A Child's Privacy

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about what it means to me to have this blog, to write about motherhood and document my daughter's first year. It's strange how much my perspective has changed in the past 10+ months and a lot of why I haven't been writing recently has to do with this change. I am one of the first generations of parents who's children will grow up in the age of social networking sites. Privacy has taken on new facets that parents before us just didn't need to think about. What with the popularity of Facebook, of Twitter, birth boards, blogs, how will this impact the childhoods of today's youth?

 An article came out a couple months that asked this very question.  I honestly didn't think too much of it at first but the seed was planted and I have begun to ponder the implications of posting pictures and stories of Rose on the internet. I am a writer by passion and have always documented my life in one format or another but I never really considered whether Rosie's story was mine to share.

The verdict is still out. I do feel a sense of pride in being a mother and writing about my daughter brings me joy, but I think it is important for me to always remember that she is an individual, albeit a small one for now. I must remember also to respect her emotions, to protect her from embarrassment when I can and not post things that might bother her someday. The day will come when she finds her voice and will want to tell her story her way.

What does this mean for the mama mermaid blog? I don't think a whole lot must change so long as I continue to be mindful of what I write and the impact it has on those around me. I will continue to reflect on the idea of my child's privacy and hope that other mamas do the same. In the mean time, perhaps this epiphany should simply mark a new turning point in where I would like things to go with the blog. Not necessarily moving away from writing about motherhood but expanding on what it means to be a woman who has a child.

What Irks Me About Lifestyle Blogs

I can’t be the first blogger to notice that lifestyle blogs seem to follow a similar trend found in reality television, peddling their audience trite illusions. It is unattainable reality masqueraded as substance, in short: garbage in a pretty bow. Enough with the weekly sponsorship dumps that drown out any actual content. But the question that begs to be asked is this: are bloggers of the “lifestyle category” telling their story or rewriting it? How does one walk the line between oversharing and not distorting the truth, even when that truth doesn't make for a compelling story?  

For a long time now I have followed big blogs and wistfully wished I too could have those pretty clothes, live that awesome life of travel or quaint country simplicity. But it never satisfies me, inspires me or makes me feel empowered even though I try to tell myself it does. I wish, just once, these bloggers would come down from their lofty towers and be real with their readers. That doesn’t mean exposing the gory details of their life but at least acknowledging the path that brought them to where they stand. Or how about just giving a nod to their readership, you know, the people who make their lifestyle blog…well…livable.

4 Reasons You Should Blog, Mamas!

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1.) Facebook's great to share updates on your little one but blogs can be an even better way to record milestones through pictures, videos and text...all in the same place!

2.) It's a great way to connect with other mothers and soon-to-be-mothers. There is a certain camaraderie in sharing your stories with others and finding out what works for other mamas might also help you too!

3.) You start to see inspiration everywhere.

4.) Keeping a blog to document this new journey has, for me at least, made me appreciate tiny moments even more so. In a fast pace world where there seem to be distractions everywhere, blogging as a mother allows me to collect my thoughts and focus on living in the present moment.

Trolling the internet this week I found an amusing open letter to Carrie Bradshaw. Self-employment through writing has always been something I deep-down have always wanted with all my heart ever since I picked up the pen and started down this path in middleschool.

I have fond memories of sitting down to watch Sex & the City with a glass of wine and a couple friends. While I'm very much a Miranda (type-A personality, sarcastic and terribly blunt) I admire Carrie. And who wouldn't? Going to parties and sipping cosmos in a cute dress at night, lunch dates in manolo's by day all the while getting paid to write about my fabulous life. Please girl, sign me up!

Sometimes I get whisked away with my pipe dreams of getting out of the Navy, throwing caution to the wind and packing a suitcase with a one-way ticket to NYC. But I'm no Carrie, nobody's knocking on my door to ask if I will write for Vogue (...yet) and these days I am busy changing diapers & not my hairstyle. Success just isn't as easy as putting on a chanel dress, no matter how simple Miss Bradshaw makes it look. But who's to say writing isn't in my future? It's certainly in my present. Who knows but I'm gonna enjoy the ride!