Mummy Bloggers

You’d be hard pressed to find a parent these days that isn’t a member of some kind of parental support group and with the convenience and anonymity of social media, more and more women are turning to “Mummy Blogger” sites and their associated advice columns and chat groups for information, support or just general parent related chit chat. These sites usually offer personal responses from other Mums with shared experiences, and provide a forum for parents to bounce ideas around and suggest new methods of making the hugely rewarding, but also frustratingly challenging, job of parenting just that little bit easier.

A question was raised this week on Channel Nine’s Today show as to the validity of Mummy Blogger sites and whether they are, in fact, beneficial or detrimental to  parents in the advice they provide. The case was argued that information provided by some writers, columnists and parents on Mummy Blogger sites can be judgemental, incorrect and downright dangerous, as some guidance given by unqualified individuals can cause harm.

There was also the question as to whether parents should trust the advice given on these websites, and the answer is really quite simple. Mummy Blogger and parenting websites are today’s equivalent of the traditional mothers group, parents giving each other support, guidance and counselling in an informal setting. Would you take on board any little tidbits of advice your other Mummy friends could offer? I know I would. Would you honestly take the word of an unqualified person over a health professional, a trained sleep consultant, a behavioural specialist or someone with years of experiences and education in the field of your concern? Of course not.

Nine times out of ten, a parenting website is the result of a google search, today’s answer to the parenting questions unknown. Or maybe a chat forum is the place someone will go when they have exhausted every avenue online in their search for an answer. Sometimes, a parent just feels plain silly asking a question, only to find that a large majority of responders are keen for the same answer.

With the issue of online bullying and ridicule being an issue with Mummy Blogger sites, it is a sad and nasty reality. As with most judgmental comments, ‘trolling’ and vindictive behaviours, it’s easy to sit behind a keyboard and dish it out, but the results can be devastating. Parenting pages are supposed to be about united support and helping each other out, but the negative side of human nature sometimes shines through, as with just about every social situation a parent will find themselves in. Family members, friends and even strangers can also be openly critical and disapproving of parenting choices; at least with an online community you can simply ‘unfollow’!

Stay At Home Mum prides itself on the quality of it’s content and the lengths we go to to ensure correct, up-to-date and safe information for our readers. Our pages include chat forums for parents and opportunities to comment on posts published, and we make every effort possible to research and reference our articles. Whilst advice, hints and tips from other mums and dads is invaluable, we moderate our pages to ensure they stay ‘user friendly’, striving to ensure none of our readers and contributors feel judged, victimised or bullied in any way when sharing with other parents. When it comes to medical information, we offer our readers the opportunity to suggest hints and tips and provide the most relevant facts possible, but always reinforce the importance of consulting a medical professional. Stay At Home Mum believes a variety of channels such as group chats, forums, factual and blog articles assist not just mothers, but grandparents and fathers and child carers, when traditional methods may not be available. 

What do you think of the advice and guidance provided by parents and professionals on Mummy Blogger sites? Do you find it valuable? Are you likely to search through a variety of sources or do you have on site in particular you trust to provide accurate and relevant content to parents in Australia and world wide?