PicoBlog

Caroline Corrigan is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator living in Albany, New York with her husband and 3 children: Graham, 5, and Maeve + Seren, who are 2.5 year old twins.

I'm a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. I work from home in Albany, New York. In my very minimal down time, I like to draw, attempt decorating and home improvement projects, cook things my kids aren't excited about, read, watch movies with my husband from a long list I've been keeping on my phone for years, go for a long meandering city walk or a jog, or catch up with friends over a nice bottle of wine and a table filled with snacks. If I can do even, like, 2-3 of these things in a month, it's a miracle!

My son Graham is in kindergarten. His school is a public Montessori magnet program in the city of Albany, which we have been really happy with so far. It runs from 8am-2:30pm. For Maeve and Seren, I have approximately 8 hours of child per week at the moment. We have a wonderful sitter named Alex who has been with us for years, since my oldest was a baby. She comes over two mornings a week. My husband's parents watch them once or twice a week as well. Each morning block for the twins is about 3 hours, roughly 8:30 to 11:30am. Then I put them down for a nap from about 12-2. It's worth noting that their nap totally counts as childcare for me. I really count on it as extra time to get things done. I'm dreading the day they decide to stop!

What's working is that it's something!  Those mornings go very quickly. At 11:30am, I have to duck out of my studio to put the twins down for a nap (they won't nap if other people try to put them down, which is inconvenient!) and then try to get back in the studio for another hour or two (you know, if they actually sleep the full two hours). Sometimes during the nap I'm finishing freelance work, but other times I'm using the time to prep dinner, clean or do laundry. With three little kids, the chores really pile up and it's hard to stay on top of it.

I guess what's not working is that 8 hours of childcare per week is hardly enough to maintain a solid freelance workload and get much done. It is hard to get into a deep, focused groove when I only have about 2-3 hours! So I am very "part time." Also - the care takes place in my house. Sometimes the twins will knock on the door of my studio, or stick their little hands under the door and scream "MAMA!" I've been experimenting with bringing the twins to my in-laws' house, and that's been really nice. Next year, the twins will go to nursery school 5 days a week (9am-1pm) and I think that's going to be an amazing change for all of us. It's bittersweet, though. I'm grateful that I've had such a long time home with my kids. As hard as it can be, it's such a special time, and I really love our sweet little days together. At the same time though, I am feeling ready for some more consistent support and returning to my creative work that really brings me so much joy and really anchors my sense of self.

For our part time sitter, it shakes out to about $600 per month. My in-laws, thank goodness, do not charge us, haha. Since I've been a freelancer for a long time now, I had made this decision when we decided to have kids that I would patch things together this way and work part time while my kids were little. When we did the math it seemed that putting multiple kids in full time daycare would cancel out my income completely, or come close, so this felt like a good compromise since my job is more flexible than my husband's. I am very lucky that his income is enough to meet our household needs and provide a buffer for when my income kind of ebbs and flows depending on how many projects I decide to take on. It will be really good to have a more steady income stream again in the coming years. These kids eat a lot of snacks.

My mom was home with us for most of my early childhood. She also watched other kids in our neighborhood, so there was always a gaggle of little kids running around our house. When my younger brother went to kindergarten, she decided to re-enter the workforce and it was a huge shift in the household. I remember being very sad about it at the time, but of course now as a mother I understand that you just have to do what you have to do! Every decision we make as moms has its pros and cons.

In a dream world, I would love to drop off all three of my kids at our public school (which would universally be considered high quality by all Americans). Then I'd head to work in a shared art studio downtown with a few other creative freelancers. Maybe I would even bike there! It wouldn't cost an arm and a leg! Ideally there would be some kind of government subsidized amazing after school program too with enrichment activities like art, music, sports or free play if I need to work later than the school day ran. Maybe said government subsidized high quality child care would extend throughout the summer and include swimming and outdoor time. Maybe they'd give the grownups a month or two off in the summer.  In my dreams right? Actually, I think this model of schooling actually exists in places like Denmark. Can you imagine? Sigh.

I would love to say that I would read a book, or go for a run or something. What's more realistic though, is that I would probably just work a little more. Either freelance work or house work. Maybe I would finish an entire task!

My kids are going to some camps in July and August in one week increments. We have some plans to visit my parents on Long Island for a few stretches, too, so camp will be about every other week for July and August.  The twins will be starting off camp in their nursery school where they will officially begin in the fall right as they turn three, so this will be their first time in a school setting. We are going to be spending a lot of time together though, with all the family time planned. I'm working hard right now to finish up a few projects this spring so I can keep my freelance work light in the summertime. Hopefully this way, I don't completely burn out. Summer and school breaks can be a lot.

My husband's family! They are all incredible and so, so crucial to our childcare situation. My in-laws, Cathy and Ed are the best. They are both retired public servants and they devote many hours of their week hanging out with my kids, and they even seem to really enjoy it. They are so thoughtful and kind as caregivers. They hardly turn on the TV, they read, play games, sing songs and just have old school fun with the kids. And my kids are in love with them!  I feel so lucky that they live in our city, and are more than happy to watch the kids a couple times a week consistently. Twin toddlers require an indescribable amount of energy! My husband's brother and his wife pick my son up from school two afternoons a week, also. They live across the street from the school so it's very easy for them. We're really lucky to have "the village" to help us. We'd be lost without them!

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