What are Mommy Blogs For Anyway?

I am beginning to wonder what the purpose of mommy blogs are. Is it merely intrinsic in that we are able to shed layers of our mommy selves and negotiate who we are as mothers for our own purview? Surely there must be some extrinsic value to posting our ramblings to others (known and unknown readers) to see.

If not for readers, why do we not confine our posts to private journals?

I am beginning to wonder how exactly I am going to combine my personal reflections on being a mom (based on my own experience with B1, B2 and DOAD) and my "findings" (analysis, narratives and questions, reflections from) the Mothering Contexts Study

Honestly, I am not quite sure where and when the professional hat comes off and when -or how for that matter - the personal veneer disappears. Can it? Does it? Should it?

I would love to know what the 135 participants in my research feel about these and other questions concerning mothering and our lives in and outside of motherhood.

I would WELCOME feedback from my readers on this. Please do share your thoughts here.

DOAD and I went to see a movie tonight, Julie and Julia, a movie based on a book Julie Powell wrote, based on a blog that my book club read a couple years ago. It really has got me thinking about this sharing of information that occurs on (all but mostly) mommy blog sites.

So, readers .. if you are out there PLEASE SHARE WITH ME your ideas about what you think a mommy blog is for; and in particular, a blog with two contradictory purposes - to ponder my personal and to ponder my professional and all the while attempt to deal with the political!!

And... this is my 100th post! What, really, have I said in 100 posts? Moreover, does it matter more than I said (wrote) it or that someone (presumably) read it?

My Baby is In Grade ONE?

How did that happen? One minute I was expecting a baby, it seems the next (fast forward 6 years, obviously) my son is in school all day without me? Wow!

Pretty intense.

Kind of cool.[I hope he thought so]
How does he act in front of his teacher?
Do the other kids in his class like him? [of course, they MUST have thought he was funny and likable, right?]
What happened at lunch? [He used his manners, right? He wiped off any food that got on his face. The salmon sandwich didn't make his breath stink, right?]
He is so ready.[In so many ways it is grade three work he should be doing... in other ways did he get all he needed from kindergarten?!]
Today his brother said, "I miss him."[So, why were they fighting after school?]
I wondered if I asked too many questions about his day.
I am concerned that I didn't do enough "work" with him this summer. [Am I being too hard on myself?]
Did we do too much fun stuff this summer? [Possible?]

...just a few ramblings on the day

check out the Mothering Contexts Study - if you haven't already!

130 Surveys Completed!

One hundred and thirty moms from across North America and beyond have graciously shared some of their mothering experiences with me through the Mothering Contexts Study Please check it out if you haven't already done so.

I really appreciate your time, your honesty and your willingness to participate!

I am looking to complete hundreds more... but at least for now to make my goal of 150 before I start back teaching on September 8th 2009.

Can 20 more surveys be done in 10 days? YES!!!

As for my own mothering lately, I've felt like a nag...

Me [the kids]

"Stop that!"
["Why?"]

"Don't do that to your brother"
[B1 removes leg from B2s back... Or, B2 continues to push B1 off the couch]

"STOP CRYING!!"
["I'm not crying!!"

"Where are your manners?"
["SorrEEEEEEE!]"

"That's not how we do things"
["Yeah, it is"]

"We don't run in a store"
(apparently WE do!)

Writing in a (blog) journal

Today's gem from my Robin Sharma's Daily Inspiration from the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is:

Writing in a journal on a regular basis is very powerful. This helps you get to know yourself and deepen your self relationship. Your journal should be a place you visit and examine yourself. With the awareness that brings, you can then pledge to make better choices. And better choices lead to better results.

Does a more public journal also allow for such awareness? Or, perhaps is the semi-private (who is reading this?) or quasi-public (someone could be reading this?) nature of blogging allow for a different kind of appreciation for what one is, purports or hopes to be?

On an always related note, I have 127 surveys! That is 127 mothers from across North America who have shared a little slice of their lives as mothers with me. Thank you all! My goal is 150 by September - so if you haven't yet done the Mothering Contexts Study please check it out soon!

Thank YOU (you know who you are)

for "linking" me up! I am now at 111 surveys completed ... and counting.

The Mothering Contexts Study is one way I am exploring mothering experiences. I am also completing in person and telephone interviews - basically hearing mothers' narratives.

As the summer comes to a close and my "back to work" date looms, I am reminded that this hiatus from my professional life was only temporary. I look forward to - with some apprehension, some excitement and just a little bit of concern - this next phase of my mother/work journey where B1 enters grade one, B2 goes to pre-school 4 half days a week and DOAD is off sabbatical. What the future holds I am unsure, but I am jumping in with both feet!

After This I Had to Add 51

51. Häagen-Dazs coffee

... after being on a liquid diet after having my wisdom tooth out - oh My!!

100 Surveys: 100 Things About Me (the first 50)

1. I love being a mom more than anything in the world.

2. The person I adore, admire and aspire to be like most in the world is my husband, DOAD (dad of all dads).

3. I am a writer.

4. I am at my best when I write, speak, teach, think about what I am passionate about.

5. The Mothering Contexts Study in a few short months has rekindled my career goals (please check it out).

6. It both delights and scares me when I see myself in my son (B1).

7. I sometimes worry that I put too much pressure on myself to be the best mother I can be.

8. I love to run.

9. I hate it when things are beyond my control.

10. I live away from my extended family.

11. I have developed close friendships with some incredible women, whom I am honored
to call friends.

12. I love the television show FRIENDS and actually had Friends Parties in university.

13. I've been to Japan, but spent most of my three days there either at the Holiday Inn or the airport.

14. My dearest friend in the world (who joined me in Japan) is expecting her first child.

15. It scares me that my youngest son has no (NONE, NADA, ZILCH, not even a little) fear...especially when I think of him as a teenager!

16. I really do want to change the world.

17. I want to have a mountain retreat (although I was a prairie girl).

18. I used to hate tuna and now that I finally like it, turns out the recommendation is to limit such fish to once a month!

19. I had braces in my thirties.

20. I have never broken a bone.

21. 20 is not completely true... does cartilage count? I broke my nose (actually the person who threw the baseball broke it)

22. I have always liked the number 22, since my birthday is January 22nd.

23. That's a cusp zodiac sign... which (I believe) allows me to be OCD, controlling and at times demanding of perfection and order (Capricorn) but also free spirited, a visionary and easy going (Aquarius).

24. My husband (who is an Aquarius) won't necessarily agree with #23.

25. I have had three miscarriages.

26. I still want to have another baby.

27. I hate peanut butter and jam.

28. I like peanut butter.

29. I like jam.

30. I used to want to be Madonna.

31. I am happy that wish never came true!

32. I have four tattoos.

33. I've run a half marathon in the dark through the mountains.

34. I have an almost 5 year old golden retriever.

35. I've been married for 10 years to an amazing man (see #2)

36. I will be 36 on my next birthday.

37. I once played Charades in the Great Barrier Reef for over 30 minutes stumping everyone with my three word movie. Turns out it's called Reservoir Dogs (not Reservoir OF Dogs!)

38. I love pictures and I'd like to become a better photographer.

39. I had no surgeries until I turned 34, and have since had three.

40. I love to hike.

41. I've published one book called Youth, Crime, and Society: Issues of Power and Justice.

42. I'm going to write a book on Mothering.

42. I want to write children's books.

43. I'd love to be able to work full-time AND be with my children full-time (so if anyone has a strategy or magic duplication device, please do let me know!)

44. My favourite hockey player when I was growing up was Dave Babych (number 44, Winnipeg Jets).

45. I have Ukrainian heritage and I am neither fond of borshch (beet soup) nor Holubtsi (cabbage rolls, but before looking it up I thought it was as I remember it sounding, "holup-chi") and Pedehey is not "heaven on a plate" to me.

46. I've belonged to numerous workout facilities (gyms) with very interesting names - from Energy (or E2, as the second location was called) to Fit 'n Firm.

47. I haven't worn a watch since June 2006, but before that I always had one on.

48. B2 was almost born: at home, in an ambulance, in an elevator, ... in a hospital room. He actually arrived on a stretcher temporarily parked in the doorway between the hallway and the room we would subsequently stay in.

49. When I got married in 1999 I had 5 grandparents present (maternal grandparents, paternal grandparents, maternal great-grandmother), now only two remain (my Nana and my Grandma.

50. I love to sing and dance, but have always been self conscious of doing both.