Ok everyone…I’m not afraid to admit it…I really think that I need a Hall Pass. And no, I’m not talking about needing a Hall Pass from being married (though believe me, there are days when I have definitely had that thought). Nope…I need a different kind of Hall Pass, and I’m fairly certain that some of you do too.
Last year, I wrote a post about bloggers apologizing for making their careers, family, and their offline lives a priority instead of staying up until three in the morning returning every last tweet, every last email, and replying to every last comment. After seeing a growing trend in people apologizing for living their lives, I really felt it was necessary to put it out there that as a community of women who are supposed to support each other, we really need to give each other the benefit of the doubt before assuming that other bloggers are ignoring us, or don’t have time for us.
Because nine times out of ten, that is not the case. It’s just that sometimes I think we all forget that bloggers have real lives outside of the ones we see on the computer screen. And as much as we all love and respect our online friends, we need to make sure that our real life “tribe” doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
I know that I’ve been guilty on more than one occasion of saying one of these statements to my son:
“Not now honey…mommy needs to finish up this post.”
“Just a few more minutes honey…mommy needs to send this email before we go to the park.”
“Listen sweetie…if mommy doesn’t work, then mommy won’t be able to buy you toys when we go on vacation next month.”
And don’t even get me started on how many Saturdays I’ve sacrificed doing something fun with my husband and son because I need to get caught up on work.
Ok, back to that Hall Pass. I don’t know about you, but summer is pretty much kicking my ass…and my motivation. After an incredibly grueling winter in the Northeast, we are finally having good weather, and I’ve FINALLY been able to have some good old fashioned fun with my family.
A couple of weeks ago, I took my son to Pittsburgh for an entire week to visit family. I was born there, and a lot of my family still lives there, and somehow it always feels like coming home whenever the plane lands in “The ‘Burgh.” And while I do have THREE freelance gigs to keep up with that pretty much add up to a full time work-at-home job, I made the decision to take the week off and just enjoy my time there. And it was wonderful.
We went to the lake. We went to the pool. We went to Kennywood Park (the best amusement park EVER), where I had fond memories of going as a kid. And hearing little dude yell, “That was awesome! Let’s do it again!” after riding the Log Jammer was one of the sweetest sounds my ears have ever heard.
Fast forward to a week later, when I returned to Connecticut, and found myself with an entire week of missed work to catch up on, piled on top of the standard work that I STILL had to do that week. Basically, that combination equaled me being incredibly behind on everything…especially paying attention to my wonderful Mommyologist followers. And then the thought of being labeled as a “blog slacker” started to give me the sweats and get me all stressed out.
And this is officially where the Hall Pass comes in. At least for the rest of the summer, I think that each and every blogger deserves a Hall Pass from having to explain themselves should they go missing in action for a little while. Because it’s OKAY to go to the beach with your family. It’s OKAY to get a babysitter and spend an entire Sunday afternoon shopping and having lunch with your husband instead of sitting in front of your laptop returning emails. And it’s OKAY to enjoy a much needed break from the online world. You shouldn’t have to give any sort of excuse or explanation for LIVING YOUR LIFE.
That being said…who else needs a Hall Pass?
Ok, enough of running my mouth. I’m off to sit on the couch with my son and enjoy a cup of coffee…WITHOUT my laptop or Iphone anywhere in sight.
(One more thing, I realize that this post was not written in my traditional humorous style. But sometimes you have to just say shit without it being funny. And I also decided to link it up with Shell’s Pour Your Heart Out meme, so if you have something to get off your chest, go ahead and write to your heart’s content and then link up with her every Wednesday).
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I have needed a Hall Pass since May! I was so motivated when I returned from Bloggy Bootcamp – ideas spilling out of my head motivated. Then the end of school activities hit, summer vacation started and now I spend all day driving three kids all over Fairfield county( ok, I won’t lie I am also sitting by the side of the pool almost daily too). I am lucky if I get one uninterrupted hour blogging in each day. I miss blogging but I have to be honest, it’s the best summer we have ever had – EVER. So I grant you a hall pass – now could you forge my Mom’s name and get me one too?
I am right there with you!! This has been the most amazing summer, and I want to savor every last day of it without regret. I think we all have to just do the best we can and give ourselves a break…we work hard and we deserve it! You are hereby granted a Hall Pass as well…Hall Pass ladies unite!!
I completely agree!!! Coming up with new posts, and keeping in touch with people has been impossible this summer. Far too many fun things to do!
I know! I feel like I owe it to my family to pry myself away from the computer and spend some much needed time with them!
I totally agree. We have to be out living our lives- whether that is working or off doing something fun with our families. I love blogging and I love the blogging friends that I’ve made, but there is just no way that I can read every single blog or return everything one-for-one. And you know what? When someone doesn’t return everything of mine (email, blog visit, comment, etc) I NEVER think anything of it. And I think I need to cut myself that same slack.
I never think anything of it either! To me, I don’t comment, email, tweet, etc. just so I will get something in return. The summer will be over before we know it, and then when we are cooped up in the house this winter, I’ll be wishing I took advantage and got out more. My son definitely deserves for me to put him first!!
I’m right behind you in line for that Hall Pass. My daughter is moving out on her own this fall, so this is a time when family absolutely takes priority over blogging.
DEFINITELY savor this time with your daughter! My son is only five, but I’m doing the same with him, simply because I know that before I know it, he’ll be grown up and out on his own too! Goes too fast!
I totally agree, I recently had a comment left on my blog about not following a particular person back! I barely have time to write posts lately, as evidenced on my blog, let alone respond to comments and follow back, as much as I’d like to! It was quite rude, but I understand how one can feel snubbed so I took it with a grain of salt and moved on.
Between figuring things out with school, working, taking care of the new baby & bigger kid any spare chance I get I wind up falling asleep, as much as I’d like to spend it blogging or reading =( Sigh…
I hear ya! I always say that I need about five more hours in any given day to be able to read blogs, return comments, etc, as much as I’d like to. Sometimes it just seems impossible to juggle it all!
Your time with family sounds wonderful! I am glad you are enjoying summer and taking the break. I need a hall pass and then some. I have been too busy to be consistent and lost subscribers.
But I’m almost a certified professional photographer from taking classes on top of my job and family. Whew! What a year! Enjoy every moment.
I have definitely slowed down a bit, and it has taken its toll, but I have to put my family first this summer for sure. I am CONSTANTLY online, and sometimes you just need to step back and take a break!
I’ll take 2 of those, thanks. Sometimes one forgets this is meant to be fun and not just another chore.
Amen! My thoughts exactly…
I definitely need a Hall Pass. Lately I’ve felt like suck a blog slacker.
Even though you had to play catch-up, I hope you enjoyed your trip. Kennywood is pretty awesome!
Kennywood is the best! I hadn’t been since I was a kid, and it was so fun to take my little guy there. LOVE Pittsburgh. I know I’ve been slacking lately, but summer goes by so fast…have to take advantage of this time while we can!
I am definitely in need of a hall pass. I think we get entranced by the illuminated computer screen and sometimes forget about what’s important in life. Our kids come first and I will definitely be whipping out my hall pass and snuggling up with my daughter and watching Horton Hears a Who today
Sounds heavenly…enjoy every single minute!!
I could not agree more! I just posted last week about how living life is so much sweeter than blogging about it! If we don’t live, get fresh air, and enjoy the precious time we have with our families we will run out of inspiration for sure! Stepping away from the crackberry and laptop is refereshing and needed on a regular basis!
Great post!
I haven’t been by in a while, and your blog (and you!) look fabulous! <3
Thank you so much!! I will have to check out your post! You are SO right. We are going on another vacation soon, and I plan on enjoying EVERY minute…even if I don’t get paid. My son will only be little once!!
Maybe I’ll start selling hall passes at my site? ; ) I will remember this post on the days I’m feeling guilty of being a blog slacker.
I’ll buy one!! I know I’ve been a blog slacker this summer…but I won’t forget the fun times with my son, that’s for sure!
Me Me ME I need a hall pass from life though. Tired of ER’s and doctors and hospitals and running here there and yonder. I just want a breather could I get that please??
A breather would definitely be a good place to start!!
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! .
I feel so guilty for getting behind in my social media – not checking as many blogs or putting up as many posts on my blog per week and it’s because of Life. Sometimes I feel like I’m doing the bare minimum when it comes to spending time with my husband and children because I’m trying to keep up with the social media. Yet, I feel guilty for spending more time with the family. Crazy!
Thanks for this. Because in moments I feel like I’m the only one who feels guilty for ignoring my blogging because of the Life stuff. I should have it all together, right?
Visiting from Shell & PYHO. So glad I stopped by.
So happy to hear you can relate! Blogging and social media can get really overwhelming sometimes, especially after a vacation. I think we all just need to give each other the benefit of the doubt!
Sign me up for a hall pass!
I will put you on the list!
Haha, I need a Hall Pass from my “real job” so I can have more time for blogging!
No, really, this is a great post. I read those apologies from bloggers, and it kind of bothers me. Of course you have a life, of course you should take time for your family. Enjoy your time. Play with your kids. It’s not all about this online community. It’s about YOU.
VERY well said! Wish we could all let go of the guilt!
I definitely take advantage of a hall pass every once in a while. Between my blog, my new attempts at running a Design Business and my family…there just isn’t enough time in the day to get it all done. We all need a break. And truthfully, you don’t owe it to anyone to have to explain where you’ve been. I’ll still be here, no matter how long you vanish. And will never ask for an explanation. LOL Glad you guys enjoyed some down time!
Thanks so much Courtney! It is just so hard to keep up with everything, especially during summer. I feel like I owe it to my family to spend some good, quality time with them!
Amen! I just can’t keep up. I go back to work in less than 2 weeks and I feel awful. I hear ya on the excuses I give my son. I try to wait until night time, but by then I am completely exhausted!
Happy Blog pass to you!
Best,
Tina
Thank you! I feel the same way…by the end of the night, I’m just done these days!
I am happy, happy, happy when I hear people say things like this, because the moments where moms have their young kids at home are fleeting. Live life like it’s your last day! I’m glad you’re out there having fun with the family. THAT’S how it should be.
Thank you, my friend! I feel like I need to savor this time with my little guy. I don’t want him to remember me sitting at the computer during his summer breaks. We need to get out and enjoy the season!!
yes! summer is kicking my ass! I have all four of my kids home and have felt so stressed trying to keep up with everything…so stressed out that some of the times I haven ‘t even been able to come up with the usual funny shit I write…and that’s so not me…
so yes, Hall Pass, right here baby…
I am in the same boat, and I only have one kid! No idea how you are managing with four!!!
Thanks for the pass! I am new to blogging and I am loving it and someone mentioned that they used to blog but felt pressure to keep up with it. I have found that I do it for me and when I chose to blog and get back it on my terms
Do it on your terms for sure! The minute blogging becomes a “job”, it really loses its luster. Just do the best you can!
I think it goes without saying that bloggers get a Hall Pass during the summer! So many of us are mothers and when you add the kiddos into the equation everything goes a little wonky.
Personally, I abandoned my plans to get up every day at 5:30 and work on the sequel to my novel….oh about three weeks (oops that should be three days) into the summer.
What fun is summer if you can’t sleep in a bit, right? There will always be time to pick up again in the Fall…so enjoy!
I will co-sign on that statement. Also, sign me up for a Hall Pass or a Skip Day.
You’re on the list! Skip Day approved!
I don’t have anything brilliant to add that hasn’t already been said, but I wanted to tell you that I’ll be sharing this post! I love blogging, but I don’t love feeling like a failure because I don’t post every day. I’ve used a Hall Pass a few times, and the truth is I think I lose some readers then (I’m not huge on stats, so I can’t say for sure, but it seems that way). I’m okay with that, though, because we have to pay attention to our real lives. What on earth would we blog about if we didn’t have real lives?
I am so happy that you “get it!” I know I have lost some readers too since I started freelancing and having less time to return comments, read blogs, etc. I am doing the best I can…and I love working again and bringing in a paycheck, so I just have to take a deep breath and do what is right for me! I agree…if we didn’t have lives, there would be nothing to blog about! Thank you so much for sharing this!!
I couldn’t agree more but it’s so hard to unplug! I’m about to go on vacation and I’m already concerned about keeping up. Hall pass? YES PLEASE!
We are too…so it’s going to start all over again for me. I’m taking the Hall Pass though…I need it, and I owe it to my husband and son!!
I am in Connecticut too – and totally need to recover from the horrible winter and enjoy some nice beach days – We only live once!! (and unfortunately it happens to be in the Northeast)
This winter was something else, wasn’t it? We’ve gotten so lucky this summer, and I am taking advantage!!
You are wonderful, love your thoughts. You most definitely sometimes have to stop and smell the flowers. Enjoy the rest of your balanced summer.
Thanks so much…you too!
Dude, hall pass totally granted and I may just be grabbing one myself. #amen
Awesome! I’m really loving the Hall Pass concept this summer. Tired of beating myself up and feeling like I’m doing something wrong by being with my family!
I regularly take Hall Passes from blogging. I’ve either been pregnant or taking care of a baby for the past year and a half. I stopped trying to apologize for it!
Oh, you DEFINITELY have to do that with a new baby!!
I am a fledgling blogger, just something personal for me right now. Its hard! So hats off to you guys! And in my opinion, if you aren’t out living your lives, then you probably don’t have anything to blog about that I want to hear about, right? The living part is what makes the blogging part so good.
I need a hall pass from laundry and dishes. Can I have that????
LA
Absolutely! Hall passes can be applied to whatever you’d like!!
I need a Hall Pass coming up, as we are headed to CT in a couple of weeks! But I had an unexpected family emergency back in early June, and I found that people were more supportive than I anticipated when I resurfaced. I hate when I catch myself saying, “let me finish this email”…I have my whole life to email, but they won’t want to catch butterflies with me forever! Great post.
SO well said! It is true…this time will go by SO fast!!! What part of CT will you be in?
Well said! More of us need to have this attitude, this was great.
Thanks! We all need to cut ourselves some slack!
Can I get one too? I have just disappeared of the blogsphere and feel like apologising all around.
Love this post, I wrote similar sentiments back on Memorial Day weekend. Here in the northeast, summer weather is short and sweet, gotta enjoy it while it’s here. I’m sure I’ll be back to my online ways September through May, because I love all that stuff, too. But in the summer? Just so much else to do!
See you in the fall, enjoy your hall pass
I totally hear you!! I used to feel so guilty about going days without replying to comments on my blog and/or writing posts. But after awhile, I realized that people understood, thankfully.
The pressure is just too much sometimes!! Loved this post and I appreciate your honesty!!!
Hell yeah, I completely agree. I work full time and do all the blogging stuff on top so sleep far too little. This week though we’ve been on holiday and I’ve ignored e-mails, only written one post and pretty much stayed off Twitter! If people want to unfollow me they can go ahead becuase spending quality time with my daughter will outweigh a reader every time!! xx
Mary,
I’m just getting a chance to read this now as I’ve been on a summer sabbatical from work to take the time to reconnect with my family, the house and getting caught up on projects that have been pushed off because I was too busy “working”.
The past month has been amazing and I’m hoping to incorporate a light weight summer into my work schedule every year.
In past years, I’ve made all those same excuses you listed above, to my kids as well and I hated it every time one of them came out of my mouth. I mean, isn’t that is why I’m home anyways, to be available to them when they need me?
Take a break. You deserve it. The work will still be there tomorrow, yet before you know it your little one will be graduating high school and you’ll wonder what happened. (That was my incentive to take a break this year.)
~ Jenn
Thanks so much, Jenn! I have yet to post again since writing this. I had no idea how much I needed a break! There are only a few days of summer left and then my little man goes off to Kindergarten. Have to savor this time!!