Words, Deadlines, and Giggles: How to Survive Freelance and Motherhood

I will tell you a secret. Nobody knows! 

Most days, my office is my laptop on the kitchen table, a cup of coffee precariously balanced next to crayons and slime, while my 7 year old shows me for the tenth time her drawing and my 4 year old demands for more snacks. She loves food, just like mamma. Welcome to the life of a freelance translator, copywriter, and mom of two girls.

Freelancing gives me the flexibility to be there for the little and not-so-little moments: school pickups, dance recitals made up in our living room, bedtime stories, and those rare (very rare) quiet mornings. And yet, managing clients and managing two kids requires the same skill set: multitasking, patience, and a healthy dose of creative improvisation.

Thankfully, my husband works from home as well, so I am not the only one that has to pick up all the slack. We came close to the verge of divorce many times, remembering only at bedtime that we actually love each other, those kids are just mean.

It’s not always smooth sailing. Deadlines sometimes collide with sibling squabbles, and brainstorming copy while mediating a disagreement over who gets the pink marker feels like extreme sport. Sometimes I trade a quiet morning of translation for a “working meeting” under a blanket fort with plush toys on every side. Yet somehow, the work gets done and usually with a smile (or at least a strong coffee in hand).

Being a mom of two has actually made me a better freelancer. I’ve learned to prioritize ruthlessly, communicate clearly, and solve problems on the fly all while keeping my sense of (dark) humor intact. And freelancing has taught me that flexibility, resilience, and creativity aren’t just professional skills but they’re survival skills at home too.

At the end of the day, translating texts, crafting copy, and managing client expectations isn’t so different from parenting two spirited girls. Both require empathy, attention to detail, and a touch of magic to turn chaos into something meaningful. Some days, it’s messy. Some days, it’s exhausting. But somehow, the words, the giggles, and the cuddles all come together and it’s worth every multitasking, coffee-fueled minute. 

And the kids are not really mean, they are just kids. And I couldn’t live without them.