Bracing for summer: The writing mom

I have to admit to not looking forward to summer. My little guy will be out of kindergarten, which brings about the usual round of swim lessons, playdates, and trips to the park. I have my usual 24/7 work schedule planned: my usual freelance writing/editing that pays the bills (mostly), editing/promoting my forthcoming novel, revisions to a novella that received an encouraging rejection, and somewhere in there, I'm supposed to find time to keep working on my latest novel. Hey, I don't really need seven hours of sleep every day, do I? The new novel, a longer piece that I've ever worked on before, has been put on the back burner several times in the last several months as I dealt with editor-mandated revisions to other manuscripts, or being swamped with my day job (which has a way of turning into a day, night, and weekend job).

On the other hand, this has to be a summer to savor, because the little guy is starting first grade next year. Yes, I'm crazy busy most of the time, and yes, I'll get probably more done with less stress once he's in school all day, but I'll still miss him.

Why, yes, I am feeling conflicted about all of this. What makes you ask?