The juggle of motherhood and creative endeavours
Artists share their advice for other parents out there…
Jennifer Chiles: I certainly don’t have all the answers. Some weeks it’s a well-oiled machine that chugs along without any glitches, and other weeks it seems as though all bets are off. So I suppose I’m doing my best to journey through these life seasons with grace and patience – letting the seasons come and go, without too much pressure or judgement. It is just a season, after all.
“The biggest thing I’ve learnt for myself is to include my children in my creative time.” | @moniquefedor_
Monique Fedor: The biggest thing I’ve learnt for myself is to include my children in my creative time and to never blame them for the things I haven’t accomplished.
Lucy Rice: Be easy on yourself. Taking one very small step towards your goal every day, even down to writing one email, will help you feel like you have accomplished something. We need rest as mothers, so rest when you can. It’s all a balancing act and I’m still figuring it all out, too.
Elizabeth Bell: Finding the balance is challenging. Typically, mothers who run their own businesses are the ones who will take the brunt of running the home, taking days off when their children are sick, and the mental load of the family. Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks when possible – if you have a village, seek support. Prioritise, prepare and plan your work so you can hit the ground running on a work day. Celebrate your accomplishments – big or small. I found outsourcing a half-day per week of administration to a team member freed up more time for me to be creating and meant I wasn’t working in the evenings after the kids had gone to bed (which was leading to burnout and mistakes, working when exhausted!).
Lena Baumgartner: Keep going! Don’t give up. It’s scary and crazy, but you can do it! It’s all mindset and the rest just follows. Motherhood is a beautiful journey, but also such a truth bomb and bitter pill. You are faced with so many sides of yourself. The mum guilt is for real and crazy. You always feel like you should be doing activities with your kids and being selfless and constantly giving, but it’s okay to create. Your kids will thrive seeing you do something you love. They will learn that this is also a choice for them and that they can be anything they want just from watching you do it; at least this is what I have to tell myself everyday. This is also my own prep talk!
“The mum guilt is for real and crazy. You always feel like you should be doing activities with your kids and being selfless and constantly giving, but it’s okay to create,” says Lena | @lena_b_art
Stacey Harley: In the first 12 months postpartum with each of my three children, my creativity dipped. I felt a fog, like I couldn’t articulate much beyond my children’s needs. It was an internal battle because I wanted to be more than a mother and I was losing part of my identity. Upon reflection, it was my body and mind intuitively giving me space to focus on my children in their most vulnerable stage of life.
It’s been a journey of acceptance and patience. I have learnt to ride the ebbs and flows that come with being an artist and a mother. I have taken a step back and realised I can’t do it all, and nor do I need to. You have to find balance in your worlds otherwise you are in a constant state of stress – you suffer, your relationships suffer, and, ultimately, your art suffers.
It’s okay re-evaluate regularly and question, “Is this still working for me? Does it still serve its purpose?” My two youngest children have recently started childcare because it was unsustainable for me to be working until midnight, breastfeeding on demand through the night and then parenting all day. There is absolutely no shame in outsourcing, especially if it allows you the space you need.
