How do you find the time/energy to be creative?? Help!

[leilasmama]

Hello

I'm not sure if I'm posting in the best forum. I am wondering how other mamas raising toddlers manage to do anything creative? I find it nearly impossible when nearly-3 DD is around as whenever I sit down to do something she wants to be on my lap helping. Every day I think that once she's in bed I'll do something but by the time it rolls around I'm just exhausted and I end up wasting time on the internet etc.

I used to be a working artist. I imagined I'd be making work while my (unborn) child was sleeping (haha!). Pre-child, when I worked full time in an office I'd go to the studio and stay late into the night. Now I spend the day with a 3 year old and don't seem to have the energy to begin something creative. 

Is it me? Does anyone else find this familiar? Anyone have any ideas how to jumpstart my creativity again? I feel like I've lost my identity.

[Jenni1894]

I have no artistic abilities, but I like to think of myself as crafty.   I scrapbook and do other crafty things.  lol 

I do have the same problem as you OP.   My youngest is 2.5 and I have not even started her scrapbook.   :( 

I did just make all our Christmas cards tho!  This took me a couple of weeks, did it in stages, after the kids went to bed.  

I do more crafty things with my kids.   I wouldn't bust out all my scrapbook supplies when they are up, but I'll pull out some supplies and do something with them.   Maybe if you get creative with your DD, it will jump start your creativity.  Get a couple cheap canvases and paint a picture with her.  It may not be the fine art you would create, but you'd be teaching her and making memories...etc.  

Before kids my mom and I used to paint ceramic Christmas village houses, ornaments...etc.   We just made salt dough ornaments and while it's not the picture perfect CHristmas houses I painted in the past.  Painting those with my kiddos kinda gave me the bug to make some ornaments myself.