Crossroads.

Published on by Darlene Dee

I think I get why most parenting bloggers close up shop after only a couple of years.

A baby is a baby is a baby. I mean, every baby is special of course. Especially YOUR baby. But if all goes according to plan, life centers around food and smiles and poop and laughs and sleep and frustration and milestones and learning.

There are about a billion different ways to feed and clothe and teach and react, but they are also all kind of the same as long as they are all done with love.

A baby is generic.

A child is an individual.

I have drafts of posts waiting to be published, but I cannot do it. Now that we are experiencing the Many Splendors of Three, things are different.

Things are different, and they are also still the same. Every parent deals with some kind of bath time struggles and strange toddler fears and hilarious stories and potty training issues. But now, I can imagine a young adult who may not want her Tales of Toddlerhood online.

I wouldn’t. I mean, I might right NOW. Now that I am forty, I think the story of my mother waking up to a baby me playing with the contents of my diaper (I know, GROSS) is kind of funny. I sure don’t remember it, but she has told me about that morning several times, so I sure can’t forget. But it’s just a story that my mom likes to tell. What if it was available for anyone to read? Like, when I was in ninth grade? What if there were PICTURES?

(I would never post poop pictures or potty pictures or naked bath pictures but that is MY line and I don’t know what Babystar’s future retroactive line will be.)

Three is interesting, hilarious, fun, and maybe quite personal. I am happy to tell family and friends the reason we needed to purchase Jojo the Fox but I’m not sure I want to publish it.

I’m not sure that Babystar wants me to publish it. And I can’t really ask her yet.

XOXO

 

6 thoughts on “Crossroads.”

  1. I try to always maintain things in a positive light, even when writing about things that sucked in the moment. I also think there is a lot more to blogging as a parent than just telling day to day stories about our cute kids. I don’t post nearly ad often as I used to, but I started this blog 7 years ago and still utilize my space. It saddens me when fellow bloggers close up shop, but not when they decide to reassess their boundaries and change up what works for their family and child who will be a future teenager/adult. Write about your values and principles as a parent. Write about the fun trips and silly stories. Write about what impacts you as a unique person and parent. It doesn’t have to end.

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    1. I’m with JennP, Darlene (as I’ve told you in other contexts). It’s perfectly fine to rethink boundaries. And maybe start a paper journal, if you don’t already have one. And/or have another sibling for (do you have a new name for her yet now that she’s in the Terrible Threes? Three-Monster?) so you can have two of the same-ish age to play stories off of lol? Nope, that ship has sailed, I know. Just thinking out loud here…
      DON’T close up shop, though. I’d miss your corner or real estate.

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      1. Thanks, Flossie! I def have unpublished words for Toddlermonster to read when she grows up. But I think I’m done here. I love the whole blogging world so I’m likely just taking a beat to reinvent. And I’m going to toss all these receipts….soon. 😉

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  2. Nooooo….I just discovered your amazing blog and I don’t want to see you go!

    But seriously, I get it. I have the same thoughts, with every story I tell or every picture that I post. It’s so very different growing up now than it was for our childhoods. I hope you can continue to share parts of your life that you feel comfortable with. Because I love your writing!

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