Back on track

Yes, I know, I've been gone. Long. Too long perhaps,but then again...that demon life had caught me in its spell, to quote the Stones...

Lately, all my time and energy were required for taking care of my son Thomas, earning a living and keeping in touch with a small group of friends and relatives I love dearly...all the extra's had to go, including sports and updating my site(s) and blog(s).

But I am back now. With new energy and lots of ideas. For instance...I'd like to spend more time writing about the combination of raising adolescents and having one's own (home) business. Thomas is now twelve, he goes to secondary school. On the one hand, combining work and motherhood is easier than it was when he was smaller. The perks: he can be alone at home for a few hours if I have an assignment that takes me away from home. Moreover, he understands that I have to make money (which used to be a bit of an 'abstract' concept for him, but has now become tangible).
However, his school days are -if anything-shorter than they used to be when he was in primary school. More unpredictable, too, as lessons are prone to be cancelled at the last minute. This means that I now find myself sometimes struggling to concentrate on a legal text while attempting to shut out the noise of my son and his friends covering Nirvana-songs. Not an easy thing to do, I can tell you. And when I go to the kitchen, looking for some comfort food, I often find that only the wrapping is left...a bit distressing.

And I am quite lucky, as I can do most of my work at home and only have one adolescent to deal with. How do other parents cope? Any advice, handy hints? In that case, they are most welcome at my e-mailaddress vertaalslag@planet.nl

A reminder of the sites I have:
www.businessanddiapers.com (English), connected to this blog
www.thuiswerkmamas.nl (Dutch), also with its own blog
www.vertaalslag.net (in Dutch, French and English).