Why You Should Be a Mommy Blogger

Hi all you wonderful bloggers out there! I know that many of you have blogs already, but if you’ve happened upon this site at the beginning of your blogging career (or even earlier) I know you’ll find some great inspiration in today’s guest post by Alexia Martha Symvoulidou. Enjoy! — Brittany

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You see this picture? That’s me -well, actually my legs- with my baby girl, when she was less than 3 months old and a somewhat colicky baby. She loved laying there like that, which was really handy, because I could go on with my blogging, while we enjoyed close contact and those air bubbles were also evicted at the same time.

Even though I have been blogging for about ten years before becoming a mom, I find that it is an excellent occupation, now that I have a little one to take care of. Whether you do it for fun or to earn some money, the life of a blogger has many benefits.

You get to express yourself.

Having kids is awesome. It is also really scary and frustrating at times. Especially if you are (or are about to become) the mom of a newborn, you have to deal with sleepless nights, crazy hormones and extreme fatigue at the same time. Not to mention that little creature that totally depends on you but can not express what they need. Writing can help you deal with this intense emotional state, while helping others deal with theirs at the same time. I have found myself reading mommy blogs countless times, looking for reassurance that it’s not just me feeling this way or worrying about this and that. And after reading, I felt better almost every time. So why not offer some comfort to others by sharing your own little struggles and victories as well?

You get to do something creative and get back your sense of self.

I know that this sounds extremely similar with the first point, but it is not. You see, the first point is about sharing and getting things of your chest. While blogging can be much more. Creating your blog can be very rewarding and help you find yourself again after the unavoidable identity crisis, that comes with becoming a mom. You have to put a lot of yourself to create an original and successful blog and to do that, you need to re-discover YOU. Even choosing the layout and templates for your blog -or creating your own- can be a therapeutic process. Creating a blog helps you remember the things that you like and please you aesthetically and intellectually.

You get to watch your kids grow. Every-single-day.

If you are lucky enough and you do not absolutely have to work, to make a living, having a blog is a great way to keep you busy at home, while doing something productive (other than raising them) at the same time. Writing a blog is quite flexible. You can write when they nap or when they are at school or daycare and just schedule your posts to show up whenever you want. And if inspiration hits you, while you feed your little one, you can jot a few words down and write your post when they are playing on their own. No big deal.

You can make a decent income.

Disclaimer: I am not exactly sure how you can do that yet, because I am lucky enough and my husband’s salary is enough to allow me to be the “artist” of the family. I have started looking into it though and I see that there are many mommy blogs out there that have a steady income from advertising, guest posts, finding clients that need writers, product reviews, marketing affiliations and so on. It is up to you to decide what sorts of advertisements you feel comfortable featuring on your website. It might seem like a good idea to first to accept whomever wants to sponsor you, but don’t indulge, as your blog might end up looking like an ad junkyard in no time. Be patient, network and the right sponsors will come (or so they tell me!). And then you will be able to contribute to your family income, while steel being proud of the content of your blog.

You will meet amazing people.

You might never go for a coffee with them, as they might live overseas, but that does not change the fact that some of your readers or fellow bloggers will become your good friends. We live in a virtual era but these are real people sitting behind their keyboards. And it feels so nice to know that through your blog, you can create a whole tribe, within which you can find knowledge, support and of course fun! It might sound strange to you know, but when you publish your first post about your baby not sleeping at night, the support comments that you will receive will fill your heart with a warm and fuzzy feeling, that feels soooo comforting!

You will learn to ignore judgmental a*holes.

You know how I was talking about all those lovely people in the last paragraph? Well there is also the dark side of the moon. The one that is inhabited by internet trolls, mama-Nazis and the like. You will be tempted to reply to every single hateful or judgmental comment at first. You might even shed a few tears when an older women comments that “you are doing it all wrong and I am sorry for your child”. But soon enough you will realize the importance of choosing your battles and ignoring toxic people. This is a valuable lesson that could make your off-line life so much easier as well!

You practice your soft skills.

If you want to have a successful blog, read by more than just your husband and best friend, then you will have to network with other bloggers and/or readers, who are interested in the stuff you write. For some people, this is a natural talent. But if you are somewhat introverted, then blogging might help you put yourself out there and enjoy the benefits of it. Don’t be scared. That doesn’t mean you should not be yourself. It means sharing your with others openly and at the same time, being open to accept people who are different from you. After all, there are many different ways to interact and you can find the one that suits you more.

If you are a momma blogger, I am looking forward to reading in the comments section all the benefits that you enjoy from blogging. And if you are not a momma blogger yet, let me know what’s keeping you from taking the leap. Maybe if I hold your hand, you can do it?

Alexia Martha Symvoulidou

Alexia is a freelance writer and illustrator and the founder of thenonhiphippies.org. She is from Greece, lives in the Netherlands, loves French fries and misses her friends. She just released her first bilingual children’s book, that you can find here.