As any blogger can tell you, craft blogging can be wonderfully enjoyable but it can also be a ton of work. Add to that the fact that many craft bloggers are also parents and you have a ton to juggle. Through the years I’ve learned some really practical tips for blogging with small children often afoot and I thought today it might be really fun to share those with you. Even if you are not a blogger, you may have wondered from time to time how bloggers (especially those with small children) are able to do it all.

Well, wonder no longer because here are my Top 5 Tips for Craft Blogging with Kids:

1. Work in small increments of time.

Anyone with children can tell you that kids don’t go long periods of time without needing something: a glass of water, help with the potty, a snack or even a snuggle. Do what you can in the amount of time in-between those important tasks and make sure you set the expectation that you will be only working in 5 to 10 minute increments. Expecting that you will have 30 minutes or longer of uninterrupted work is unrealistic and sets you up to feel frustrated.

2. Designate “Project Days”. 

After blogging for almost 4 years I can tell you that unless you have your children in childcare (or at school all day long) it is near impossible to have a completed project ready to post each day. I’m not talking about just writing a blog post but rather, about a finished, photographed craft project with accompanying copy.

If you were able to crank out a new project each day with children afoot, I can tell you the house would be a disaster and food would never be cooked.

So what’s the solution? Here’s what I’ve found:

Designate a day or two out of the week to get a project (or projects accomplished) and to let-go a little on the daily needs of the house. For days that I’m planning a project, I make a lasagna or casserole ahead of time and try to get caught-up on laundry before hand.  To be totally honest, I also have a very helpful husband and we both share the belief that we should equally share the duties in the house so when we are both working, we’re both also pitching in with the chores. It doesn’t always work out, but I’ve found a little ahead of time prep makes us both stress less and everyone is happier, especially when they can find clean socks!

3. Work on the details of each project in the evening.

On the days that things somehow come together, I’ve found that it’s normally because I’ve focused on the kids during the day and on the details of the blog in the evening. So, for example, if we work on a project together during the day (like painting or making crowns) I can easily take pictures while we’re working but I won’t be able to upload those or work on writing my post until the evening after the kids are settled in bed.

Now, this doesn’t mean that I’m awake all night (although if I’m being totally honest here, I have pulled a few almost all-nighters just to finish something) but it does mean that the evenings are my time to tweak what I’ve worked on during the day or to complete things that just couldn’t be done with the kids around.

Funny side note: I was late getting this post to Jenny because my 2 year old son was fussy and I couldn’t get him to sleep in time for me to finish this up in the evening. So see? It doesn’t always work, so just remember that when you are wondering how others do it. The answer? Sometimes we don’t! 

4. Plan ahead. 

I write plans for projects on a notepad and I have a calendar that has only the dates of my projects that are due on it. If I spend a little time planning what I’m doing for the next few weeks, my days will flow much better. Of course, with little ones afoot there are always unexpected moments that can derail even the most perfect plan but for the most part, having a game plan is helpful.

5. Live life first then blog. 

Life comes first. Period. There is absolutely no point to making anything beautiful or crafting with kids or knitting a sweater if everyone is miserable. Focus on life then find pockets in-between where you can create and you will be much happier.

So there you have it, friends! My top 5 tips for Craft Blogging with Kids. I hope this list helps you and I’d love to hear in the comment section below what your thoughts are or what works for you!