Blogging Is A Bit Like High School
Remember high school? I certainly do! I remember the cliques.. the rich kids, the snotty girls, the band group, the choir groups, the jocks, the druggies (oh yeah, they had their own clique, too), and so on. Anyways, blogging is pretty similar to high school. You have your mom bloggers, your dad bloggers, your Christian bloggers, your craft bloggers, and there’s plenty more. But even more so, blogging can be a little bit like the Mean Girls movie, at least in the mommy blogging community.. each one for herself for a lot of people it seems. Which is sad. We’re grown women aren’t we? Even more so, we’re moms! Are we setting the best example for our children? One day they’ll see the things that we’ve done, they’ll read these blogs that we’ve written and watch the vlogs that we’ve made. They’ll read the comments and read about the people that we were friends with. I believe that reading someone’s blog is like looking into their eyes.. it’s a window to their soul so to speak.
Even in high school I was never your typical clique-ish girl. Sure I was on the Varsity dance team but I made it a point to be friends with everyone, to never exclude anyone, and I’ve always been very forgiving.. even when things hurt me badly I always wanted to believe that people could be better than maybe they really possibly could even attempt to be. I’m actually much like this in my adult life as well.. and it carries into the way that I blog and the way I network and the people that I choose to be friends wit
h. I didn’t start blogging to be the coolest blogger, I started blogging because I have a lot to say as a wife, a mother, and a friend. I’ve been a teen mom and I’ve dealt with secondary infertility as well as multiple miscarriages. I’m married to my high school sweetheart and we’ve been through some crazy things together. You can guarantee that I have a lot to say.. I started blogging to share my stories, to make new friends, and to have a place to share my opinions. I do this because I love what I do. When I step back and look at the choices I’ve made and the friends I’ve chosen to work with online, I know that I’ve made the right choices. Step back, look at yourself and the words you write. While you’re at it, take a long hard look at the people you associate yourself with and the friends you work with online.. it’s easy to see their true colors. Sure, stepping on people might get you places but eventually enough bridges will have been burned so that when you finally succeed in whatever your goals are you’ll have nobody there to share that success with you. And to those that might be in the wrong line of fire…Do you often get made to feel like this? Don’t worry, it’s a short clip.
Remember Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous words, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” All bloggers can succeed, the internet world is a huge place full of opportunities for everyone. Set an example and be the bigger person. It isn’t about our online success, it simply comes down to how we feel about ourselves at the end of the day and how we handle our frustration and anger says a lot about who we are.
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oh and I meant to say that so far, even though I am not a typical mommy blogger(haha) I have been accepted but I also keep in mind that not everyone will always like me lol
I did raise 2 brothers after my Mom died, so I’m kinda like a hybrid mommy/daddy blogger LOL:)
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AMEN! It is so interesting that I was reading this today, as I feel the exact same way. Sometimes I think bloggers get the professional world and popularity mixed up. When you are trying to create a blog that gathers in strong readers who will stand by you, you need to grab their interest but be professional about it at the same time.
I may totally be burned at the stake for saying this, but it seems some bloggers (some of the more popular ones) take their popularity and feel it has given them power to determine who is worthy enough to be part of their network and so forth (NOTE: I am NOT saying all, just some). I am happy to say The Classy Closet has never done this and is very opened to all bloggers.
Recently however, I have been treated horrible by a couple of networks whom I will leave unnamed. It seems they feel they need to find every possible way to have control and power over who joins their network. I feel they don’t handle situations professionally they will give you the boot the first mistake you make no matter how minor. I love being involved in networks, meeting new people and blogs. The past few months have been crazy for me and I haven’t been able to be as involved as I have in past months. Because of this I was kicked out of a network, basically because I had to put family first and focus on other priorities for the next while. Seriously before this I have been very involved. Even with having a crazy life the past while I wasn’t completely neglecting my blogging networks. I would still leave a comment here and there, read post that caught my eye and even entered 2 contest. They claimed that wasn’t enough and basically have been monitoring me I guess.
I hate the feeling of something that I love and enjoyed being turned into something I need to stress about and be monitored in. I feel like it’s Big Brother.
Well, obviously I have been very disappointed in the few who have turned this into a popularity/power thing. It is a relief to see I am not the only one. As you can see I needed to vent as well on the issue, so I thank Miranda for giving me the courage to speak out!
I love blogging and their are so many wonderful bloggers and networks who truly want to support each other and help each other out. I have a list of my favorites so there defiantly are ones out there who really care about you and getting to know you. The Classy Closet is one of them!
oh it is so true Miranda! We ahve so much in common, I too am married to my high school sweetheart, and a teen mom and suffered from secondary infertility and have had three losses. My blog started when I was dealing with infertility.
A lot has changed over the past year in the blog world and it NEEDS to get back to why we all started blogging. for friendship and to ahve a good time.
I was homeschooled and never forced to be part of the clique stuff. I thank God for that, because it’s SO far from who I am, or what I’d tolerate. I still hope to attend a conference at some point, but I’d really like a smaller event so I can really get to know a handful of people.
So I’ve recently become aware of the darker side to some “mommy bloggers” and it is disappointing. I was and still am a lot like you were in high school – friends with everyone etc. I just don’t get the point. Enjoyed your blog!
100 % agree ! I have taking a break from blogging and still cant find my way back. All this blog drama is just stupid !
That is one of my favorite quotes!
The title of your post struck a chord with me so I stopped to read the rest and I am glad I did! Thank you for sharing your view with us. I hope others take to heart what you have to say.
The “problem” that I have (in the past and recently) are mean spirited comments. I always wonder if those people would be so bold, harsh, vocal, and downright mean if they were saying the same thing to my face that they were typing on my posts…..
I just started blogging about a month ago and I’ve noticed how cliquey it really is. I, like you, had my group of friends in high school that I hung out with mostly…but we were friends with everyone. We always had room for more. That’s how I am in my adult life as well. And I hope to find friends like that online as well! Thanks for the great post!
Well I already commented when you first posted this but after BlogHer I want to throw out a resounding Amen to this post again LOL. EVERYONE just needs to grow up and get along, it’s pathetic to have someone treat another bad for absolutely no reason, it would really suck to be that miserable. Why can’t everyone be like us…happy and nice LOL
Love you girl
And Kasey I absolutely agree with your comment, there is always room for more we are not competing with anyone and people just need to be nice plain and simple
well in that case I was always the sweet one that had friends on both sides of the fence and will make friends with all.
I must not go to the right sites…. by that I mean I live in this happy little friendly blogging world but I’m thinking some of the drama your talking about might be entertaining. Then again I’m extremely huge and hormonal right now so I have this whole: don’t mess with the pregnant lady attitude going on and feel more invincible than I usually do.
[...] Miranda from Keeper of the Cheerios went to BlogHer 09, she wrote about how the blogosphere reminded her of the stereotypical drama of [...]
I think I live in a blog bubble…since I have no idea what all the “drama” is but I’ve discovered since leaving high school 15 years ago…everything in life it seems is like high school.
[...] Miranda from Keeper of the Cheerios went to BlogHer 09, she wrote about how the blogosphere reminded her of the stereotypical drama of [...]
Being incredibly new to the world of “blog” I have to admit this took me by surprise. I guess the reality is there are going to be people we don’t get along with or agree with where ever we go in life. That being said it is our choice how we choose to handle the situation.
[...] I know a few wonderful pieces have been written on the idea that blogging is a little like high school. ok a lot! And while I agree I think [...]