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I've been having some trouble blogging recently, mostly because I am struggling with this article.
The Globe and Mail is Canada's most popular national newspaper, and it recently profiled one of this country's most prominent "Mommy" bloggers Catherine Connors. The article examined the ethics of blogging about children, and though this subject matter is nothing new to the online space, it is relatively new to traditional old media such as newspapers and television (witness all the news programs suddenly discovering Dooce, like she hasn't been wildly popular online for a decade.)
The article asks the oft-repeated questions: when does a child's right to privacy kick in? Is blogging taking something away from parenting?
In my opinion, Catherine Connors comes across as succinct and intelligent in the article -- though I believe her words might have been edited slightly to better skew with the tone of the piece. What bothers me most about this article is the vitriol spewed forth in the comments section -- accusatory, defamatory comments that accuse Catherine -- and Mom bloggers in particular -- of heinous Crimes Against Childhood.
Catherine posted a brilliant response to the article and its comments, and I've been thinking about her post ever since. She examines a little about why there is so much accusation and hysteria aimed at Mom bloggers (one only needs to hang out at some of the more popular parenting blogs for a few days to witness some of this) compared to Mom writers in traditional media outlets -- think Erma Bombeck.
Writes Catherine: "There's something about mothers lifting back the veil of the family that upsets people, that leads people to accuse the mothers who dare do such a thing of neglecting their maternal duties, of exploiting their children, of exposing their children to the dangers of the public sphere, of being bad. But that's precisely what makes mom-blogging - to overuse a deservedly overused phrase - a radical act. We've always been told to not lift the veil. We've always been told to stay behind the veil, no matter what."
I've never thought of bogging in that light, but as I read this, I was vehemently in agreement with Catherine. Save the vitriol for the child beaters, the alcoholic gambling parents, Moms who are neglecting and abusing their children.
Personally, I don't think my blogging will cause Nolan irreparable harm when he hits his teenage years. If anything, he will have a true, personal account of how much he was loved and cherished as a child -- something, I think, that is pretty precious indeed.
The Globe and Mail is Canada's most popular national newspaper, and it recently profiled one of this country's most prominent "Mommy" bloggers Catherine Connors. The article examined the ethics of blogging about children, and though this subject matter is nothing new to the online space, it is relatively new to traditional old media such as newspapers and television (witness all the news programs suddenly discovering Dooce, like she hasn't been wildly popular online for a decade.)The article asks the oft-repeated questions: when does a child's right to privacy kick in? Is blogging taking something away from parenting?
In my opinion, Catherine Connors comes across as succinct and intelligent in the article -- though I believe her words might have been edited slightly to better skew with the tone of the piece. What bothers me most about this article is the vitriol spewed forth in the comments section -- accusatory, defamatory comments that accuse Catherine -- and Mom bloggers in particular -- of heinous Crimes Against Childhood.
Catherine posted a brilliant response to the article and its comments, and I've been thinking about her post ever since. She examines a little about why there is so much accusation and hysteria aimed at Mom bloggers (one only needs to hang out at some of the more popular parenting blogs for a few days to witness some of this) compared to Mom writers in traditional media outlets -- think Erma Bombeck.
Writes Catherine: "There's something about mothers lifting back the veil of the family that upsets people, that leads people to accuse the mothers who dare do such a thing of neglecting their maternal duties, of exploiting their children, of exposing their children to the dangers of the public sphere, of being bad. But that's precisely what makes mom-blogging - to overuse a deservedly overused phrase - a radical act. We've always been told to not lift the veil. We've always been told to stay behind the veil, no matter what."
I've never thought of bogging in that light, but as I read this, I was vehemently in agreement with Catherine. Save the vitriol for the child beaters, the alcoholic gambling parents, Moms who are neglecting and abusing their children.
Personally, I don't think my blogging will cause Nolan irreparable harm when he hits his teenage years. If anything, he will have a true, personal account of how much he was loved and cherished as a child -- something, I think, that is pretty precious indeed.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
4-26-2008 @ 11:12AM
Gabriella said...Personally I write my blog about my daughter as a way of recording her moments in her life; good and bad. As for some of the commenters who wrote that our children would need therapy when they get older I really don't understand what they think they will need therapy from? Are our children being sexually abused by us, starved by us, not growing up in a loving home, neglected??? Not by a long shot. I write because I want her to have something to look back on. I would've loved for my mom to have written something about me when I was growing up, I have a few letters that she wrote to my grandmother when I was little and I treasure those letters. I will keep on writing and I hope all those parents out there will keep on doing so as well.
www.ourlittlefunnybunny.wordpress.com
Reply
4-26-2008 @ 12:31PM
The Cowgirl said...I think lots of parents do blogs for lots of different reason. You also have the parents who are blogging to help promote a frugal lifestyle and talk about the frugal lifestyle they're living. I think this is a great thing and would love to see a list of people's favorite parenting and frugal blogs (in addition to this one of course!) :)
One of my favorites is
http://engineeradebtfreelife.blogspot.com/
What are some of your faves? Please add them!!!
Reply
4-26-2008 @ 1:50PM
Anji said...You're absolutely right. Personally I blog as a way of keeping memories, so that when Orion is all grown up there is a record of his life, and of how special he is to everyone around him. :o)
Reply
4-26-2008 @ 1:59PM
Anne Glamore said...I've had to censor what I write a bit as my boys have gotten older (they're now 9,9 and 12). An almost teen has a larger expectation of privacy, and rightfully so, especially when some local people know about my site despite the fact I write under a pseudonym.
In contrast, there are times when Fin will say, "This is WAY bloggable. I think you should start it like this..." and then proceed to narrate a flawless blog entry.
Bloggers in training?
Reply
4-26-2008 @ 6:59PM
Angella said...When Catherine first linked to the article, I was happy for her. Then, later, as the nasty comments spewed forth, I was astounded.
There are some bloggers (who I no longer read), who fully and completely exploit their children. I posted a week or two ago about how, as my children age, I do not want to be the reason that the kids at school might pick on them.
I think that Catherine is a great writer, and is not doing anything that I would not do. Don Mills Diva (also in the article), wrote a great post in response as well.
http://donmillsdiva.blogspot.com/2008/04/lovers-haters-cretins-and-zombified.html
Reply
4-27-2008 @ 7:44AM
Jessica said...I think you are very mindful of Nolan when you write. Meaning, I don't believe you would ever post anything that could possibly come back to haunt him. Your articles are simply tales of beauty and love, sometimes the trials, like potty training. But, mostly, you just post about how he is your life, the beauty in that. I am sure Nolan will be proud and will be joyful to have these accounts when he is of an age that he can appreciate it.
I don't blog about my daughter. I am too worried about posting pics, about the nasty people out there. And, were someone to criticize her, I would not be able to handle it, whether the info were true or not.
Reply
4-27-2008 @ 6:00PM
Jen Henry said...I blog about my kids. I haven't worried about a lot of privacy issues given the very rural area we live in, but I'll admit I hadn't really thought about what THEY would think later on. I didn't give a rat's behind what the rest of the world thought of my kid's or my family, but I do worry a bit about what my kids think about the whole thing.
Then I remembered back to my childhood and thought about my parents getting together with their friends around the card table on Sunday afternoons. They'd talk about their kids always assuming none of us were in earshot but we always were. I remember being mortified to hear my mother tell one of her girlfriends about me getting my period. Did I need therapy for the experience? Ummmm...no...while mortifying to a pre-teen as an adult I wouldn't define it as 'trauma.'
Do blogs speak of parents that are just egocentric themselves? Perhaps. With that said however, I know that where I work I'm the only one in my community with 'Mommy blog'. I follow some unwritten rules about what I reveal. The saving grace for me is that a large portion of my readership are family members that are far away. There's nothing like thinking about your 75 year old mother reading your blog post to rethink what you were about to write. So my blog is clean and tame and probably dull. Do I enjoy reading the others? Sure I do. But I also have a full time job outside of the home and a potential boss that could read what I write online. I need to use my head. I don' t mind if my boss knows I took my kids to the playground...that's nice...but he doesn't need to know about my marital life, the intimate details of my children's conception.
Besides...everyone talks like in 20 years our kids are going to read this...let's face it...in 20 years none of us really know what technology will bring us....these blogs may be filed so far away and technology may have moved so far ahead that we might not even be able to read them in all their glory anymore. I know that there's the Way Back Machine that lists websites...
I hope my kids don't end up in therapy because of my parenting...but if they do I really hope it's for more of a reason than "My mother used to blog about us.".
Jen
http://furoreandfrenzy.com
http://parents2parents.org
Reply
4-30-2008 @ 1:00AM
Marcia said...I blog, but I keep most of my personal stories vague. I'll mention going to the lake or park, but I don't mention the town I'm in. I refer to my daughter as V and my hubby as J, but I use my first name. I wonder if people have such a problem because some "mommy-bloggers" make money from their adventures in parenthood or make lots of truley great friends through blogging and they don't? People project their anger for the things they lack onto other people for little things like that. My favorite thing to do is blog hop and enter blog giveaways. I just moved to a new state a couple years ago so the blogger community is the only out-of-my-home interaction I get besides the older men I work with.
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