The Internet is My Village: The Real Power of Blogging

When it comes to parenting, the old adage “it takes a village” definitely still holds true, but for many of us, our village lives not near us, but in our computer. Back in 2007 when I was trying to get pregnant, I stumbled upon a message board with a forum called “Babies on the Brain.” Since that title fit me perfectly, I just jumped into the conversation. Little did I know I would gain insight that would drastically change the way I viewed childbirth, much less make close friends. So close, in fact, that I took a trip to Austin last Spring to get together with 50 amazing women (and did I mention there was prom? Because there totally was).

austintoxication

These days, with so many of us relocating and not living near friends or relatives, the internet can be a wonderful source for support and camaraderie. Sure, there are the jerks and the trolls, but I’ve found they are few and far between, and the good ones outnumber the bad.

Of course we have our “real life” (IRL) friends whom we love, but I don’t get to see or talk to them nearly as much as I would like to. Trying to coordinate schedules between everyone’s work, school and extracurricular activities, I’m lucky if I see my best friend once a month! But online, I can pop on and off at my convenience, and someone has answered my question or posted something I can answer.

In fact, before I knew she wrote for New Orleans Moms Blog, I met contributor Andie through her personal blog, and we hit it off right away!

I have several reasons why I love my e-friends, but here are my top 10:

  • We turn to each other when we have doubts and concerns

  • We keep each other in check when we are about to go off the deep end and become that mom

  • We still love each other even though despite our best efforts we sometimes act like that mom

  • We support each other’s parenting and lifestyle choices, even if we don’t always agree with them

  • We get advice from moms with older kids who have “been there, done that and lived through it”

  • We look to new moms and assure them that “this too shall pass”

  • We recommend great products to one another

  • We cry with each other during struggles or losses

  • We vent to each other about our husbands, in-laws or the throat-slitting-three’s.

  • We connect. No, it’s not over coffee, and some of my close friends live hundreds of miles away, but we know each other, and we get each other.

Whether it is through message boards or blogs, it is great to know I’m not alone in this. There are other people trudging along through motherhood, and sharing it all- love and loss, triumphs and failures, pinterest worthy crafts and monumental spills. We are traveling this road together, no matter how far apart we might be.

Myndee
Myndee is a 35ish year old New Orleans area native. She's an author, speaker and self-love advocate. As an introverted extrovert, Myndee loves being part of the generation where most of her friends live in her computer. She and her husband, Luis, live just outside the city with their three kids.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Myndee I love your post! Nobody tells you about the throat slitting threes! Terrible twos are nothing in comparison. Everything just about hits the nail right on the head. I so wish that my family was closer!

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