I sometimes ask myself this question. There is no reward in blogging except for the infrequent but kind remarks left in the comments. There is even less reward in writing a newspaper column. (I will comment no further on that.)
Sometimes I get tired of writing about myself because I wonder who really cares? There are millions of mommy blogs, and only a few people land on my site. I don’t expect them to stay or leave comments, though I would love for them to. I rarely have time to read the blogs I enjoy, so how can I expect others to keep up with mine? Unless it’s a relative of mine, I don’t expect people to care. I’m not being callous or negative…honest! I’m just stating a fact.
Sometimes I think it’s kind of silly that I blog or write anything publicly, but it also seems a natural transition from those days I used to fill notebooks with my thoughts and daily activities. If the technology was available back then, I probably would have blogged.
Blogging is like keeping a journal except that it’s more focused and more well-written than the scribbles in a diary. It is a practice. It is a meditation. It’s how I process my thoughts. It’s how I unwind. It’s how I make sense of the world.
Because I focus this blog on homeschooling (mostly), that shows that this is my main work. As I write out what my kids are doing, what resources they use, and how we structure our days, I’m able to see the big picture more clearly and understand if it makes sense or if we need to change something. How many times have I gotten an idea while I’m planning my blog posts? Many.
I have gone long spells without writing anything, and I’ve noticed that my mind starts to get a little muddled, and I feel less organized. Do other writers experience this?
I have noticed that when I blog like this — simple reflections on my life — I have more mental energy to put into my freelance writing.
I also think that writing helps me remember things. Sorting photographs, putting words to them, and recounting experiences helps solidify them in my memory. I have a pretty bad memory in general, so maybe this is why I feel the need to write everything down. (Or maybe I have a bad memory because I write everything down, and my mind doesn’t need to remember it.)
Writing in general is a very lonely process, and being a stay-at-home mom can be very lonely too. I suppose I blog for those infrequent but kind comments that occasionally connect me with another human being, someone who is going through a similar situation, someone I can reach out to and say, “Hello. Do you see/feel/do this too?”
Thank you to those who take the time to read my blog, and double thanks to those who leave comments as well. I really appreciate you.
Mama of Letters 
I read your blog all the time. But never comment
I find your thoughts on homeschooling to be very helpful. Thank you for sharing! We have two boys ages 6 and 2 and we homeschool. I have thought about blogging, but I’ve come to realize my outlets are different and I like to spend my time knitting and reading and snapping Instagram pics. I am glad that there are those who enjoy blogging and sharing their thoughts on a particular topic because I find the various perspectives presented by different bloggers to be so helpful.
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Hi Emily — Thanks for your first comment! It’s so nice to make your acquaintance. I think you are right to find the outlets that best fit you. I sometimes wonder (which is why I wrote the post) if I really want to keep blogging, but I always come back to writing even when I take a break, so I guess there’s no getting away from it! Instagram is a kind of blog in a way, I think. I have stayed away from it because I think I probably don’t need another social media outlet, but it does look fun!
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I had a mentor that was helping me get through some internal turmoil. He always wanted me to write down my thoughts when things were out of control in my head. After seeing how it helped me, I decided that it is probably because in my head I can have many things going at once in an unorganized fashion. When I write, I have to write one sentence at a time. That means I must decide on one idea and organize it enough to write it.
Also, I feel the same way about not expecting people to read mine. I think the most viewed bloggers are the ones that consistently blog on one topic. I do not have a topic that I can stay focused on that long. So mine will always take on different topics as time passes.
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Hi Lamar — Writing can be very healing! I knew someone who taught a writing class just for that purpose. Good for you for following your mentor’s advice. Yes, I agree that the most read blogs are very focused, and they are updated daily, if not more than once a day. Blogging for money is a full-time job! It’s not easy, which is why I don’t pursue that. I want to blog for the enjoyment. Thank you for your comment!
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I enjoy your posts and feel similarly. Keep writing!
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Thank you so much! (I guess I was fishing for comments with this post!)
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I have read your blog for several years — maybe even since you started writing about homeschooling, and it is one of just a few that I still read regularly. I have two kids, each a year younger than yours, and I enjoy seeing how and why you do the things you do. I appreciate being able to see and understand other paths, which helps me articulate the rationale for our own — both nodding at the similarities and pondering the differences. For example, I, too, have a son who is a very talented piano player. I read your piano post last week and thought that maybe we are doing him a disservice since he is playing Bach fugues on a $500 Craig’s List piano. Would he feel more validated if we got him a grand piano? Would he be more successful in the long run? But then I know that our philosophy is a little different. We try to provide tools that are decent and sufficient for the job, and when they fall short, then we look into upgrading. And we will likely have to do that one day, but not yet. That is not to say one course is right or wrong, but it is useful to consider the pros and cons of each. Thank you for sharing.
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Sarah — Thank you so much for reading my blog for all these years! Wow! I agree that is why I enjoy reading blogs too, and I wish I had more time for it. I certainly expect most people will think we’re crazy for buying our son a grand piano right now! I wouldn’t expect others to all agree that’s the right thing to do, but it’s what we wanted to do. Good luck to your son!
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I don’t think you’re crazy — It’s an amazing and generous thing to do! And your son is a very lucky kid 🙂
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Thank you, Sarah!
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Frequent reader, extremely rare commenter, lapsed blogger here! I enjoy your blog because I homeschool my 3 boys (8, 7, 4) and have a strong natural tendency to re-create public school at home. Your blog is a good reminder for me to relax, let them be kids, and follow their interests more than I would otherwise be inclined to do. Took this blog as a reminder that I ought to thank you for sharing your experiences and methods with the often-unappreciative general public! Thanks.
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Thank you so much for commenting! I completely understand why you usually don’t because I have given up commenting on most blogs too. (I wish it were easier to comment. Most websites make it pretty difficult!) I’m happy if my blog has helped you — that makes my day! It’s so nice of you to take the time to say so.
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I enjoy reading your delightful blog so keep going. It’s so nice to connect with other homeschooling moms this way since I know so few in real life (like two!). And in case you’ve noticed on my blog lately all I’ve managed to post are pictures of flowers! I feel like I have nothing useful to post to the world sometimes. That’s how uneventful my life can seem!
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Camie — As you know, I appreciate all your comments very much! Don’t knock pictures of flowers! I love flowers. I recently went through a very long spell feeling the same way though. Or maybe it was a kind of writer’s block. I managed to keep up with my column and things I had to write, but it was painful because I didn’t like what I writing, and I didn’t feel like writing at all! Now I feel refreshed and back into it, so maybe I just needed a long rest! Next time that happens, I’m just going to take a long break without worrying that I’ll never have anything useful to say again.
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I am also one of your regular readers who never comments. It seems like this post has encouraged a lot of us speak up. 🙂
I found your blog 2 or 3 years ago, I think through Pickert’s PBH site and have enjoyed your reflections on homeschooling since. My kids are still little (a 3 year old and a 6 week old), but we are planning on homeschooling. In particular, I always enjoy reading the posts on your sons’ interests and how you have supported them.
I was introduced to the idea of homeschooling in college when I learned that several of my friends had been homeschooled. So as someone who hasn’t officially started my own homeschooling journey yet but has seen the end product, I want to encourage you that all your work is worth it. I was impressed with the quality of education my homeschooled Frieda’s already had coming into college, and I continue to be impressed with the paths they are carving out for themselves as professionals. Your kids are getting a great education.
And one interesting thing I’m only now coming to appreciate is that several of my homeschooled friends nominally knew each other before college because of the online friendships that their mothers had formed. It’s crazy to realize that some of the “in person” friendships and even marriages that came to fruit in college and after grew from the seeds of online relationships between homeschooling moms seeking out kindred spirits. Thank you for taking the time to blog, and who knows what sort of fruit may come of it in the end.
🙂
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Laura — Thank you for introducing yourself & your thoughtful comment. I didn’t quite realize that this post would encourage so many to speak up! Perhaps I should write more like it! lol
That is really encouraging news to hear about your college friends. I have met just a few grown homeschoolers, and they all seem so well-adjusted and successful in their life’s pursuits, but I don’t know them all that well. Then of course you have those well-meaning people who tell you about the “homeschoolers they knew” and how they didn’t think they were doing well, but I always take that with a grain of salt. People can make all kinds of assumptions even though they are seeing only a small slice of someone else’s life.
I never thought about how my children might find friends through my online relationships someday. You never know how all of this might come together, huh? I look forward to finding out! Thanks again.
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Yes! This. I could have written this post word for word. I feel exactly the same way with my writing & blogging. It’s a processing tool, a meditative, reflective process & helps keep my thoughts & memories straight. And I just love writing. Those days when I find myself asking, “Why do I do this? Who even cares to read what I have to say?” I remind myself that I blog for ME first & foremost. It is my joy. Keep it up, Mama! xo
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Yours was one of the first blogs that I actually subscribed to – always a good read and I appreciate that your content is so thoughtful and considered. Blogs like yours inspired me to start blogging too! And yes, I do wonder why I write publicly sometimes. But I wanted to try producing content rather than spending too much time just consuming it. I think its been worthwhile so far. Anyway – just wanted to encourage you and say thanks for all your great articles and shared experiences.
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“Writing in general is a very lonely process, and being a stay-at-home mom can be very lonely too. I suppose I blog for those infrequent but kind comments that occasionally connect me with another human being, someone who is going through a similar situation, someone I can reach out to and say, “Hello. Do you see/feel/do this too?”
Thank you so much for all the words you have shared with us. You are an inspiration and it is a delight to look forward to what might happen next in your home school adventures. I home school my five children and live outside of Atlanta so I really love it when you cover grounds which I can perhaps visit myself someday. I would love to meet up at some of the concerts you attend with your children. I wanted to make it to the gem and rock event which you had posted about but we were unable to attend. Sometimes all we need is just a little bit of encouragement and your posts seem to be just that. All my children are interested in music and we have a piano that needs to be tuned. I so adored your post about your son’s wonderful progress with his musical studies and I used to attend all the student concerts when I was in college but never really thought of taking the children to the free university concerts in Atlanta. I look forward to looking into this and would really appreciate it if you know of any particular websites that list these upcoming events.
Thanks so much for sharing in your journey and wisdom.
Blessings’
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Bridget – Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! It means a lot to me. My husband has taken my son to a couple of concerts/recitals at Emory, but we mostly go to UGA concerts. If you look up their music or art departments online, you’ll find a calendar of events and you can sign up for their e-mails which is how I learn about upcoming concerts. I don’t believe we made it to the rock and gem show this past year either! Sometimes that happens! But luckily it will come again. Try again next year. I hope we cross paths someday!
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Tammy — Thanks so much for your comment. It’s people like you who keep me blogging!
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