The New York Times had an interesting bit on parenting blogs.
I would also like to note that I am uniquely gifted at both complaining and marveling at myself, which makes me the perfect blogger, at least according to the NYTimes.
Today's parents - older, more established and socialized to voicing their emotions - may be uniquely equipped to document their children's' lives, but what they seem most likely to complain and marvel about is their own. The baby blog in many cases is an online shrine to parental self-absorption.
"People who get married, especially people in their 30's, and then have kids, are used to being the center of attention," said Jennifer Weiner, whose candid, motherhood-theme Web log, Snarkspot (jenniferweiner.blogspot.com), led to her novel, "Little Earthquakes," a tale of four new mothers. The blogs, she said, are "a primal scream that says, 'Hey, I may have a kid, but I'm still here, too.' "
-- NY Times, reg. req.
Personally, I love reading about parent's struggles with parenting. I can't stand the kind of parenting literature that preaches or turns parenting into a three simple steps to success revival. I would much rather hear real people tell me, "It's really hard, but you and your children will probably survive it."
When I read about other people's experiences I don't feel like such a freak for thinking things like "If an adult bit and hit me the way my kids do, I would open up a can on them!"
I was talking to a friend of Jeannie's, who said that since her kids were born she had stopped reading fiction and began to exclusively read books on parenting. I get depressed just thinking about it.
I would also like to note that I am uniquely gifted at both complaining and marveling at myself, which makes me the perfect blogger, at least according to the NYTimes.
