In which I once again ponder if I am a mommy blogger or a blogger who happens to be a mom. And daughter. And library chick. And hooker (not that kind).
So then, a post in one of my Facebook groups brought the whole “Mommy Blogger” debate up. A few of the bloggers in my group object, detest, despise the whole tag “Mommy Blogger”. For my money it doesn’t bother me; I guess because I don’t really think of myself as a Mommy Blogger. I mean, I am a mom, I do blog BUT Mommy bloggers always bring to mind someone who drives a van with passenger seating and has younger kids that go to Montessori school* and eat organically grown carrots and that is so not me.**
What exactly is a mommy blogger? My friend Liz had some interesting things to say about the whole thing on her site and her post really made me wonder again how my roles as mom, blogger and writer should be defined. Do I jump on the soapbox and shake my fist angrily as I write about the latest egregious acts against Blacks? Do I blog solely about The Bee, attempting to capture her tween years until she tells me enough is enough? Should I run with the love of books or my untangles of yarn things and have that as my focus? Do I channel my energies into something, anything else? Can all of these things coexist, still allow me to write as I like and will I be true to myself?
Pondering the Mommy Blogger debate I think about my day gig and how these thoughts about mommy blogging are like being a library chick. When I first started working at the library The Bee was the just above the target age I was after. Although she was older than preschoolers who stared at me with adoring eyes, she could still appreciate the storytimes that I prepared, would participate in the programs I created and just loved coming to work with me. As she’s gotten older she is so over mom at work and sometimes flat out refuses to join me and program participation? Forget it! My role as library chick has been redefined to grow and change as the people I serve has changed and this is how I think of being a Mommy Blogger. Instead of wishing and hoping that the blog post I write about The Bee liking, say Barbie is going to stand the test of time and be relevant, I can embrace that she has changed and acknowledge that its change, nothing positive or negative but merely a change.
For others the issue is that they are business women and the label Mommy Blogger diminishes this. Hmm…I kinda follow the mantra “It’s not what you call me, but what I answer to.” Yes, when we had an event a few months back I was totally following the signs for “Mommy Blogger” and yes I do belong to several groups that have the word “Mom” prominately displayed in the title but I look at moms as a powerful group. We are not just cleaning puke off of couches or wringing our hands in despair as we hope and pray that dinner will be enjoyed when served. No. We are running our households, paying the bills, in control of things. We are in charge and if someone wants to attempt to diminish me with the utterance of the word, Mommy…let them try.
I’m proud to be a mom and it defines me as much as being a library chick, reader, daughter, sister does. It’s not my all but it is a role I gladly own and love. I say take it and own it and screw the notion that Mommy makes you less. My mommy put herself through school with twins and a no good man (sorry Malcolm, may you rest in peace), ran her own business and still can tell you where to go, how to get there and the magnet to buy for you fridge so if this is what a mommy is, then you can add me to the bunch.
I’ll take your mommy/black/African American/hooker/book lover/ middle aged-ish/single mom blogger and post like there’s no tomorrow.
Being a Mommy.
-r
This post is a part of Shell Things Pour Your Heart Out Wednesdays
The rules:
Here are the Rules:
Write a post from the heart.
Something that has been weighing on you.
Something you feel passionately about.
Something you’ve been wanting to talk about.
A cause, a memory, a belief, a world view.
Anything.
*The Bee did go to a Friends School for a while but our car is busted.
** NO offense intended and if any of these things apply to you…eep!
“It’s not what you call me, but what I answer to.”
Amen. I’m not a mommy yet so I can’t really say either way about the term mommy blogger. I always just assumed a mommy blogger was the generic term for women who’s primary focus of their blog(s) was their family/children. *shrug*
I think it’s fine to be called a mommy blogger – People are just jealous of our powers, wits, and ambition 😉
I hate to be a “Me tooer” but I agree with ALL of the comments (loving that name, Lady Goo Goo Gaga!).
I used to be bothered by the term, but now, I don’t mind it.
I usually don’t leave links in comments, but I wrote this a while back, so instead of leaving you the world’s longest comment, I’ll link to it: