How Blogging Makes Me a Better Mommy

Mom bloggers have taken over the internet. We blog for many different reasons, some the same as dad bloggers or anyone else. You'll find moms blogging about money, about art, about politics, about food, and often, about being moms. Our blogs range from impressively arranged money-making blogs with lots of advertising to very simple journal-type blogs with few embellishments or pictures. Some moms even reach internet celebrity status because of their thought provoking or humorous blogs (like my personal favorite, MckMama). Frequency of posting also varies widely, as does our target audience, but one thing ties us together: we're moms. I'd like to argue that in many cases we are better moms than we would be if we weren't blogging.

I have three blogs. I would have more if I didn't exercise restraint. It is essential to prioritize family above any hobby so it may seem that blogging would keep me away from my parental and marital duties (blessings), however when I manage my time correctly I can think of many ways that blogging helps make me an ever better wife and mommy.

1. My family and friends read my personal blog. I blog mostly about what it going on in our life as a new family. Our 1 year old son grows another inch every other second it seems, and everyone wants photos to keep up with how he grows. Blogging makes me more aware of my son's development. I am constantly snapping photos and making mental notes about what I'll post next on my blog. Keeping an eye out for things that would make good blog entries keeps me alert to every new sound and word he uses, all of his funny mannerisms, and every new object he recognizes and forms an attachment to.

2. When we become moms, our lives change focus. Being a wife is certainly a full time job, but being a mom is all-consuming. It's nice to have something I enjoy to do during the short snips of free time I get here and there. I have other hobbies - I like to craft, read, and do outdoorsy things - but sometimes I don't have the time or space for crafting and want to do something less passive than reading. Blogging gives me a creative outlet. I think that taking care of my mental/emotional health by taking advantage of brief reprieves during the day goes a long way toward making me more able to handle the tough times that come along with bringing up a child.

3. As I mentioned above, I often blog for the sake of keeping in touch with our loved ones. I am not the most consistent letter or email writer and often think of a person a dozen or more times before I finally get around to calling or jotting them a note. While blogging shouldn't take the place of personal correspondence, it does help tremendously with maintaining important relationships. At the very least our family and friends can get on our blog and see that we are doing well, and often I am able to incorporate thank yous and acknowledgements in the posts I write about birthdays and other holidays.

4. It is easy to get overwhelmed as a parent no matter how many or few children you have. Each child is different and presents different challenges. It's no secret that being part of a community is the key, especially for stay-at-home moms, to warding off loneliness and feelings of inadequacy. I can't even count the number of mom-blogs I have come across that have encouraged me or helped me through a tough parenting spot. Mom bloggers are also wonderful at gathering around each other when someone experiences a trial or loss. Mom bloggers have been known to start prayer campaigns, fundraisers, and get-togethers to show support for other moms that they may never have met in person but whom they identify with nonetheless. Blogging makes me part of a community from which I can gather wisdom and encouragement. This is what it all comes down to really. We need each other. Blogging - and reading other blogs, helps to connect me to the help I need to be a better mom.

There are a myriad of other ways that blogging enriches my life. If I did not blog (and read blogs) I would have missed many opportunities to try products for free, get discounts on products and services, and pass those things on to other mommies. Through blogging I am able to keep up to date with the latest trends and new around the internet as I am always looking for content to blog about or being directed to interesting content by other bloggers. I am even able to earn some extra money through advertising on one of my blogs. That money paid for Christmas this last year. Blogging is truly a rewarding hobby. Particularly in the ways it has helped my mothering, blogging has been invaluable.