A Mommy Story

I’ll admit, I’m shocked. And honored. And blushing. I certainly wasn’t expecting to find I’d been awarded a Perfect Post award when I checked my e-mail this morning.

J’s Mommy over at Another Mommy Moment was kind enough to bestow this lovely award on me for my 30th birthday post.

What J’s Mommy may not realize is that she just got my Perfect Timing award. (OK, so there is no such award, but if there was, she’d be the first recipient.) Just yesterday I was talking with someone about my writing, and I mentioned that I can, at times, be very insecure about my writing. I sometimes agonize over a single paragraph, feeling like my writing is dull, repetitive, or uninspiring. I’ve been floundering over why I bother to write.

After all, my life isn’t that exciting – why would anyone want to read it? I am often stunned by the phenomena of mommy blogs and how they have spread like fire. Mommy blogs are often dismissed by other “real” writers as being nothing but fluff and vanity writing. But if that’s the case, why do these blogs get so much attention?

I think it’s because motherhood is difficult, confusing, and there is no how-to book to show us what to do. Oh wait, there is, but would you really trust it? There are two good methods for learning to be a parent: trial by fire, and stories from your peers. While trial by fire is essentially parenting on a runaway train, and you learn a lot by doing that, peer advice is that extra bit that gives you some idea of what’s coming around the bend, so you at least have a few tools in your back pocket to prepare.

Think about it – how often do you ask for or take advice from a friend who has already gone through a situation you are about to go through? While it’s doubtful that you will have the exact same experience, there is a high chance some of it will be the same.

Mommy blogs are like a global circle of friends offering advice and sharing their stories. We learn what works, what doesn’t work, and what should never, ever, be done again. I’ve learned from other moms, and I think others have benefited from my experience as well.

So thank you, J’s Mommy, for my Perfect Post award. You’ve helped renew my faith in my writing, and reaffirmed for me that people are reading, and they are hopefully leaving with a new idea, a new smile for the day, or a new thought to ponder.