with immediately I can at least respond & “deal” with it later.
Later is then when we’ve had a day out & the eldest wants Thomas the Tank Engine on the TV (the current obsession) & the youngest looks at me with puppy eyes & tablet in hand, I then agree & deal with what I need to deal with – of course whilst unpacking the day bag & cooking the dinner!
Sometimes emails are sent at the dinner table – very bad Mummy but they’ve had me all to themselves all day! When one is laying in the bath & the other is reading, parcels will be put together or invoices sent.
Once they’re in bed then I can go into my workshop (still within the house) & make product. During this endless juggling act I will make what I need, I won’t make for the sake of it, I will not have a huge stock pile of product, I’ll be doing what I need right now for now. Finish time is generally about 11.30pm, so late nights all through the summer, accompanied by early morning starts. Emails at 5.30am are not unheard of, the house is quiet, I can concentrate & get “it” done.
So I sit here now with five’ish days left of having my own personal routine, worrying how I will manage, how I will cope, how will I stay on top of it all. I don’t really know how I will cope at all. I have listed how it’ll be done above but how it works in reality is still unclear. However what I do know is that it will work, I will cope & “it” will all get done, just because it always does & because I always make it so!
Happy holidays x
Carly is the founder of Beeutiful – find out more about her on Facebook or via her website. Please do post any thoughts you have on her blog below as she’d love to hear what you think!
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