Before having kids, I was not a blog reader. A few years ago, I did get involved in Extreme Couponing (you should see my modest stockpile!), but I was only involved in reading coupon blogs and learning about saving money.
After I had two kids in just a few short years, I started blogging to help other women and make some money on the side. What I didn’t realize was all the support I would find from other bloggers – not just about blogging, but about being a mother.
The mission for my blog Practical Mommy is to help other mothers make their lives easier. Of course, I don’t have all the answers. In researching blog posts and networking with other bloggers, I have been exposed to a wealth of information about parenting that I had no idea existed before I joined the blogging community.
I found that by seeking to help others, I found help for myself.
How Blogging Has Made Me a Better Mom
Participating in sharing groups
There are literally thousands of Facebook groups where you can share your posts and support other bloggers with shares and comments. I have been introduced to so many blogs with great information that I can learn from.
Researching new posts
Even if you come up with a unique post idea, chances are that it has been written about before. It is your unique voice and experience that makes the idea new and worth reading. In researching new post ideas, I have found posts that have helped me with my parenting.
Networking with other bloggers
I am in a few specific blogging mastermind groups where we discuss strategies, encourage and learn from each other. I have made some great friendships with these women, which turn makes me a better mom.
Being more conscious about parenting
Knowing the kind of mother you want to be and actually consciously moving towards that vision may be difficult. You know where you want to go, but not how to get there. By consciously planning parenting posts, I have to reevaluate my own parenting and sometimes take my own advice.
Scheduling my time
I have a full time job outside the home and two small children. To say my time to blog is limited an understatement. I have to plan out my time in advance, which means I have to be very specific and focused about choosing to include the important things and say no to the rest.
One of the specific blog-life connections is in my Parenting Lounge series on my blog. One day I was fed up with feeling inadequate to answer some of the most basic parenting questions – when I decided to ask other bloggers what they would do. Parenting Lounge #1 – Potty Training! was born, as well as pivot in my blog vision to seek help from others and provide my readers answers as well as parenting resources.
When I think about how long it took me to start my blog and everything I have learned along the way, sometimes it can seem overwhelming. So I created a special course for moms who want to start blogging, but have no idea where to start. The course goes through everything from choosing your domain and setting up WordPress, to creating blog images and writing content. Everything you need to know to get started RIGHT NOW and get your dream blog off the ground fast. You can learn more about this free course here – Start a Blog 101.
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I could not agree with you more. Because my attention is divided, I have to be very specific to take time to focus on my children. They actually get more quality time with me now than ever before and I am much busier. I also agree that writing in order to help and encourage other moms challenges us to make sure we are practicing what we preach. Thanks for the healthy reminders!
I hadn’t thought of this, but you’re right! If anything, blogging has helped me categorize my past parenting issues into one neat archive. For instance, when our twins started getting separation anxiety, I looked up what I had written about it when my eldest was going through the same thing.