Are you blog frettin'? Ya'll please help me!
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If you have been with my blog since it began 10 months ago, you have seen a billion changes. I am constantly blog frettin'! I am never happy with the layout or design. (It might be because I am addicted to design and HTML). I am never happy with the content. I am never happy with my purpose of blogging. And I am seriously stressing about it!
The evolution of my blog has been in many directions. When I first started blogging, I was just using it as an avenue to share what we did in our homeschool for my parents and sister who live far away. I was also using it to document our homeschool in case we ever had trouble with the local school system...you know, I would hate for someone to claim that we weren't doing anything but playing all day.
Then, I decided I would use my blog as an avenue for sharing my ideas for activities, lessons, and other stuff that I have learned along the way as a professional teacher. But always coming up with new ideas all the time became...well, it was pressure to perform. I didn't want my blog to go in that direction. I just can't handle the stress! My friend, Jolanthe, is a genius at it! Love her!
Then I decided that I would become one of those moms who write (non-homeschool) reviews, have giveaways, and have tons of sponsors all over my blog. Anyone remember that? I changed my blog design and added "Your Ad Here" all over the front page. Then I started to feel as if my blog was really tacky, only because I hate visual clutter. And now it seems that every single blogging mom is doing the product review, ads all over her blog, thing. I love these blogs but I wanted to be different. Sure, I am extremely saddened that a huge company isn't sending me a new washer and dryer to review. Sure, I am extremely saddened that a huge company isn't sending my family to Disney World for a free vacation. I also don't want to be the one giving away stupid stuff like a toilet plunger and aluminum foil because I HAVE to because the owners of the company will give me a couple of bucks.
So here I am now. I redesigned my blog, again (for like the 100th time) and I am trying to get to what I truly want...something minimally simple. Like my friend, Sherry, who is always simple and consistent. She is a genius, too! I want a blog that is easy to navigate. And I want to take the stress away for me of trying to "perform" for my readers by always providing AWESOME content. I want to just blog for myself. A way for me to preserve our homeschooling and family memories. Even if our life can be very boring. A way for me to occasionally share a great idea. A way for me to meet new friends, get homeschool mom support, and be involved in our little blog community.
I have been thinking about some new ideas. All of us in our blogging community pretty much have little kids and we all share little kid ideas. I want to start sharing something different. I have a Master's in Technology in Education and I honestly don't want it to go to waste. Because this degree costs me more than my house. Yes, seriously. So I am going to start sharing ideas of how you can use technology in your homeschool. This is going to be great for the little kids, those gifted kids, those geeky and nerdy kids, and those older homeschool kids...like my friend, Kris. We want to be like the Weird, Unsocialized Kids when we grow up!
What are your thoughts? Are you constantly frettin' over your blog? Are you tempted to be like the Jones mom and have an uber blog with sponsors, giveaways, and product reviews? Or do you want to keep your blog quaint and small? {The dictionary says that quaint means "Charmingly odd"...how perfect!}
What would you like to see for The Snail's Trail? What have you liked about us? What have you hated about us? What have you wanted me to keep or change? Thanks for helping me with this because I need to stop frettin' and keep on keepin' on.
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31 friends said...:
I personally like your blog. I guess the ads don't bother me, but I wouldn't miss them. I like to see content that includes what kids are actually doing in their homeschool. Even if it seems a bit repetitive. I like to hear what is working for you and what is not. I have followed you for some time now, don't know if it has been 10 months, but I have enjoyed the posts on actual curriculum, now you implemented it, and if it works or not. Some sites are getting too "commercial" for me and have deleted them from my reader. I want the real world, not what companies want. I also like reviews, whether you had the stuff given to you or you just want to offer up your opinion. Hope I made sense. I have a grandson who is just about 3. He loves "school", but is a very active boy, so I need it real. Thanks for asking.
I go through spurts of blog fretting every now and again. I feel pressure to keep posting even when I have nothing to say, but what I truly want is a record of all the things we do and learn and share. Simple. I love your blog's look BTW
Uh...wow! You blew me away on that one--nothing better than an unexpected splash of love. ;) thanks!
Here's my take on the blog (since you asked and all). You'll never be satisfied with it until you stop caring what other people think about it. I think your blog grew so fast that it kind of just jumped out of your hands and took a life of its own for a while. I'm glad to hear you're taking back the reins. Get back to your original reasons for blogging and I think you'll be much happier. Share with us what the Snails are up to and any other random ideas that pop into your head--but don't stress over it! This is supposed to be fun. :)
Oh, I am so there with you in never quite being happy with the design. Unfortunately, I know just enough HTML to make me dangerous. ;-)
I like the new design and look forward to whatever direction you decide to take with your blog because, whatever you decide, it's sure to be fun and creative just like you!
Thanks for the linky love!
I liked the colorful picture of your kids on the top. It was one of my favorite blog headers. Blog headers seem to be getting simpler, with less color. I prefer color and real life photos. I still have a country-styled house, so I'm way out of fashion anyway.
I hate the commercial stuff too.
You always have great things to say. Whatever you write will be worthwhile and appreciated! thanks
I enjoy your blog. If you are obsessed with HTML, I'd be happy to let you work on my layout! LOL!
I'm excited to hear about the new technology homeschooling ideas you have.
Oh how I hate to visit blogs that are slow to load b/c of all the graphics--mostly ads. I also hate when my Reader is filled with moms doing product reviews. So, I must admit, those are my least favorite sorts of blogs--but I DON'T get that feeling when I come here.
I also understand about wanting to somehow share your knowledge. I have my M.Ed. in Teaching & Curriculum with an emphasis on Human Rights Education. Some days I'd like to prattle on about Lev Vygotsky & Paulo Freire but I know it will be a post that gets zero readers & zero comments. :( I also want to share my human rights issues but again...I know in my heart that people enjoy seeing handprint turkeys instead. :(
I completely understand your constant fretting...just know, I've always enjoyed your blog (no matter the HTML). LOL!! :)
Personally, I prefer simple. I prefer my blog to have a lot of white space--or at least uncluttered space. In fact, I have another "simple" blog at Wordpress b/c I'm never quite happy with my Blogger one. I'm just as much of a mess!! In fact...have I even offered you any good advice?!?!
That was an interesting read because I can relate! Mostly I blog just for fun but then when it starts to grow you start thinking about what others want to see and it can get a little stressful.
I have thought at times that I would like to have lots of readers and make lots of money by blogging but at the same time I can see how much work that might be and also I like to see real life blogs not ones that are totally commercialized so I don't want that for my blog either.
One thing I don't do very often is change things on my blog. I am not that good at it for the most part so it just stays. :-)
Hope you figure things out ~ just remember not to stress and have some fun!
I love your blog....I like it even more after reading all that you shared! I love that you were transparent and talked about your blogging stress. I feel ya girl! I started blogging for one reason(memories) and then it took a turn. I started losing who I was and stopped writing for me...well, that did not last long. Eventually, I even went private. I then realized....I will blog for me and stay true to me! It sounds like that is your plan as well. I love it.....and I would love to read all about your homeschooling techy ideas are. Just don't stop blogging :)
Oh, yes... I constantly blog fret! In fact, I had 3 blogs going for about a year because I didn't want my "main" blog to be too much of one thing. I recently merged them back together, so we'll see what becomes of it next.
In regard to your blog, I miss your little brown snail photo in your header! :)
I like your blog and that's why I became a follower:) I think that whatever is easiest for you and your family and what you like you should do! You and your blog is not like any other and you should not strive to be anything but! Use your great education to help "nerdy" kids,( I tune in bc my son doesn't like to do homework and your ideas help), get sponsors, and be picky about what you get/give, post about your daily happenings, and make sure that you do it from your heart!! I look at blogs with envy just like I look at others in life with envy and know that I am me, and who I am for a reason, and that's why people like me and Jackie, and Sadie, and Sherry are here leaving you comments;)
I hope that you succeed in what you are looking for:)
Hello, I am just sending out a little note asking some of the very sweet people that follow Ma21cuteboy for your help:( On November 17,2009 the March of Dimes is hosting a blog called UNITE Fight for Preemies, you can help by clicking the button on my blog and signing up,getting your own button, and blogging about a preemie that you may have, know, or know someone who knows, and donating to find a cause for God's Smallest Miracles.
Thank you,
Chacoy
Please blog for you and you only! I say this because I am in this same rut as you right now. I am finally at peace (I think) of going back to blogging for me. If I lose readers, so what, if no one comments, so what--I began blogging to record my feelings and the happenings of my family--an online journal of sorts that has become a homeschool record as well. You see when I began my blog I had no idea I would be homeschooling shortly after--surprise surprise:-). I am actually going to post my heartfelt thoughts on this soon, it has really been eating at me for a few months now. This is your blog! I'll still read no matter what:-), anyone that cares will. Does this make sense?
OH, I forgot this....I totally agree with Jackie!
Sorry, I meant Sherry:-), I will not leave another comment!!!! Promise, and no, I'm not really crazy:-).
Ditto to Susana. Blog for you and no one else. I know since I have a pretty new blog sometimes I stress about the low # of followers I have and when someone leaves I feel bad. But then I tell myself "Cindy, you are not writing this blog for others, besides family, you are writing to journal about your life. I think I am going to take off my followers widget so, I don't even see it. Then I won't stress about it, because at the end of the day who relly cares how many people read it. If my family is happy and safe then I have accomplished my goal! Good luck and just have fun.
I love how honest you just were. I started following all sorts of "super blogs" but am just now starting to "un"follow most of them as they are filled with ads and product reviews. I blog, and follow blogs for support and inspiration. Not to view "commercials". I am excited to see where your blog will go and happy that you want to be different. I too love to be unique and Quaint :) Keep up the good work!
I definitely am a blog fretter! My blog is very new (only a few months old) and already I've changed the layout/banner 5 times! And I'm sure that's not the end of that.
Your blog is great. It's not too overwhelming with visual clutter (as you said)-like the blogger who wants you to follow them but you can't find the 'Follow' section anywhere because there is so many buttons! I know some people don't like change, but I love switching things up. Go with what you feel! You have great content so you don't have anything to worry about!:)
I can relate to your blog frettin'...especially when I keep opening my blog email and finding offers to review companies and products. It's tempting, but I've decided, personally, to steer clear of the advertising and promotion of other people's stuff unless I just really want to share something I love, no strings attached. My blog is very small and so is the amount of time I have to spend on it. I blog because I enjoy it and when it starts to stress me out, I step away from it for a while.
I first got into blogging because I thought it might be a way to earn some extra $...then I decided it wasn't worth the time you have to put in to make it happen. I'd rather just share my occassional fun and educational ideas with other parents looking for something special to do at home with their little ones.
I'm also in the throes of homeschool frettin'. Our son is in a public school Kindergarten program and doing great, but complaining about how LOOOOONG the day is. He's bored. He craves so much more than the classroom environment can provide. We homeschooled him for pre-K, so he was better prepared than any other kid in his class. Our little girl is heading down the same path, begging to learn how to read at age 3.
We felt we had to try the school route, just to be sure. Now I'm almost certain that homeschooling is in our future.
Blog? What blog? Sometimes I forget about it! I love your blog, though...it's all great and you've put so much effort into it. Thanks for all your great ideas and projects!
What a nice post, seriously, I love the way you took your time to describe things. I am not sure if fretting is the word with what I do with my blog, but I do change the looks of it, here and there.
About your questions, I think I rather keep my blog the way it is, specially now that I am working 9 hours a day as a preschool teacher, I do want to post everything we do, but I really don't have the time and energy when I go home. But I am really trying to manage time better. Anyways, too much about me.
Your blog, I love it! You have helped me in so many ways... what I love about your blog is the inspiration, when you post what you have done with your children or what your children did, it inspires me.
What I hate about your blog... nothing :) Hate is such a strong word, you can stick your tongue out at us in your blog and nothing we can do... is your blog, if you know what I mean lol
Let me tell you... I think is an awesome idea if you share your knowledge from your Master's in Technology in Education, but I also like to see your children's projects, and what you do with them.
Thank you so much, I really admire you for all that.
But don't stress over your blog. We are all moms, homeschoolers, teachers, and we all know what we all go through :)
And yes, I've been reading your blog since you started, thanks for everything :)
I just have to know how one gets 550 followers on a blog that is only 10 months old??!!! It must have been an amazing ten months.
I'm not into ads and I'm getting tired of reviews and that's not so good when you're a member of the TOS Crew.
I like peekin' in on the snails. Blog from your heart. It's always best.
Heather
I love your blog. I love the new changes you have made to make it look simple. I do miss seeing the kids dressed up as snails though. Maybe there's be a way of incorporating that somewhere. I remember when I first added you to my Reader that I thought it was so creative to have done that.
I am also struggling. I added a counter to my blog and now fret when the numbers are lower than the previous day. Ridiculous!
I too wanted to become a reviewer (for about a week) and then I realized that I didn't. And my computer is so slow with pages loading that are full of ads and amazon widgets, it gets frustrating. After reading everyone's comments, I think I will unsubscribe to quite a few blogs. (Not yours!)
I really enjoy seeing the curriculum posts you do and I have gotten some great ideas for my kids from your blog.
Thank you!
http://theadventuresofbear.blogspot.com
First of all, I think your blog is Wonderful! The design is so clean and pretty:) I think it is good to evaluate what you want.
I think it is hard to stay in a niche for long if you are creative and have so many things you like to do...one thing leads to another!
I, personally, am enjoying starting to do reviews of books and products, because I get to give them to my kids (and I'm opinionated, anyway:)The one thing I know I need to worry about is making sure I do not take too much time away from the kids to do the blogging. (yes, I am horrid at time management)
I think you are wonderfully creative and I hope you feel at peace with whatever you choose--I think some more Tech stuff sounds awesome.
I, for one, will stay subscribed as long as you're blogging:)
Heather Quinn-Schilling, TOS
I'm a new reader to your blog, I've tried the blogging world off and on the past 4 or so years; but TECHNOLOGY always seems to hinder my creativity. So when you said you are adding techno ideas that really caught my attention, I hope you can help us old fashioned homeschoolers improve our skills!
My blog changed quite a bit the first 4 months or so - then I decided on a layout I liked and have stuck to it. Of course I now have 3 blogs, and the background on one changes quite often :)
Please stop by my blog and check out the Christmas Open House! Lots of shops, promo's and give aways.
Have a really great day!
I'm sorry, did I right this?
I change my blog layout and concept every week!
But it's the evolution of you as a blogger. I think you're newest idea sounds great and you wouldn't have arrived there if you hadn't gone through all the other phases first!
good luck!
http://www.thewannabewahm.com
I'm a blog fretter.. I have big ideas and then I run out of time to do them:) Eventually, I figure it will end up being exactly what it should be:) Yours will too:)
Your blog always looks great!!
I would like to invite you to join in our photo challenge this week!
http://everythingexceptthegrill.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-life-in-pictures-session-3-day-1.html
I love your blog. I love reading what you are doing with your homeschooling, even though I'm not homeschooling myself (mine is too young yet, haha).
I haven't really taken a hard look at my blog yet. It's been pretty much the same since I started it in January of 08... just me talking about stuff that's going on in my life, adding a few recipes here, some pictures, crafts and ideas for keeping house. I guess I could go the way of the "farmer/homemaker/housewife/mom" blog... actually, I guess that is sort of what it is. I haven't really thought about it much, can't you tell? I haven't even redesigned it since I started!! Not once! I'll reorganize things here and there, but that's about it.
Personally, I love your blog. I love your title and the fun you've had with the pics (the two kids in snail costumes are adorable). The tips and tidbits you give about your homeschooling are fun to read, and I love reading little bits on your personal blogging, just you talking about family in general. That's the sort of thing that attracts me I guess... knowing I'm not alone out there!
So, don't fret too much. ;) But have fun with it... that's what blogging is really about, right?
This is such an interesting post! We get the strangest emails asking us to review or post about things that are totally unrelated to our blog. I am honestly getting tired of every mom blog now just showing other people's stuff/ideas/products/having giveaways.
We are always trying to make sure we are posting things that are important to us and making sure our blog is going the way we want it. I think they do evolve though and that is ok. They should change to fit the need of yourself and your family. Whatever you do, I'll be watching;)
Anjeanette
I understand where you are coming from. It is just like questioning yourself as a parent. I question what kind of blogger I am all of the time. Sometimes the answers startle me. I think your blog is great. Your doing a great job and whatever you decide to change or not to change will be just fine. I seriously doubt you are going to lose any readers to a layout change. Keep up the great work!
I am just like you - I change my blog too as I learn new tools, see other blogs, and try to narrow down my purpose. I love your blog - keep up the good work!
Teach Preschool
Deborah
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