I began blogging about 3 months ago. At first, I wrote furiously for about a month and then I stopped and asked myself the question - "What 'type' of blogger am I?"

I took a month to reflect on it that question and came to the conclusion that I am a writer, not a mommyblogger or a weight loss blogger or a motivational blogger.  I started to write as a way to express my journey of moving away from parenting as a primary role to a secondary one. When I resumed blogging this month, I took down a bunch of posts that I felt were too "gimmicky" or ones that didn't really feel stylistically like my own voice.  I try to be consistent, but there's no pressure to write on a daily basis anymore.

As Chris Pirillo said at a blogging conference I attended over the weekend, "Blog from the heart."  I think that's what I am trying to do.  My daugther, now 14, still needs me but in a different way than before.  And now for the first time in a long time, I have the time to explore what being "Giyen" means and it sometimes has nothing to do with being a parent.  

Great blog topic!

Giyen

Read my latest blog post which, coincidentally has to do with parenting:

http://tinyurl.com/3tgfnf

Or just stop by:

www.baconismyenemy.com

OK for a time, when I wrote a homeschool blog at ClubMom I was sort of a mommyblogger but really not so much - not like the people I consider "real" mommybloggers.

I started blogging when my kids were all old enough to have their own voices and the story wasn't so much about me being a mom but them being kids. I think there's a difference between writing about parenting and writing about your childrens' lives, isn't there?

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

I do think there's a difference. I think I write about parenting here at BlogHer and about my daughter's life at Surrender, Dorothy. I can continue to write about parenting until I die, but I will probably write about my daughter's life less and less as time goes on.

Surrender, Dorothy - When I was your age, we just let them ride in the back window.

Rita Arens is a contributing editor for BlogHer -- Mommy & Family.

Talk about a shift. She went from mommyblogger to food blogger in one fell swoop.

Mom-101

Cool Mom Picks.com

I started out as a personal blogger.  I did not even blog that much about my first pregnancy because I was determined to keep my blog for myself.  However, after my son was born, I had so much fun writing about him, that mommyblogging did take over for awhile.  Since my 2nd child has been born, though, I am feeling less cozy about mommyblogging too much.  For one, my son is getting older and into his own skin - I do not blog about his school, his friends or personal subjects, such as toilet "training". 

I am now back to blogging mostly about ME and my crappy tastes in TV, politics and books.  And yes, sometimes my blogging includes my children because they still are the focal point to my days.

Kelli Oliver George

http://rancidraves.blogspot.com/

http://abooblog.blogspot.com/

 Interesting issue, that of privacy. How it has become an issue for bloggers and their family and friends, as for a long time it was only an issue for royalty and the rich and famous.

When I started blogging about my joyrney to an abundant and prosperous life, I kind of felt naked and acutely aware that strangers would get to know me very well and I had no idea who those strangers were and how my data double would be received.
It was difficult to decide how far to go with personal data and that of children, partners and family.

My friends became aware that they might appear in my blog.
However I have always been careful how to language the situation and depict their role in the story.
Funnily enough I didn't have to be afraid that my family would see what I wrote about them, they never read my blog.
I hear that is the case with many bloggers.
Why that is, escapes me. Are they afraid to get that intimate as mostly when in person we are not that intimate in our conversations?

My two older daughters don't read my blog either, however I have been conscious of their privacy and somehow never wrote about them specifically for that reason.
If I wanted to make a point about children I kind of made it general. 
Because just as I felt naked when I started blogging about my life, I could imagine that they would have the same feeling when appearing in public.
At least I had a choice, they didn't. 

Wilma Ham

www.wilmasblog.com

I go to great lengths to protect the privacy of the people in my life. I never refer to anyone by name and faces are never shown on my blog. Even "Peanut" is always photographed from behind (though I suppose that the dog's face is the one exception...).

Even so, I think that when I first had Peanut, she (and caring for her) consumed my every waking hour. I started my blog when she was about 6 months old and when I was finally starting to rediscover my life. I still mainly blog about her and about my family because I'm staying at home for now. I'm sure that when my daughter is in school and I begin to work on my career once more, my blog will reflect those changes.

Great topic!

Maybe because I started blogging when my daughters were 12 and 16, I knew not to write about them directly. I did not tell their stories as Rita says, rather I write about them by way of my reacting to them, and how I am as a mother struggling with teenagers. So I am a woman blogging while mothering.

And regarding their reading my blog, they know I blog (which they mock) but I have not told them the address, nor have they asked. Yet. Thinking of them and their possible reactions to some things are the only external filter I apply to what I write.    

Laura, www.RebelliousThoughtsofaWoman.com

 Hey Laura, hi again.

I do agree that applying filters is the way to go.
And isn't it funny they don't want to read our blog.

Wilma Ham

www.wilmasblog.com

Wilma, long time no speak! Glad to see you and thanks for visiting me, and I'm off to see what's up with you. 

Oh, I feel a theory coming. If our children read our blogs it would confirm that we are people in our own right and not mere extensions of their wishes. It is their way of keeping us in our mommy-boxes.

Laura, www.RebelliousThoughtsofaWoman.com

I have learned to blog in the third person after receiving my first nasty letter when I criticized my granddaughters for being laxed in their chores etc. 

It's very dificult for me as our mssion on gammology was to bring grandmas back to the famiily by sharing what I've done and the mistakes I've made.  Therefor you can read my life and know what not do..

 So as we all learn how to still complete our mssion while protecting our families let's share the wisdom..  We know there are those among us who do not have the best intentions however, there are many more which will learn from our lives as we move forward.

 Great question and thanks for thinking of it..

Dorothy from grammology

http://grammology.com

I write in detail about my children, but they are all still young.  I think I value having this history of their young lives, as I would have loved to read about my early childhood ---I would love to know more about my early life and the silly things I said and did.  As teenagers, I don't think kids appreciate an open sharing blog.  As my 8 year old gets older, I will have to edit out much that would embarass him.  Some things to think about. 

 www.laurascoop.blogspot.com

I write in detail about my children, but they are all still young.  I think I value having this history of their young lives, as I would have loved to read about my early childhood ---I would love to know more about my early life and the silly things I said and did.  As teenagers, I don't think kids appreciate an open sharing blog.  As my 8 year old gets older, I will have to edit out much that would embarass him.  Some things to think about. 

 www.laurascoop.blogspot.com

The truth is that I've always existed in the "mommy blogosphere" because I was a blogger who was also a mom, but I didn't want the category to define me. Mostly I write about my thoughts, observations and experiences, and from time to time they are specifically about my son or husband, but usually about some absurdity of the world in general.

Also, in terms of privacy, I've never mentioned names, shown pictures or even revealed my own information. I think that is about to change as my blog evolves I want people to feel more connected.

 Last thing, I think it's natural for new mothers who need a place to vent or express themselves to discover blogging. As their lives settle into a routine, and the kids get older, I believe they have more time to look inward and reflect on their lives beyond the children.

 I have a hard time, personally, reading blogs that are more "online diaries" about the daily grind of motherhood.

 Rita, I love that you asked this question. 

Link Textgray matter matters

 I started blogging in 2003 got knocked up in 2004 and discovered the joy telling the Internet too much about my cooch during pregnancy. Since then I've found so much companionship through parenting and marriage issues.

I still "mommy blog", I just have a family blog for updates on the kids that is full of the not-as-interesting details like, "Slept through the night!" and "look at how cute!" So I still do blog that, it's just for a different audience. For some reason I would rather talk about my sex life with strangers. LOL

http://mrs.flinger.us and http://catapultwebdevelopment.com 

I started blogging in 2005, so I guess that puts me in the first wave. 

I definately have noticed a shift in the things that I want to write about. It's not so much about my mommylife anymore, but more about issues I'm passionate about. I'm sure I'll still write about the funny mishaps or thoughtful stories, but it won't be the focus it once was.  

Monica 

Paper Bridges

Mom on the Run

I'm very conflicted about my blog. Sometimes I write about me. Sometimes about my children. Rarely about my husband. I vent about my parents and sister. I rant about my children's schools. I write about products I like or don't like. At times I don't blog, but prefer instead to read other people's blogs. What does that make my blog? A big hodge podge of random, sometimes infrequent posts. But, you know what, I love writing on my blog.

I don't reveal my name or my children's names. I post photos only of my son as he is quite young. I like the freedom of writing whatever is on my mind. Very freeing!

My style has radically changed since 2005. Mainly, I blame that on being woefully ignorant of the blogosphere and internet in general when I began writing.

 I regret usuing real names but I resign myself to the fact that I am not disciplined enough to not reveal my location in my writing or stick to calling everyone Mr. Looney Tunes, Baby Looney Tunes and Looney Tunes jr. 

 I don't write about my kids nearly as often as I used to.  For one? I have loads more traffic than I ever dreamed of having back when I was pretty much talking to myself and it gets a little frightening sometimes.

Then there is the fall out of people that are unhappy with being on your blog. It sucks, and so I usually just stick to writing about me because I know that I won't get pissed off at myself.My kids CLAMOR to be on my blog but I have become pretty restrained about it compared to what I used to write about. For one, I am more protective and for another, as they are getting older, I don't want to make my kids lives at school any harder than it has to be already by something someone may read.

That said I DO still have an amazingly open personality online compared to a lot of people and I am comfortable sharing QUITE a bit.  I think it comes down to what you are comfortable with and the fact that that can shift as time and experiences happen. 

As the kids get older, I also struggle with the issue of privacy and anonymity.  I'll admit, when I started my blog in 2005 after I had a new born, it was a bit of a creative outlet as well as online journal to capture "precious" moments.  And keep me sane.  But it has become more "all about me", and it's evolved to include more personal journeys  (although of late, there's been more photos, less real writing because real life is starting to get in the way.) 

 I find the more personal I get, the more readers (or at least commenters) drop by.  I suppose the more personal the story, the more passionate the writing, and that has thrilled me in a way, as I hope some of what I have experienced has been able to help others too.

I like to think I'm not writing for my children, but for their children. So they can know the stories of gramma and see her as a human being instead of just an old lady that's crabby and snarky. 

Perhaps when my daughters are 30, they too will read it and realize they were not peaches and cream, but real issues in my life that took up real time in my brainspace.

Hopefully that will make them better humans, better parents, better friends to other people in the world. 

I'm sure they won't read it, I mean, who wants to see their parent as a human being? LOL

Oh, and if my kids don't have kids, that's fine too. Just so my humanity is out there and I'm not relegated to being JUST mom or JUST auntie Jen.

jennydecki

Beyond Mom Blog

Rita, it's so odd that you would write about this. I have been thinking the same thing lately about myself and my blog. I wondered if I was technically still a mommyblogger if i write less about the kids and more about me. Regardless, it seems like a natural transition that mirrors the transitions we go through in our parenting journey.

:) Izzy

Yes, I initially started my blog as a "mommy blog," but noticed I rarely talk about my child.  I guess I feel that I can't translate her in a way that would be interesting to all of you, nor do I want to, really.  The blogs and posts I've been drawn to have been about the mothers, their thoughts, anecdote, etc...I find them to be much more interesting.

--Kaui Hart Hemmings

http://www.partywithaninfant.blogspot.com

http://www.kauiharthemmings.com 

 i find myself writing less about the big 'uns, unless of course they've done something particularly hilarious or nefarious. The wee ones are still fair game but the girls are older, out in the world (well as out there as a 4 and 6 yr old get)and deserve some space.

Fidget
Finding Yourself Despite Yourself
pregnancy & parenting @ Capessa

I started blogging as a place to keep family and friends informed, but slowly articles about life how i saw it creeped in. For a while my blog looked without direction. Then I went to Blogher on saturday in Boston and finally decided to split my blogs. Especially since I used names and pics in my 1st blog.. now I have the family one by invitation only.  Yes, I want to put up kid's pics etc, but i get more excited writing about what;s on my mind. 

http://mommyniri.blogspot.com/

http://girlsofniri.blogspot.com/ 

I've got my original blog, which is for me, and started one for funny things my 6-year-old does, which he likes - I scan in some of his art and post the funny things he says that I think he'll want to know someday -- and I also started one about our experiences with my son's school program. At first when I started the school blog I felt I had less to sayon the original blog, but now I find I write about my own stuff more.

<a href="http://itsajanslife.blogspot.com/">Its a Jans Life</a>

In my case my blog was kind of an afterthought that I've come to really enjoy; an addition to our children's story site.  Because I never know who's going to visit, I need to make my writing accessible to kids (in the unlikely event that they'd actually read it).

I've never considered myself a "mommy blogger" although much of what I write about has to do with my life and involves my son, but, like Mom on the Run, my writing is about pretty random topics."

I've been careful this whole time about respecting my son's privacy.  I use a pen name for him and don't write anything (or try not to) that would embarrass him.  Once it's out there, it's out there forever. 

http://www.storyrhyme.com/jcsblog

I love how you ended you post! I feel the shift in Mommy Blogging, too.

You raise an interesting topic, one that I've been reflecting on myself. I am fairly new to blogging. I started my blog Motherscribe a year and a half ago. I started it with the concept of writing about my children who are both 4 at the moment, only 10 months apart. Yet, as time went by I found myself driven to write about all kinds of things - some provocative and not fitting into the "mommy niche" so to speak. My blog has evolved into a mix of things - as I like to say... exploring parenthood, self-expression and poetry while existing on caffeine, chocolate and the occasional whiskey...

I decided from the beginning to keep my blog anonymous, and I'm glad I did so. It gives me more freedom, really. But, I am wondering where my focus will go in a few years as my children get older. I'm very conscious of their privacy and also of my need for self-expression - as a separate piece from them.

And I'm rambling....thank you for this thought provoking post!

JCK

http://motherscribe.blogspot.com

I look at it more as waves of mommy bloggers at different stages of their blogs. We are currently in a baby boom periodSee this article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/3187954/Financial-crisis-is-sparking-baby-boom.htmlThere will be plenty of mommy bloggers that will still continue to complain about their kids or for that matter brood over them.As for privacy, I don't plan on worring about it as my kids get older. My wife and I mention our kids in our blog and they are currently 3 and 6. I would rather be an open book with the public and have my kids learn at an early age what I'm thinking. Too many parents don't instill good family values in their kids and are too busy making a career. If my son's life is out there for the public to read about and he is embarassed about, then I suggest he start his own blog and write about me!David Freibrundavid@mybabyphotos.net

I love when you say "focusing back inward on themselves or outward on the external world".  It must be a bit of a bitter-sweet turning point in those bloggers' lives.  On one hand you have your babies who are growing up and are now old enough to care that they are being put 'on display'.  But on the other hand, these mommies now have a time and place for THEMSELVES!  Even if it is just their little blog corner of the internet, it is their space, their thoughts about grown up matters.  

While it makes me somewhat sad that my little boys are growing up, I am looking forward to having my own little area of the world, where pooping diapers are no longer the center of my thoughts :)

Holly

Go Kye {for baby}

http://www.GoKye.com

I started blogging in 2004, and since I write a personal site going through fertility treatments and then having babies seemed like par for the course in terms of my blog.  I have noticed a strong people shift, though - presumably as I got less edge-y, more Pampers-y, people dropped off and new people joined.  

I like blogging about my children and will continue to do so, I'm just mindful of that grenade that people lob over the fence - "You Mommyblog, therefore you are not serious."  And in not being serious you feel belittled.  What I write about my children is my view of their lives, not so much how their lives really are.  I've not written anything that would upset or embarrass them, but at the end of the day I'm conscious that I need to keep my space for me, and not as a shrine to them.

Helen

http://everydaystranger.net

I think this is a great shift.  "mommy-blogging" empowered me to do something for myself amidst the life-changingness of spawning and all that comes with that!  As we all progress though, I am finding an even deeper voice and trusting it.  The cute anecdotal stuff has become the pepper in my blog but the "meat" is me. 

http://notthatidontlovemykids.blogspot.com/Not that I don't love my kids.......tales of a two time, tubes tied mom(when the novelty of parenting starts to wear thin.........)

I began briefly as a mommy blogger. But after a very short time realized that I needed a separate blog for my daughter, one that she can take over when she is older. I spun it off within six months of my original, personal blog. I don't publicize it, except to the family. Sure, it's out there. But I don't advertise the link, and limit talk of poop and other potentially embarrassing items.

It's smart of you to be planning ahead for the shift.

My personal blog grew and became ungainly until it had to be divided into the personal, Frog In North Georgia, the less personal that can be used for resume northofatlanta.com, and finally the technical, which I discovered had been taking up over one quarter of the posts for years.

Geek Thoughts really has become my resume and has been very helpful when doing technical and humor writing.

Ah, changes...

Christine

I started blogging in 2000, before I even had children. My first was born in 2004 so naturally I chronicled his life for a time. But gradually I found I wanted to use my blog to showcase my knowledge of different subjects, rather than just a play-by-play of my day as a mom.

I do wonder some times if maybe my 2nd born is getting the short end of the stick since I don't blog about his life as meticulously as I did my older son. But, my blog is becomming less of a journal that it once was and more of a "brand", and I kind of like that.

CanCan

Mom Most Traveled

www.MomMostTraveled.com

I have blogged for only 15 months, and my blog is meant as a resource to parents of children with special needs.  I have learned however to make my posts more interesting by including stories about myself and my life, including my family members.  

The mothers I read, mothers who read me, benefit greatly from writing about their children and themselves.  They receive a lot of supportive comments, too, from others like themselves.  

What a rich experience we are all having.   

Barbara H. Boucher, PT, PhD, OT    TherExtras 

I just started blogging about two months ago and I am probably like the first generation mommy bloggers you are referring to.  With a four year old and a 21 month baby I have many good stories that develop since I am in the thick of it.  I think that the new mommy bloggers will fill in the gap that the first generation has opened up by changing their topics.  My blog really has more diverse topic that just my kids stories but I will do details of their antics and mix things up with more serious topics in between.  The whole process is great though!

 Julia

http://julia-oursimplelife.blogspot.com