It didn't start so well. The first two fathers actually stopped blogging shortly after I wrote about them. I thought I was cursed. I was even afraid to continue, not knowing whether my next post woukd mean the end of another blog.
Now, when that little paranoia was out of the way, I thought I was going to offend someone. After all, the bloggers didn't ask me to write about them. But I got over that as well. If I find a blog I don't like, I don't write a bad review. I just move on.
The next challenge was letting the bloggers know I wrote about them. At first, I didn't let them know. I wasn't sure what their reaction would be. Some of them found me, I assume, through StatCounter or Technorati, and some of them never did. So finally I'm getting into the habit of letting them know. I even made a little button they can put on their blog.
But then it was time to deal with the final challenge: Why am I doing this?
And it was only by actually reading the blogs and thinking about things to write that I realized I was reading these blogs and writing about them because as a new father I needed to find commonalities between introspective fathers. If I could understand what it meant to be a father and a blogger, I could understand my new role better.
There are many types of fathers writing out there, but all share some basic things, like the need to embrace their new roles while holding on to their former selves, the understanding that when they were warned that "A child changes everything," they shouldn't have been scared, and the knowledge of their own limitations mixed with the wish to do the best they can.
Have a Happy 2009.
And thanks:
All That Comes With It, LiteralDan, The Busy Dad Blog, D is for Dad, Escaping Enlightenment, Down With Pants!, A Family Runs Through It, Dad of Divas, DadThing.com, Honea Express, Go, Team, Go!, Out With the Kids, Doodaddy, Discovering Dad, Daddy's Toolbox, iVegas Family, L.A. Daddy, and Paternal Prose.
11 comments:
I'm a father of four, and I blog Joseph Durnal's Blog. My blogging is as random as it gets, and there is the occational post about one or more of the children. I should do what my wife does on her ModernPrincess blog. She has lables for different types of posts, and one is called, the kids
I added your badge to my blog. Thanks.
Sure enough, this post popped up on my Technorati page. Thanks to you, as well, and I hope you're having a Happy New Year!
So, is this strictly for daddy bloggers? Just curious. Don't want to be intruding next time, that's all.
Anyway, it's awesome that you're trying to embrace your dad role wholly, positively, and actively. Your wife, I'm sure, is very appreciative, even if she doesn't express them often. Just know that she does. Kudos to you and to the others out there who are sriving to be best dads and bloggers.
Thanks for dropping me an Entrecard.
Best wishes for 2009!
Tasha
Joseph, hey, glad you've found me. Funny, I was actually in Frederick earlier today. Well, one of those Frederick suburbs, anyway.
iVegas, thanks. I appreciate that.
Dan, I hope you found your post. That was before I let myself be known. Sometimes I can only put my faith in Technorati. And have a good 2009.
Tasha, thanks. I appreciate any visitor and especially anyone leaving a comment. Even mothers! Sometimes I feel guilty because I quit my job to stay home with the baby while my wife works so hard, and we're in a recession, and... But she senses that and lets me know she appreciates what I'm doing. And you have a great 2009, too.
Glad you're blogging and learning and connecting with other fathers out there who really do care about being good dads. Part of the reason I picked Discovering Dad as the name of my blog is that, even after 15 years, I still feel like I'm learning something new every day. Being a good dad is one of the most rewarding things in my life, but as you said I still try to hold on to my own identity and strive for balance. Thanks for including me on your list of blogs you read!
Thanks for the comment. I hope you stick around as I find more fathers to write about and understand, while I understand myself through their blogs.
Viva la Daddy Blogs!
What he said!
Great selections for your first 20. Us daddy bloggers need to stick together! I always like finding new fellas to connect with, so thanks for the tips.
Raging, I feel like I'm a relatively newcomer, and that everyone here already knows all these blogs. Still, I hope you do find a blog you didn't know before. And thanks for the comment.
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