Although I am afraid to admit it; I’m not really a Blog virgin. It all started one sleep deprived evening when this once newbie Momma married her love of photos and writing with her love for technology.
Some time ago now I created an extensive blog about my first born; more like a digitally enhanced baby book. Infamous for my pee/poo charts and poems to my baby girl it included all her milestones and countless captioned photos to document her first smile, words, steps and developing personality.
I think at first I was convinced I was doing this for her but in retrospect it was for me; being a new mom I felt very alone. I missed the social interactions with my colleagues and now felt disconnected among my circle of childless friends. I joined Mom & Baby groups and I tried to live the new Mommy life. However having a colic baby comes with its own unique challenges, the loneliness was only amplified. As a new mom I kind of understood; the last thing any of us want to hear is someone else’s baby crying for countless hours. To be honest, I myself was about as pleasant to be around as a tiger with a toothache. Blogging saved me from the baby blues, it was a creative outlet, it helped me to focus on what was important and somehow it made me feel “connected” when I felt so alone. A few years later something happened that changed things for me forever.
In 2012 I started in the #AEDT program, in a particular class we were talking about digital footprints and how small children have an online presence even before they are able to create one on their own. I immediately thought of my own kids, for fun I googled my daughter and almost threw up in my mouth. There she was, photos and the most detailed information outlining the first few years of her life, open for the world to see. My mind went crazy, what was I thinking? I felt venerable and sick. I never thought about how my late night colic filled posts could be used in a negative way; predators, identity theft plus the added concern that perhaps I was creating an online presence for her that someday she may not approve of. I panicked and started to delete both of my kids blogs and linked photo albums that I had spent countless hours creating and polishing; then I cried. I cried for my kids, and I cried for me; because it was only then I realized that my audience was potentially much larger than I had ever imagined and it was also then I realized that all those sweet moments are now only as memorable as their Momma’s own memory (which is admittedly not so good). I’m sure the information is still in cyberspace somewhere, but at least now it may be a little harder to find. Moving forward I have been more aware and cautious about what I post publicly but one this I do know is that I still have a lot to learn when it comes to living private publically.
Thanks for reading!
Laura
