Lately, I’ve been engrossed with mommy blogs for a variety
of reasons. First, they are an easily
accessible, yet deeply personal look into how motherhood (and more generally,
parenting and family) actually works; I see how families grow and learn and
love. Second, I have a lot of unanswered
questions about how womanhood and motherhood intersect. Just as I’ve learned more about myself as a
woman by becoming a wife, I anticipate that I will also by becoming a
mother. Third, I can compare and
contrast options for what type of mother and wife I want to strive toward. But what are the options out there?
There are three basic types of mommy blogs. (For the purposes of this exercise, I am
excluding the few parenting blogs written by fathers.)
- Modern Motherhood: These mommy blogs are written by young, twenty-something or thirty-something women with at least one child (usually several) and who live in more urban areas. The women are mostly white, college-educated, stay-at-home mothers with handsome hubbies and a keen sense of fashion. Some of the most popular sites (and my favorites) in this category are the rockstar diaries, A CUP OF JO, and bleubird vintage.
- Simple Living Motherhood: These mommy blogs focus on the intersection of motherhood and domesticity in an effort to live more simply and intentionally. Many of these mothers are religious (mostly Christian) and practice homemaking, homesteading, and homeschooling. But these mothers may also be back-to-the-land folks who make their own clothes and grow organic crops for environmental reasons. The most popular site in this category is The Pioneer Woman. I also really enjoy SortaCrunchy, A Holy Experience, and SimpleMom.
- Feminist Motherhood: These mommy blogs discuss motherhood and childrearing from a feminist perspective by looking critically at how media, religion, and culture/politics influence family life. These sites show tremendous analysis and thought about gender norms and expectations, fertility and sexuality, and social justice/women’s rights. My favorites in this category are Balancing Jane, The Mamafesto, Offbeat Mama, EmergingMummy, and blue milk.
Within each of these categories are the cross-cutting
components of faith, marital status, and political ideology. For instance, SortaCrunchy is a mother of two
who is a social liberal/theological conservative who practices natural living
and gently resists mainstream lifestyles.
Some questions for you:
If you are a mother, where do you fit in (even if you don't blog)?
If you are not a mother, where do you think you'll fit in (if you become a mother)?
As for me, I'm not sure. How about all three (one day)?
Some questions for you:
If you are a mother, where do you fit in (even if you don't blog)?
If you are not a mother, where do you think you'll fit in (if you become a mother)?
As for me, I'm not sure. How about all three (one day)?
