Newbie Tuesday: How much is too much?

As a parent blogger, I see lots of like-minded writers talking through their blogs about their children. A child is what defines a parent blog, and it fascinates me to see the huge variation in styles, not only of writing, but of approach to writing about children. Over on the discussion forum this week I have been asking about how frank you think we should be in our blogs, how much of your child is in your blog, and the responses have been as different as the blogs themselves.

Crystal Jigsaw is adamant that pictures of children in swimsuits or baths is inappropriate, given that we never know who is looking at our blogs. She is a great blogger, who has posted before about too much personal detail being revealed on blogs. It certainly made Alice think about her photos, but then she claims she is not a Mummy Blogger per se. She blogs about her life in Essex, which just happens to include her children.

Hollybobbs takes the attitude that unsavoury characters are just as likely to see your child in the street as they are online, and so she posts what she feels comfortable with herself. This week she was putting her own emotions on the blog as she reorganises the nursery ready for a new arrival. But Mummy Big Bum had a nasty shock recently when she checked the search terms being used to arrive at her blog, and very nearly closed the whole thing down!

Jodie takes the opposite stance, writing regularly about her children’s problems and receiving much appreciated support from readers. Zoe has a similar take on it, given that she is sharing with the world her difficulties and small triumphs as she shares her life with a gorgeous poorly boy. In these circumstances, what you reveal about your situation will very likely help another parent going through the same thing – and that has to be worthwhile.

For some people blogging is therapy, and for it to work as such, detail is necessary. Transparency is required, a willingness to put your life out there. I will cover this topic in another post, as I know for many it is the entire reason why they blog. For now, let’s just say that a blog is often useful as an outlet for a bad week!

Personally, some of the answers I got on the thread made me stop and think. My own blog is written in the voice of my child. I don’t know why, it just came naturally, and pretty much every post – and certainly the best ones – are inspired by something she has said, written or done. I suppose it is what I like to read; hence I loved this 9-year-old’s take on friends: poignant, funny, and a heartstring-puller! But I have felt cautioned by the words of Potty Mummy, who makes this point:

If my boys, sometime in the future, read my blog, do I think they might be embarrassed by what I write about them?  If the answer is yes, I don’t write the post.

I had always assumed that as my child grew older it would be inappropriate to share so much of her life. However I had not considered the fact that what I write now will always be available to read, and that her peers of the future may find fuel in my past posts to use maliciously. I may well have to re-think, and sooner rather than later, but for now, here is a classic snigger of a post that tells me I am just not ready to give up sharing the faux-pas of children!

I hope you enjoy these new bloggers as much as I have this week. Do comment and let me know your take on the issue of putting it all out there.

 Photo credit

About Helen Wills

Helen Wills is a mum of 2 children in primary school and blogs at Actually Mummy on parenting issues, school, travel, and life according to the kids. Since starting her blog in 2011, Helen has won 2 national awards, and puts a lot of her success down to the amazing online community of bloggers at BritMums. As her children grow older, her writing is increasingly influenced by their opinions, and her blog reflects this drive to get the most out of family life. Helen works from home in copywriting and social media. She is on Twitter @actuallymummy.

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