If you’re a parent and a writer, you’ve probably said this before: “I just don’t have time to write. My kids need me constantly.” I get it. I’ve been there. The energy it takes to keep little humans alive, fed, and loved is no joke. But I’ve also learned that if writing is important to you—if it fuels you, keeps you sane, or feels like a calling—you’ll find ways to fit it in. It won’t be perfect, but it can be possible.
Writing During Nap Time and Work Breaks
When my son was little, I squeezed writing into the slivers of my day. I wrote during nap times—those quiet windows where the house was still and I could think straight. I didn’t waste those precious moments scrolling. I opened my laptop or grabbed my notebook and got to work.
I also wrote during breaks at work. He was with the sitter, and I was technically “on the clock,” but if I had even five free minutes between tasks or during lunch, I opened Google Docs and added a paragraph or two. It wasn’t about writing thousands of words at once. It was about staying connected to my voice and showing up for my creativity in small, steady ways.
Including My Son in My Writing Routine
When he got a little older and started crawling, things got trickier. I couldn’t just plop him in a swing and expect quiet time anymore. But instead of giving up, I adapted. I gave him a toy laptop and sat him right next to me in my home office. He’d tap on his keys while I tapped on mine. Sometimes he babbled stories to himself, and I smiled, knowing I was modeling what it looked like to honor your creativity—even in the chaos.
That season taught me that kids don’t always need to be entertained by screens or flashy distractions. Sometimes they just want to feel included. Giving him that space beside me gave me the space I needed to write.
Making Use of Activity Time
When he got into taekwondo, I made another shift. I brought my phone with me to practice and wrote in Google Docs while sitting in the waiting area. It was too hot to sit in the car, and I wasn’t going to waste that hour just scrolling or zoning out. Instead, I used that time to work on my projects. Whether it was a blog post, a chapter, or even just brainstorming ideas, I got into the habit of writing during those practice blocks.
It wasn’t always easy to focus with the noise of the studio and people around me, but it trained me to write anywhere. It reminded me that writing doesn’t have to be this precious, quiet, candle-lit experience. It can happen right in the middle of life.
Stop Waiting for the Perfect Time
The truth is, if you’re a parent waiting for long stretches of peace and quiet to write, you may be waiting a very long time. There’s always something demanding your attention—school forms, tantrums, dinner, laundry. The list never ends. But if writing matters to you, you have to find a way to sneak it in. Ten minutes here. A sentence or two there. An idea recorded in your voice memos while you’re driving.
It adds up.
You Deserve to Create, Even as a Parent
Sometimes we convince ourselves that pursuing our creativity is selfish when we’re raising kids. But I’d argue the opposite. When your kids see you making time for something you love, they learn that it’s okay to have dreams of their own. When they see you showing up consistently, even when it’s hard, they learn resilience. And when they see you doing what makes you come alive, they learn that joy is worth prioritizing.
Parenting and writing don’t have to compete. They can coexist. Some days, your words will flow. On other days, you’ll barely squeeze out a sentence. But every little bit counts.
Writing is Worth Making Time For
So yes, I have a kid—and yes, it’s hard. But I’m still writing. And so can you. Maybe it won’t look like it used to. Maybe your writing life has to shift and flex with your current season. That’s okay. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is progress.
You can be a present parent and still honor your creative purpose. You can tell your stories in between the moments, in the cracks of your day, in the middle of real life. And trust me—those are often the best stories anyway.
