Melissa Wiley

Sandra,

I started to write this to you in an email and then I thought it might be
appropriate for the list. I'm probably not the only parent who sometimes
finds transitions a challenge. When I'm writing a book, as I am now, I'm "in
my head" a lot--immersed in the manuscript, thinking about the story,
hearing the characters speak. I have a set time of day when I write & my
husband is the one spending time with the kids, and I try to fully emerge
from book-world when *I'm* the one with the children--to be present and
mindful and fun. But the transition can be difficult; sometimes the
characters in my head don't want to shut up!

Over the years, I have developed certain habits for helping myself over
those transition moments from *focused on kids* to *focused on writing* and
vice versa. I usually transition from kids-to-writing by writing *about* the
kids for 15 or 20 minutes---that's how my blog came into being 6 years ago.
The writing-to-kids transition takes more mental effort, if I've been deep
into the work--it can be a bit like when you wake up from a vivid dream and
you're groggy and distracted for a few minutes. Lately my favorite way to
make the transition is to visit your Just Add Light and Stir blog. It's like
a little shot of mental mom-espresso for my brain, a stimulant for the part
of me that wants to be present and attentive and cheerful when I walk back
out into this houseful of kids. So I wanted to thank you for those posts.
They make me eager to zoom back out into the "big noisy peace," to borrow
your excellent phrase, and join in the fun.

I'm fond of the people in my head, but the people in my house are better!

Thanks so much,

Lissa in San Diego, mom of six


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Sandra Dodd

Lissa, this is really sweet. Thank you!

-=- Lately my favorite way to
make the transition is to visit your Just Add Light and Stir blog. It's like
a little shot of mental mom-espresso for my brain, a stimulant for the part
of me that wants to be present and attentive and cheerful when I walk back
out into this houseful of kids. So I wanted to thank you for those posts.
They make me eager to zoom back out into the "big noisy peace," to borrow
your excellent phrase, and join in the fun.-=-

Also, it's a little embarrassing, because tomorrow's isn't so much "be present" as some of them are, so I hope you don't need one much tomorrow. :-)

For those new to the list, this is the blog Lissa's liking:

http://justaddlightandstir.blogspot.com/

Sandra

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[email protected]

dear all, dear Lissa.

I'm catia from Portugal/ Lisbon.

I'm a lurker in this list from February (i think).

My sun is 18 months and i'm a stay at home mum who also tries to work
at nigth and during the baby naps.
My work is 100% computer based and requires great concentration
(boring readings and repports) and i'm strugling since last summer
(when Sebastião started walking ans sleeping less and less) to have
work donne with quality and on time.

Lissa, your message arrived just on the rigth moment. I was here, on
the computer, thinking "i have to work, i have to wortk" but not
finding the motivation to do it so i start reading the list messages.
Perfect, instead of strugling with my need to read about parentig i
will use it as a strategy, as you do. Anyway, thats what i do all the
time :)

Thanks :)

cátia maciel