BlogHer - Is there such thing as a "mom blogging community" and are there "rules" to being a part of it? - Comments

One of my reasons for

mamacoyote — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:43:27 -0500

One of my reasons for blogging is to get my brain going again... all the change in hormones has eaten my brain and I want it back. And I love seeing what other moms have written and how they're living their lives with their little ones... and I want to have that to read back on in ten years.

So... hi, community! I'll try to follow the rules, if someone will tell me what they are... ;)

MamaCoyote

http://mamacoyote.blogspot.com/

Community or Clique?

KathyP — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:50:12 -0500

I've been blogging for only a year and for the most part, it's been wonderful. I did find myself in a situation where a woman's professional integrity was not only being questioned, but borderline defamed. The firestorm or witch hunt stemmed from one woman's emotional story of her experience with the company owned by woman one. Even when the company owner stepped up (not a blogger herself, but privately contacted by one of the ladies in the blogging community) and tried to tell her side of the story and even offered to arrange a conference call to anwer questions and clear up the negative accusations, the "community" all declined stating they didn't have time! To make a long story short, I chimed in, stating that I hoped that if this community could jump on the negative bandwagon based on one woman's experience, maybe they could see a positive experience and possibly run with that for balance. I was addressed by the organizer of the blog and told that this "community" of women have been together for a long time, they are going to continue to support the woman who has the issue, and as a newcomer, and clearly and employee of the business owner (I'm not, not even personally connected), I should be on my way. This was clearly not a community of professional women, and so much more of a high school type clique.

I'm sure we've all had these kinds of situtions in one way or another. I started by saying the majority of the ladies I've encountered blogging have been incredible, inspirational, and kind and that's how I'd also like to end this comment! :)

www.intentionalwinning.blogspot.com Intentional Winning in Life is victory by design: Creating the journey and the outcome for every aspect of your life by participating in the process.

I agree

Jerri Ann — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:15:17 -0500

I think you hit the nail on the head.... it is just simply women being women....I"m headed to your blog right now!

Jerri Ann

Mom~E~Centric

It's a Big Tent, I'm Thinkin'

ByJane — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:31:15 -0500

I came back from BlogHer08 with a new (to me) idea: mommyblogger isn't a black and white, hide-bound descriptor. I always thought it was. I always thought that you had to be a mommy to be a mommyblogger, and since I'm not a mommy, I couldn't be one. That made me feel very sad and bad and left out, as if my barren ovaries had determined my status in life (which, okay, they did, but that's a different story for a different time). Going to the past BlogHers and reading all the mommyblogger news and kudos was painful at times. I wanted to be in the club, but I wasn't and I wouldn't ever be and that was that. But then this BlogHer, something was different. Some of it was me and where my head is, I'll admit, but a lot of it was that the mommyblogger thing was ubiquitous. Not only in the fact that there was an entire track devoted to mommyblogging, but also in that the sponsors seemed so focused on mommyblogging. That being the case, I started to see that no one was sending me fleeing from their table because I'm not a mom. They were just as happy to spiel to me as to the pregnant blogger next to me. And then--d'oh--it occurred to me: mommyblogging is just another word for woman. It's the MadMen's code for any and all females who blog and who buy. Suddenly, I was one of the group, a Mommyblogger--and ya know, it's feels good.

By Jane

http://byjane.blogspot.com

http://midlifebloggers.com

Part of a respectful community...

OHmommy — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:16:26 -0500

Respect and community. I respect the community I am part of.

There are some people within our community that judge us by what we write. When in all actuality, our writing only represents about 2%, if that, of our lives. People do not respect this. And attacks are made. They have been made many times toward my blog and I. This subject was brought up at BlogHer many times.

To comment or not to comment. To each it's own. I have made an incredible connection with so many women in the last year through commenting.

I do not seek commentators. But I love them so! They, my readers, obviously feel some kinda of a connection. The same connection I feel when I read my favorite blogs and comment. I only comment when I need to connect. Today, I recieve 3 books from a Seattle mom, last week I called a mom in DC, the week before that a LA mommy sent me personalized notecards.And last month, I got to hang out with fabulous bloggers at BlogHer.

I am part of a community and I respect it very much.

www.classychaos.com

Funny, I was just contemplating this very issue. . .

Karen S. — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:25:38 -0500

You beat me to the punch in posting, though, and kudos to you. Now I don't feel I have to do it. At least not yet.

Why was I thinking about this issue? A bunch of mom bloggers from the LA Moms Blog got together in person yesterday. Before I left for our little Sunday chat 'n chew, I told my husband, who, I have to say, may be hobbled by a genetic predisposition to skepticism, how excited everyone was to meet everyone else in person. He looked at me quizzically and basically asked whether I really thought the sentiments were genuine. I just said, yes--you should have seen the e-mails that have been going around. No way to feign that level of excitement or involvement. What I really wanted to say was . . .DUH--oh clueless one, why would we all bother to plan to get together informally--and why would anyone attend--if we weren't genuinely interested in meeting our fellow Socal moms? What would be the point? (There were martinis and lots of food, but I'm not sure even that's enough pull to get a bunch of busy moms together when there are so many other pressing things that need doing.)

The bottom line is. . .we love to write, and we may have a personal agenda in doing so, but we also really need and enjoy the community, the support of a bunch of smart, funny, interesting women. As Donna said, we tend to be isolated as a group--in particular in this time and in this place. We don't have the same sort of community and connections previous generations of women enjoyed. (That's not to say that previous generations had it easy. . .they most certainly did not. . .particularly when it came to making choices in how to lead their lives.) Certainly, in the urban sprawl that is LA we often don't get a chance to connect with others if we're not in a busy workplace. Many of us, myself included, are transplants and have no family here. If it weren't for the communities I've "built," for lack of a better word, through my children's school, through the web, through blogging, and through other avenues I would be quite lonely, and at a loss for the very connections that seem to sustain us women. (I'm sure the foregoing doesn't apply to every woman, but, kindly allow me generalize anyway). Blogging enables us to build a family, of sorts--a family of people we may never have had the opportunity to meet in other circumstances.

Okay--I'm rambling on and on here--sorry. . .but thanks, Jenn, for posting your question for everyone's comment. You helped answer the very question I was asking myself--and was planning to ask others. And thanks also to Socalmom, for pointing me in the direction of this post.

Karen S.

www.lamomsblog.com

www.nouvelleblogger.com

Community

vbruss — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:16:52 -0500

I think it comes down to two things: respect and support. You don't always agree with other moms, of COURSE you don't, that's what makes us great, our diversity. I love hearing how other Moms cope, sometimes getting inspiration from women who look at things in an entirely different way than I do.

As I say, I DO disagree with some of you sometimes, but I hope that I do so with respect. Because you have a right to your opinion and a right to voice it, same as me.

And to me real support comes around when we put aside those differences and disagreements, and reach out as a community to help each other. I also have a pet blog, as I am an owner of two rescued cats, and I have to tell you that I am blown away by the support the "Cat Blogosphere" has shown me, and in fact every pet blogger they encounter. They hold raffles, they raise funds, they reach out to each other. THAT, to me, is real support.

Comments? I love comments, sure. But if you don't really want to comment, don't feel like you have to come by and say something like "great post!" if you don't really mean it, just to be supportive. I'm a big girl. It's enough for me to know that you are all out there, and if I really needed you, I could reach out for help.

www.coolmomsrule.blogspot.com

Thank you so much for this comment!

Jennifer Satterwhite — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:09:25 -0500

It is for reasons just like the ones you state that I asked the question in the first place.

"Is there such thing as a "mom blogging community" and are their "rules" to being a part of it?"

I absolutely want to know what bloggers think and feel about it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and opinions. They are very valuable to this conversation and a vital part of defining what makes a community.

~Jennifer Satterwhite~

Personal blog: Mommy Needs Coffee

Posts like these make me

conversemomma — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:59:14 -0500

Posts like these make me sad. How can there be people who claim to support community in one breath but then want to kick people out of it in another, just because they don't do the whole comment thing? Oh wait, because without comments we are nothing, right? UGH.... This is exactly why I stopped comments on my blog. I don't care about attacks, although I've been attacked, my life has been, and so have my children. I never deleted those comments because I think it reflects more on the person writing them. They don't hurt me. That is not why I stopped commenting. I stopped because it felt to me like people were all vying for big comment numbers rather than true connections. I care about authenticity, and for awhile, blogging started to seem really unreal to me. See, I had what I thought were a great group of women blogger friends. But, some of those women were getting really competitive, really jealous, really intent on being the next big Dooce. I found myself wrapped up in a very fake, very false community. It hurt me when someone I thought was a friend lashed out at me by claiming she would get her 100 readers after me. I realized that my writing was suffering because I was so caught up in all this. See, I just want to write. I just want to read other amazing women writers. I just want to make real, healthy, true connections. It just wasn't going down that way. Maybe, it was the crowd I was in. Maybe, it was me. I don't know. But, I needed a break. I turned off comments. I stopped leaving comments, although I have broken that rule more than a few times because women bloggers just inspire me so much and I had to tell them. Anyway, I left an e-mail open. I e-mail others. I do connect. I have made some amazing friends. We have gone to see each other, text daily, e-mail all the time. I read countless women. I am awed by countless women. I do participate in the community. But, I had to prove my point to some women who were reading and not getting it. It isn't about comments. It isn't about fame. It isn't about bloggy power. It isn't about generating more hits so you can get more money. That is all crap. It should be about supporting other women. It should be about the message you are sending. Why judge? What can you gain by judging others? If they choose not to comment, why do you care? I am astounded by how people are willing to judge, lash out, hurt. But, I'm also inspired by how many truly brave, beautiful, talented women writers I read each day. I am touched by the generous e-mails I get telling me my words have meant something. I blog to remind myself that I have worth. I blog to remind myself that I am a poet, even if I spend most of the day walking around unshowered with a baby on each hip. I blog because I have such a fierce desire to find my voice and use it to make the world a better place. How is that not participating in the community? Seriously, tell me that? I don't know. I guess I'm just sad that there are people who want to point fingers, accuse, judge, kick out. That is not community.

I also wanted to say to Jenna. I have read you on a regular basis for a long time. I love the Chronicles. But, I never comment because I am an adoptive mom. I never felt comfortable because sometimes your post cause me pain over the fact that I'm sure my son's birthmother feels as you do. I read you because it gives me hope that one day I can make things right between her and I. I read to learn from you. You inspire me. Even though I may not always agree with you, I respect you. You girl, are what community is about. Hold that head up proud!

Peace,

Kelly

http://www.ordinaryartblog.blogspot.com

This is really cool

reginatgg — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:52:54 -0500

I am definitely a new kid on the block and have been making my way through so many blogs the last few weeks trying to get how this all works. This post is so great, because it proves that what I have been hoping to find is here: Women who want to help eachother and are willing to look at themselves and examine how that is happening. The fact that so many people are commenting here and willing to talk about what the community IS, is just beautiful.

So, I am starting to figure it all out and I will try to put myself out there. It is hard to imagine that anyone is interesting in what I think, since I feel so out of sorts myself, but you are exactly right, you get what you put out there. I have always been scared of putting myself out there. I hate rejection, but everyone does, I know. I guess here I will only be judged on what I say, not on my looks, or my car or my job. That's what is so great about this community.

Gina

http://momwifeworkerbee.blogspot.com/

Holy Tomato Batman

Jerri Ann — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:13:02 -0500

I love this. And one reason is because I actually think that what you and many commenting here have said was a portion of what was said when I had the terribe stuff last week.

I guess that part of what I was asking really was about people feeling that they are part of a community. And, when I used the analysis that I felt like the kid across the lunchroom that was being ignored, some people acted as if they didn' t undersstand that this kind of behavior takes place. And, with that, that behavior may not have been an actual conscious behavior but more that I (the kid onthe other side of the luncroom) tried to interact with certain bloggers and when they didn't in turn interact with me (and I came to understand that someone with even 50 comments per post like I had just simply doesn't have time), I felt slighted, as if I didn't belong in this community.

After I read some more posts on this subject last night and re-read my own posts, comments and emails on this subject, I still believe that no matter what people say, women are simply a different creature from men. As if you didn't know that? What I'm saying is, again, something I said before but couldn't find to quote...that's because I had used this quote on my daycare site when a problem came up several weeks ago. Here's the quote

You know, research says that women, in general, have a tendency to do
this. And maybe that's part of what is going on here. It is the bare
fact that 90% of the people in and out of a daycare on a daily basis
are women. The teachers are generally women, the drop off or pick up
parents is almost always a woman. A Woman? The gender that will turn
on their friend instead of defending her, while her male counterpart
will bow up and defend defend defend...defend until the end!! Maybe this is why women weren't allowed to fight in war for so many years...just maybe......

Please don't make me find the research. This is really a simple concept and we must learn to accept it and quit fighting it.

Here's a few other fleeting thoughts or quotes that I would like to say HERE HERE TO:

"I sort of feel like the kid who transfers
into a new school during the 5th grade and all the friends have known
each other forever" and "but you know what? the kids at this school RAWKKK"

I can't say that the part in bold has always held true for me, but last week, I honestly feel like out of the 100 or so people who either commented or emailed me, I was only left with a bad taste in my mouth from 3 bloggers...3, that's not very many in the grand scheme of things. So, yea, it rocks.

And, after much reading today, I realize that I have a community, if you follow my twitter, you see that I comment to a few people that are not part of this community that is basically known as 'the blogher community' but they are parents. Most of them are people that I grew to know through my first online writings at preconception.com others simply commented on my blog, I commented back, and an online friendship began. Then through reading their blogs and following some of their links, I found more friends. So, while I can say that I've never really felt like I was part of 'the blogher communinty' (you can see I've been a member for over 2 years, yet I say I didn't feel like I belonged), I've never participated, commented on, chatted with, twittered with, emailed with most of the folks here.........folks in my other "little community", most definitely, they are my friends, they are my community and I'm doing my best to make more friends, be included in this community and that responsibility lies within me. I have to take the initiative, I can't expect people to come after me....

Can a member shun & still be part of it? I'd say no."

I say no too! And, that got me some backlash, but I honestly believe that you can't go around kicking people out of the community and belong for long, lest you be kicked out yourself.

Seriously, though, the mark of
social dysfunction is to voluntarily or involuntarily cut yourself off
from diverse feedback. If people only wants to hear praise, and/or live
in a small dyad or subculture that mutually inforces a skewed point of
view, that's going to be one funky, fragile bubble they live in!
Whether it's a cult or a marriage or a fan club, if you dismiss other
people's "grip on reality" wholecloth, you are going to the be one
slipping into paranoia, fear, and grandiosity. Which is sad for them,
and a trainwreck to watch. Some people like trainwrecks, though, so
huzzah!

If you don't interact with other people you aren't in the community.
Even if you are in their public eye, without interaction you are just
an entertainmen

I agree with this and I sure hope that Deb wasn't referrning to the train wreck on my blog. If so, I guess I shouldn't complain but one train wreck on all of my blogs (about 6) over the course of 6 years shouldn't make me a train wreck lover.

When I wrote on Preconception.com, I also visited a couple of chat rooms a lot. I became really good friends with a woman in particular. We've been really good friends, lost touch, met in person, I've been to her house 5 states away for a weekend, we've lost touch, we regained touched and all of this happened because of various on-goings in our lives. When they were similar we were close, obviously when they were different, we weren't.

Now, I am still very good friends with a girl from when I was 13. While in school, we were really close almost all the time, but after we graduated, we've been close in blocks of years. When I was married and she wasn't, when we both got divorced, etc. You see the point.....my online friends are no different than my real life friends.

And, since I'm wordy and I write long stuff, I'm going to hush now, I just want to close with one final fleeting thought..........none of my online friends, my real life friends or even my family have EVER EVER EVER EVER in my life done something on the level that Karen at Karen Sugarpants has done for the blogger in the post noted above. And, if you read her blog, you will see that this might be the biggest and bestest of the best that she has done for other bloggers but it is by no means the ONLY thing.

Now, she is one of the kids in that community that I would say seriously RAWWWKS. Yea, I say "HOLY TOMATO BATMAN " TO THAT GIRL BECAUSE SHE DOES RAWWWK!

Jerri Ann

Mom~E~Centric

Not a mom

assertagirl — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 19:51:10 -0500

Although I'm not a mother, I do consider myself part of the mommyblogging community. I read and comment on blogs written by mothers, but more than that I feel I want to say that no writer has ever resonded to me, saying, "You don't belong here" because I don't have kids. The community welcomes women and men, regardless of their status as parents or parents-to-be.

I feel really blessed to know so many fantastic women and moms...it'll be such an amazing advantage to have you all in my back pocket when I do have kids!

Assertagirl

For Jenna--

Shannon Nelson — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 19:35:35 -0500

Jenna,

I just spent an hour reading through some of your current posts and then going back to the beginning. You are part of a community even with your comments off. By being active in forums and commenting on other blogs, you are doing something important--participating. So don't beat yourself up over protecting you and your family from people who have nothing better to do than to beat you down. You have a story to tell and by sharing your experience and participating in the world of motherhood, you are indeed part of the community.

~Shannon

A Girl's Gotta Spa!

Makeup Minute

I won't stop participating because of trolls

casadecruz — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 19:34:46 -0500

Thankfully, they are few and far between. My mother always taught me, "If you want a friend, be a friend." I think the same rings true for the blogging community. The thing that gets me is that the people who complain about not being part if the community don't try to be a part of the community! They don't post on other blogs, and there seems to be an invisible line between those they consider worthy and themselves. They really are missing out by not just jumping in.

The Blogosphere is just a big ol' conversation about everything! And twitter, another great place for community, is the same. Don't worry about horning in, or interrupting, say what you want to say! Forget what your mother said about butting in, because that is how twitter works. It's a giant party. With whatever you say though, try to ensure it is constructive and kind. Or that at least your snarkiness will make the person laugh. Because? Life is too short to slam other people, seriously. And, it will come back on you.

Someone else said it: but you get out of the community what you put in to it. Jenn, this is a great discussion.

personal blog:

Send Chocolate

You make some very valid points and bring up a question

Jennifer Satterwhite — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 19:23:56 -0500

First, you said that on the blog that you allow comments on, you alllow all of the comments on them--you don't pick and choose. I think that is key. Is it unethical or wrong to pick and choose who you allow to comment when you "open" comments? (Unless of course they are spam or threatening.)

Secondly, you have a very valid reason for not opening comments on your personal adoption blog. I wouldn't accept them either under your circumstances. However, what you did go on to say was key for me: " I still participate in the adoption blogosphere but, right now, I need my own room to heal." You still participate. And that is what most of us are trying to point out about community. You are very active in blogs, twitter, etc.

I am so sorry you were attacked that way. I completely agree with why you would keep off comments. There are very valid reasons for not accepting comments. Definitely your story is one of them. And I am sure you are not alone in that.

I don't think anyone would shun or judge you for that. OR ask for an apology for it. If they have, that sucks.

I think Deb was speaking in a more broad way. I am sorry if you were hurt.

~Jennifer Satterwhite~

Personal blog: Mommy Needs Coffee

Is there such thing as a "mom blogging community" and are there "rules" to being a part of it?

Jennifer Satterwhite — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:28:22 -0500

The talk of mom bloggers as a community is not new. In fact, I have written more than once about the "community" and how often it supports those who are a part of it. However, what exactly defines it as a community? I have my own answers to that one, but in order to get a feel for what other people think, I asked the question on Twitter to discover the thoughts of other bloggers. I was not surprised by the answers. I was surprised by the amount of private emails and messages that came my way. Why is this a topic to being discussed in back channels? It's not anymore.

Here are just a few of the public responses (using their twitter handles, of course).

@Maria0305 says, "Support and love. I love everybody."

@kristenwright says, "common rules, a common goal and a common understanding of one group who come together in one place"

@AnissaMayhew replied, "I sort of feel like the kid who transfers
into a new school during the 5th grade and all the friends have known
each other forever" and "but you know what? the kids at this school RAWKKK"

@sassymonkey chimed in with "NOT a mommy blogger (not a mommy) but consider myself part of the community"

So, it appears that support is important as is one group coming together in one place as well as considering yourself a part of the community. And participation. Most of the emails and DMs that I received stressed being a part of and not standing apart from makes you a part of the community.

One person replied (and asked I do not use her name): "Every community makes its own rules and they evolve. Can a member shun & still be part of it? I'd say no."

It seems that involvement and support are big factors in what makes a community a community. So, then I ask you this. If you are a mom and you blog but you do not comment, support or let yourself become a part of the community can you claim to be a part of it?

Donna, of SoCalMom wrote me an email in response and with her permission I have used part of it to sum up what many other people said.

I think we [mom bloggers] are a perfect example of a blogging community.
New motherhood in the 21st Century is an amazingly isolated period
for individual women, many of whom are thrust out of a workplace (where they
may have spent YEARS) and in to a strange new life that is run by the needs of
this squealing little infant who is basically a stranger. We no longer hang our
laundry on communal lines in our unfenced back yards, where we can chat and get
advice with other women in the community. No wonder we’ve gone online in
droves.

...
Of course we are a community. We are a community who support
one another even while indulging occasional petty jealousies. We congratulate
every new baby and great achievement and we sympathize every loss (and mobilize
to help when a member is in trouble). We are stronger with each other than
without. I cannot imagine being w/o my community of wonderful loyal mommy bloggers.

Things got a bit ugly in the mom blogging community this week. I stayed out of the fray and watched it unfold. I saw people race to the defense of one of the bloggers they consider a part of their community. I saw others attempt to show the same support and were shot down or ignored. Both sides had things to say. Some were given a platform and others had to create their own, but voices were raised and people were emotional.

People become emotional about things they care about. Moms who consider themselves a part of the mom blogging community do care about it and will stand by it and stand by other bloggers with a fierce loyalty. It is about supporting those women who have come off of the page and become real friends. People we care about. A community.

The reason the whole community question came up was because of the whole "being involved" aspect of community.

Some people have private blogs. They don't want their private lives open up to the world. Are they a part of the overall mom blog community? Well, from the way people are defining community, many of them are because even if they choose for their words to be private, they are still there for other mom bloggers either in comments, emails or phone calls.

But what about mom bloggers who have public blogs and do not allow comments or only allow comments that share their viewpoint to be posted? Where do they stand?

Deb of Deb on the Rocks made this statement regarding that aspect of blogging.

Seriously, though, the mark of
social dysfunction is to voluntarily or involuntarily cut yourself off
from diverse feedback. If people only wants to hear praise, and/or live
in a small dyad or subculture that mutually inforces a skewed point of
view, that's going to be one funky, fragile bubble they live in!
Whether it's a cult or a marriage or a fan club, if you dismiss other
people's "grip on reality" wholecloth, you are going to the be one
slipping into paranoia, fear, and grandiosity. Which is sad for them,
and a trainwreck to watch. Some people like trainwrecks, though, so
huzzah!

One of my favorite comments came from amy on Michelle Lamar's blog White Trash Mom.

...i feel like this is a place where we should all look hard. We should
all think about what a community can be right? I want to come here ( in
this massive place) and find that we are more alike than we really are
different. I am sure I am a sappy idealist, but it is how I feel.

Don't most of want that very same thing? To see that we really are more alike than different when it comes down to it.

I don't care if you get 5 million hits a day or just 5 hits. I don't care if you have been on television 20 times or don't even own a television. I don't care if you update everyday or once a week. If you have something to say and want to be a part of the mom blogging community, then you are more than welcome to become a part of it. Just become a part of it. There aren't even any dues!

A perfect example of a Mom blogger who reaches out to so many other bloggers and supports them when they need it is Karen of Karen Sugarpants. She has been an amazing support for Lisa of Clusterfook. Go read her post and tell me that is not an amazing act of community and support.

ANYWAY, the reason I’m throwing up a post (ew) is because I’m hoping my keeping my big mouth flapping about this issue, someone, somewhere will hear me and help.

Oh it isn’t me that needs help exactly.

Lisa over at Clusterfook
is battling cancer for the third time, and I’m on a letter-writing
campaign to get her some Big Help. Celebrities, doctors, whoever has
the money or resources to help her.

Mom blogger becoming active in the community supporting another mom blogger.

Community. Love. Support. Involvement.

So tell me...what defines being a part of a blogging community? (In this case since I write for the Mommy & Family section for BlogHer, I am using mom bloggers as the example.) What makes you a part of a community? Finally, in order to be a part of a community, do you have to participate in that community or just claim to be a part of it? I want to know what you think.

---

Jennifer Satterwhite is a BlogHer contributing editor (Mommy/Family), and she blogs at Mommy Needs Coffee and The Parenting Post and is the founder of Mommybloggers.