Considering a lot of people class me as a ‘Daddy Blogger’, I don’t actually write all that much about the kids now, and I haven’t for a while. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not because they aren’t brilliant, or interesting, or continually blowing me away with how something I helped make can be so effortlessly wonderful. they are all that, and more.
But I just don’t feel like writing about them.
So many parent bloggers document every single element of their children, it gets to the point where it’s a bit gross. It’s not really about doing it because you want to document their lives, it’s because there is some financial reward in doing so. I’ve watched people write about their babies and toddlers, and then they’ve grown up, and either had another kid to keep the blog fires burning or pushed their kids into their own Blogs, or Vlogs, to continue keeping PR folk happy. My babies aren’t babies now, they have a voice, they have their own minds, opinions and feelings, and me writing about them just doesn’t feel right any more.
I can’t be a ‘Daddy Blogger’ any more. I’m done. It’s over.
I’ve kept telling myself I should write more about the kids, show them and their achievements off to the world – but I can’t. I don’t feel like it’s my place to do that – they have their own voices. If they want to share with the world, then (within reason!) they can. It doesn’t feel right me using them as PR fodder, I don’t really judge my blogging peers who do, because I understand blogging is some people’s actual jobs and their main source of income. So they have to take what they can when they can.
I think I decided this life wasn’t for me a few years ago when I had a brand who make sanitary products for ladies asked if I could ‘produce some content’ about dealing with G’s first period. I understood that it’s a weird thing for Dads especially to discuss and deal with, however, writing about it, making video content just felt grubby. I did mention this to the PR, and how I didn’t feel right about it, and I was made to feel a little guilty by not sharing my experiences (well G’s at least) with the world. It seems though literally nothing is off-limits when it comes to getting a brand name out there. I cringed when I saw other bloggers pushing the ‘campaign’ – knowing that they’d sold a moment to a brand. The money was good, but not THAT good.
Yeah, I could ask the kids for consent about writing stuff about them, and really it’s something ALL bloggers should do. But once these words are up, they are public property, there for the taking, screenshotting, grabbing. It’s very hard to change your mind once you’re online. I’d hate for them to be cool with something one day and have second thoughts the next. I make sure now that whenever I produce a video both the kids are happy with me filming them, and being a part of it, I don’t keep in any parts that will make them lo0k daft, or feel bad. Generally, though, they are running circles around me, so there’s not much to edit out!
So.. yeah – I’m hanging up my Daddy blogger hat. I’ m merely a Dad who blogs, rather than a Daddy Blogger.
If my kids want to share their stories, I will help them in any way I can to do that. They’ll still be on my videos because we have a lot of fun making those and they are more done for love, rather than someone paying us to do it!
I do understand why so many bloggers seemingly ‘sell’ their kids, but – I can’t. I want them to shout about their achievements, and give their own voice to matters, heck, even work with brands, that’s cool – they absolutely can do that (with guidance obviously).
I just don’t feel it’s my place now to be their voice – I want my little bear cubs to roar for themselves.
