Experienced Bad Mom

Not Just a Bad Mom, But an Experienced Bad Mom

10 Ways Being a Blogger Makes Me a Better Mom

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I’ve been blogging longer than I’ve been on Facebook. I’m sort of proud of that. Why? Because being a blogger makes me a better mom, and I can’t say that about being on Facebook.

Here are 10 Ways Being a Blogger Makes Me a Better mom:

10 Ways Being a Blogger Makes Me a Better Mom

  1. It’s my creative outlet. Some moms knit or paint. Others like to cook or exercise. I blog. It gets the creative juices going and makes me a happier person and mom.
  2. I have archived little moments in our family life. That funny thing my daughter said years ago? I captured it. That time my kids and I shared a spontaneous hug? Wrote all about it.
  3. New friends. I have befriended many bloggers. We read each other’s blogs, share our struggles, and laugh at the same stuff. It shows my kids a different dimension to friendship, because most of these bloggers I’ve never met in real life and that doesn’t matter.
  4. Support. So many times I have been struggling with a parenting question or issue and another blogger shares much-needed advice or a perspective that helps.
  5. Blogging reminds me I have limited control, just like motherhood. I cannot predict when a post will resonate with people and go viral just like I cannot predict when my tween will listen to me.
  6. I have been rejected and keep trying. Honestly, some posts are read by mere handfuls of people. Or I submit essays to outside publications that are rejected or just ignored. Eh. It’s part of life and I’m showing that to my kids. Meanwhile I just keep writing.
  7. It has made me leave my comfort zone. I had no interest in using Pinterest until I learned that it refers most traffic to blogs. But I like words, not pictures, I thought. Still, I took a class, started digging out royalty-free shots, learned PicMonkey, and uploaded my pins with keyword rich descriptions. It DOES send me 75% of my blog traffic. The lesson for my kids is just do it.
  8. Social media savvy. So you now how I feel about Pinterest. I hesitated to join Instagram, too. Heck, I still remember my embarrassment when I started my blog’s Facebook page and I had less than 100 likes. But now I feel knowledgeable about what’s going on out there in social media land. My familiarity with this stuff makes me better prepared as my teen and tween enter the world of smartphones. Or so I’d like to think!
  9. Being a blogger makes me a better mom because I’m conscious of my online presence and what I share about my kids.
  10. See 1-9. That’s because I already made the blog graphic for Pinterest and I’m not going back and changing it to “9 Ways Being a Blogger Makes Me A Better Mom”!

Does your hobby or passion pursuit make you a better mom? If you are a blogger, do you agree that it makes you a better mom?

Comments

  1. Hi, glad to hear that established bloggers still write posts that are sometimes read by only a handful of people – makes me feel a bit better about my blog. Also good to know about how you felt with under 100 page likes on FB. I’ve been writing my blog for nearly a year and still have under 100 page likes. I’ve been thinking about giving it all up but reading your post has changed my mind. I’ve discovered Pinterest but at the moment my account has suddenly stopped working, so I’m now waiting for them to reply to my email!! Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by it all, but you’re right; your kids have to see that you just keep going. Thanks for sharing this post 🙂

    • Thanks for sharing. I think that’s why I wanted to share my experience — if you just see most posts from successful bloggers or blogging companies, they are all about monetizing or increasing page views. That’s great, but it took me a while to realize my niche and my blog don’t fit perfectly into doing either of those things. So it came back around to why am I blogging and it’s really about the writing and interacting for me. I like it, it’s my hobby and it makes me happy. And that’s enough.

  2. I love this! It’s very true – blogging teaches you a lot and it shows your kids that there are tons of ways to achieve results, and to never stop learning, all that stuff. I’m still struggling on Pinterest as well – what course did you take? (And was it free?) I was also hesitant about Instagram, but I love taking pictures so that wasn’t as tough for me.
    Keep up the good work mama!
    ~Jess
    #GlobalBlogging
    Jessica – A Modern Mom’s Life recently posted…My Ballet Experience After More Than A YearMy Profile

    • I’m glad you can relate! I took Pinning Perfect by Blog Clarity a few years ago. At the time, I think it was $65 which was a lot for me. Now, alas, I think it’s double that. Good luck!

    • Thank you so much! Sounds like you are definitely on your way to conquering Pinterest since you are tossing around words like Picmonkey and Canva. 🙂

  5. So, yes to all of these. Though #10 is probably my favorite. I know my husband wishes I didn’t have the blog, but I nearly have a panic attack whenever he tries to insinuate that I should ‘slow down’. Blogging isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you love it, it’s so wonderful!
    Leslie recently posted…The Happy Now Blog Link Up #48My Profile

    • I’m glad you can appreciate #10! I got there and was like, nope, I’ve got nothing. But I already have the pin. 🙂

  6. A great post to read for those of us just starting out in the blogosphere, it certainly reinforced why I started to do this – not for fame and fortune but to make sure I recorded those precious (or hilarious) moments. They’re the real wealth in parenting and blogging. #globalblogging

    • Yes! It makes me happy to re-read old posts and laugh at my kids’ antics when they were younger that I’ve already forgotten about.

  7. Blogging is great for making sure we record our little ones childhood and it’s great to be always learning and growing. #GlobalBlogging

  9. All your points are spot on! Love #6!! Very true! Being rejected and dealing with it is such an important life lesson. As a blogger I think we feel that quite a bit… But hey, we just get to write about it then 🙂 I always forget about Pinterest as well…. Thanks for sharing Katy! #globalblogging

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