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My House AND Your House is NOT the McDonalds Playlace

Nile — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:37:08 +0000

I was born in 1980 and grew up knowing the experience of playing in a McDonalds’ PlayPlace. Of course, regardless of the years I was a child… as a mom, the decade between, the PlayPlace has changes.

The PlayPlace is bigger and something adults SHOULD monitor when their child or children play.

Even if you make your child or children wash their hands before eating at McDonalds, they still carry on their body and clothing the germs of children that are classmates. Imagine the number of children to the usual McDonalds you visit, the seemingly popularity of other kids playing, and the actual population of your town. Even if you are a city that is 190,000 people, and 3 McDonalds (like Belleville, Illinois), you have quite a bit of children visiting the PlayPlace.

Normally (and this is my knowledge as an employee of a Belleville, Illinois McDonalds located across a high school of a 2,500+ student population – Belleville Township High School East… back in 1999) children are going to be plentiful, buck wild, and as a parent, you are going to scold your kid for things you believe they should not do.

However, what happens in public should not be at home, even if you are a parent so laid back that jumping on the bed or couch is shrugs at.

Despite the fact that even though I myself grew up in a military family (a family that moved constantly based on the needs of the U.S Government), I grew uo to respect what my parents and grandparents bought. Even thought it seemed like fun, jumping on the bed and the couch were things I remember being scolded for when I was young.

Today, I do the same to my son, my nephews, and nieces.

The thing a lot of folks in he 20s and 30s that were early parents fail to teach is respecting what is bought for the home and to last. No matter what it is – from the walls of a house to a bed or toy, it can be destroyed.

However, for those who are parents, we can teach our child or children how important it is to take care of what we currently have by just telling them. For those even new as parents in their teens, they can explain to their child(ren) that if they like a toy or game and want it to last, they only have to take care of it.

NaBloPoMo

Nile — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:30:27 +0000

November is NaBloPoMo, or National Blog Posting Month. Last year was my first year trying it out and I had fun. It was not a problem writing every day at Blondish.net, but since I have really been neglecting my Mommy Blog, I really wanted to dedicate posting each month.

It should not be hard coming up with at least 200 words in an entry, which is my usual self set preference to qualify as a blog post (unless it is a photo blog.)

However, I do realize it is difficult. Trying to juggle my life and my online life are two different things, especially since my online life is not my priority, except for my work. I can understand with other moms that it can be difficult to sit down and write an entry when kids are hollering, or running…. or just about to. The blogging part is easy – the getting to get a chance to sit down and blog is the challenge.

However, it is a challenge I am willing to take up this month. I also took up the challenge for NaNoWriMo, which is National Novel Writing Month. So, that is a lot to do this month in between everything else.

Reviewing To Get Paid And Mommy Blogging

Nile — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 11:10:40 +0000

I have done the paid to blog and paid to tweet gigs. It is no worries, but I am seriously considering not doing a sponsored post here at Mommy Blogger, despite the fact I really want to.

I keep visiting a lot of mommy sites and there are genuine reviews out there, but there are some obviously “I am posting this because I am getting $5 or $10 dollars for this blog article.” I cannot review just anything and feel guilty that I am either misleading someone or not being myself. For those who have read Blondish.net or WPAddict.net, or have followed me, I like to talk about things I have tried out, and I truly have an interest in.

I do not do much paid to blog gigs because the opportunities are not relevant to my site. I get a lot of proposals for my Blondish.net site to review things that have nothing to do with my site’s content. In fact, some of them would have belonged better here at Mommy Blogger.

I respect that people want to make some money, but I would like to challenge moms out there who have second guessed themselves after posting a review or paid to blog post that they probably should have bypassed in the first place.

Pick what is relevant to your life and to your website. Your visitors understand your need for making a bit of money, but when your selections bounce all over, they get confused.

Be a responsible mommy blogger and make our niche proud!!!

Worrying, A Natural Parental Instinct

Nile — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:56:36 +0000

I was reading Worrywart, Yep That’s Me by Musings From Me and I can connect with her about how I worry about my own son.

I wonder when if he is happy and what he is doing when he is not with me. I wonder if he is safe. I think for a lot of dedicated parents, it comes as a natural instinct. I do not want Angel to suffer. I had as a child and my family still has episodes where the past comes haunting at odd times.

I think I am lucky with Angel. I have seen some kids his age (he is 7) and they are just in a nasty disposition. Angel is zany, and literally happy. I think sometimes he might be spoiled when he is with his father, but with me, I try to get him to appreciate the simple things. Too many people expect things to go their way and that is not always how life works. For those who learn the hard way, it is a rough reality to adjust to.

All I can do is help him learn what he needs to do, make sure he has his basic necessities, and show him all the love he deserves. However, even though I know he has everything, I will still worry. It is just natural. It shows that I care.

What do you think? Do you worry about your child(ren)? What do you worry about in particular about your child(ren)?Do you think it is a natural instinct?

Kids Toys And Kids Meals – Your Policy

Kids And Cell phones – What!?!

Nile — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:07:10 +0000

I was recently reminded of a peeve I have: kids with cell phones. I do not mean 15, 16, and 17 year old children, I mean those 14 and under. Why do they need a cell phone? Who do they talk to and what do they talk about?

As a parent myself, I just do not find a reason that giving my son a cell phone at his age is necessary. It is an extra bill to pay, and the phone, even if I went with a cheap charlie cell phone, I know my kid would lose it or damage it. How do I know? He already did it to my own. It was okay though and no harm done. It is just a phone.

Some of the phone services out there are trying to promote kid safe cell phones with GPS tracking. I understand the concept, but as much as it is safe for my kid, it is not safe for my wallet. Is it really necessary to give a child a phone?

I grew up fine without a cell phone. In fact, I did not have my first cell phone until I was 26! When I was in high school, beepers were all the rage. And those were also not allowed in school. By my senior year, cell phones were included on the banned list (I graduated in 1999.) I just do not see a point. There are so many other necessities and it is just another distraction. I keep hearing how someone’s daughter or son drive up the phone bill, or someone cannot pay the bill.

They are really only necessary for those who choose not to have a land line telephone at home, or people on the go. If children are given phones, then that makes me wonder who is watching them? The phone cannot.

What are your thoughts?

Mommy Blogging and Site Disclosure Policy: Is it For You?

Nile — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:34:00 +0000

Disclosure policies are something that bloggers are creating on their own, or using websites like DisclosurePolicy.org for several purposes:

1. Inform readers that you may or may not accept pay to review posts.
2. Upkeep the integrity of the blogger who stands behind certain products whether or not they are paid to write about them.
3. What kind of content you will share with your readers.

For mommy bloggers (and daddy bloggers out there), this is really important. Many write about products they use and recommend in everyday life. Some may accept pay while others do not. Some blog and their post may conflict with their own opinion.

Site disclosures are for everyone. Whether you generate one, or write up your own, you are assuring your readers on what you will be sharing with them. Of course, the DisclosurePolicy.org is free to use if you choose to use the generated form to piece together your own policy. This is important when you want to gain the trust of your readers and eventually influence them. As a mommy blogger (or for some, a daddy blogger), it is important to disclose whether you are writing on a product that you were paid for and an endorse. For those blogs with a lot of influence, it could be damaging if the product does not live up to how it was written.

I usually recommended for blogs like these to choose only products that work and you can proudly back up before posting. Otherwise, it would be best to not allow paid to blog posts and to stick purely with banner or text advertising to be safe. This will prevent conflicts within blogs (those readers who might leave negative comments) and losing readership.

This can also apply to other sites, so in case you have more than one blog, you can create a disclosure policy for each one. Do you use a disclaimer or site disclosure policy?