Finding Balance as Artists and Parents

In his online course, Artists Raising Kids, Andrew Simonet points out, “We live in a culture that’s not very good at supporting artists and we also live in a culture that’s not very good at supporting parents.” Pursuing a creative life in our society may feel like a relentless uphill run. Add children and that molehill can quickly become a mountain. His course airs Thursday, November 30 at 7pm. You can participate in it online, or watch any time after!

 
How can artists find balance between time in the studio and time with family? It’s important to find a way to work both with and without momentum. Here are some quick tips:

  1. Schedule “art time” and stick to it even if you don’t feel inspired. Use your uninspired days for research or project planning if you find yourself unable to get going.
  2. Don’t spin your narrative into how you’ve “lost it” as an artist. A hiatus is not a disappearance.
  3. Budget both money and time to surplus. Time is harder than money for artists raising kids. You can always make more money, but at the end of the day, we’ve all only got 24 hours.
  4. Practice saying “no.” Prioritizing the work that is most important to you is more important than ever after having children. “No” may come in the form of skipping drinks after the show or turning down an interesting project if the rehearsal schedule is too demanding for your current schedule.

To join in the discussion and learn strategies to balance time, money and energy, register for Artists Raising Kids on November 30 at 7:00pm EST. For more on parenting, check out this interview from Andrew Simonet and see our post on community building for artists-parents, including family-friendly residencies, grants and other resources.

 


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