Don't believe everything you read

A friend passed along a copy of the NYT Jan. 30th "Sunday Styles" section which features an article titled "Mommy (And Me): A generation of new parents are telling tales from the crib in blogs that revel in self-absorption" by David Hochman. While I appreciate that the author, and those interviewed are attempting to formulate a hypothesis about why so many of us are doing this (approximately 8500 people have blogs about their children, according to the article, citing David L. Sifry of Technorati), I do not agree with the majority of the perspectives presented. Many of the "experts" interviewed focused on the idea that by blogging, parents can make parenting about themselves- and that it is a natural outgrowth of a generation that is "all about me." To wit: "The baby blog in many cases is an online shrine to parental self-absorption."

Althought "the basket" is not exclusively a "baby blog" I would probably fall into that category if forced to be filed under one topic.

Much of what I write is focused on expressing how I feel about my life experience, which currently that of being a mother. (Perhaps the author would argue that saying "I" and "my" is evidence of self-absorption.)

Most of my writing pre-motherhood was similarly inclined, as I have always used writing as a tool to help clarify elements of my existence. Therefore, I would argue that for me, writing has always been self-absorbed, and that posting it online is simply another way to gain perspective on my reflections. It is not for the purpose of turning the spotlight back on myself rather than on my children. One author said it's another way for parents to "get the attention and validation they seem to crave." I am neither seeking attention, nor validation; rather I write for clarification, reflection and perspective.

I am more inclined to concur with the philosophy professor- quoted in the third to the last paragraph, since it does not support the author's primary thesis- who suggested that by blogging parents are "(T)urning your life into a story that helps anwer the question 'Why on earth am I doing this?'"

If I wanted attention and validation, I think my entries would look more like this:

"The doctor has had an ear infection- her first, which I guess isn't so bad for being almost 9 months old. But I am riddled by questions: Was it something I did? Could I have prevented it? Was it that extra 2 minutes in the bathtub?

When I was a I child, I had ear infections. Did people worry about me? Were my ears important? Are my ears important now?"