Naptime Natter

Parent bloggers – how do you do it?

I have been writing this blog for nearly 11 months now and I still have a lot to learn and a lot to do before I am completely happy with it.

I mean, A LOT.

As we all know, blogging is not just about writing posts. I realised this very early on but I didn’t appreciate the sheer volume of other work that goes in to making a blog a success. As a blogger you have to read more blog posts than you write, run several social media accounts, take and edit photographs, keep on top of emails and there is always something on your blogs design that needs tweaking; all of this and you have to come up with and write interesting and engaging content.

The thing is, I don’t do all these things. I want to but I just don’t have the time. There have been occasions where the weight of all the work has left me feeling completely swamped and out of my depth. Blogging is not my job, yes it has brought in some money but not enough to class it as my career, not even close. For something that is supposed to be a hobby, sometimes blogging doesn’t feel much fun at all.

I want my blog to be a success, I really do. I want lots of people read and enjoy my posts. I want to grow my social media following so I won’t be embarrassed to tell brands my stats when they ask. I also have a little boy to look after though, a house to take care of and, well, an actual life to live.

At the beginning of the year I wrote my blogging goals for 2016, I still want to achieve all of these but I am struggling to see how it is going to be possible. How can I grow my blog when it demands so much from me? I could sit at the laptop all day, every day for a week and still everything wouldn’t be done. I know if you want to get far in life you have to work hard but surely putting my blog before my actual life isn’t the answer? Or is it?

So today, I am asking all my fellow parent bloggers out there, how do you do it? How do you have thousands of followers on Twitter and Facebook? Do you spend hours following people on Twitter hoping for a follow back? Do you join Facebook groups and spend even more time taking part in various threads? How do you find the time to blog every day when I struggle to get something published three times a week? Some of you even work full time jobs and manage to run a successful blog on the side, you my friends, are an inspiration.

I understand for parents who’s children are in school or at nursery then there is more opportunity for them to dedicate time to their blog. What about all you parents like me though, who’s little ones are with you all the time, how do you do it? Are you up until 1am writing posts and answering comments? Where do you find the time to schedule tweets, write newsletters and  take part in linky’s?Do your little ones tolerate you typing on the laptop? Mine sure doesn’t. If I so much as lift the lid of the laptop, my boy is over bashing on all the keys or trying to throw it on the floor.

Is sacrificing time from you actual, real life the only way to grow your online presence? Do other hobbies have to be neglected if you want to make your mark in the blogging community? Am I delusional to think I can have a happy family life yet also be proud of my blogs performance?

Is there something I am missing? A secret schedule that helps you have an enjoyable real life and soaring page views? I know what I need to be doing to grow my social media following and get more people to stop by my blog but I just can not find the time to do it. The hour or two I get to write this blog in the day is nowhere near as much time as I need. My husband works all day and our time together in the evening is so precious, I feel guilty spending it staring at the laptop, ignoring him. Is this the way things have to be if I want to get my blog to where I want it to be? Do I need to distract Leo more during the day and spend more time blogging in to the early hours?

It may not sound like it right now, but I do really love blogging. I love my little corner of the internet, my online family scrapbook, my place to vent and seek support. It is just frustrating that I can see potential in my blog, feel confident in my content but can’t find the time to really make it shine. I am reluctant to exchange family time for blogging time, I worry in years to come I might regret it. There might be a day where I wish I hadn’t spent all those hours staring at a screen instead of cherishing the moments with my family.  What if one day it makes me sad to think of all the evenings where Oli and I could have been enjoying time together but instead I was too engrossed in my smartphone to even notice him sat beside me? Will the rewards be worth the sacrifice though? I am not sure.

Finding a balance between all aspects in your life can be so difficult. Some of you bloggers out there have figured it out though. I read your posts about all your family days out, fun activities and baking masterpieces, your followers are through the roof and you are doing it all with your child (or 2..or 3!) in tow. How do you do it? Share your secrets with all us other bloggers out there who are just muddling through this busy world of blogging, trying to grow but not quite sure how, pretty please?

Do you struggle to find time to commit to your blog? Is your blogging to do list never ending too? Or maybe you have 1000’s of subscribers and stats us small time bloggers could only dream of, how do you find a family/blog balance? I would be really interested to hear your thoughts.

This post is linked to…
A Cornish Mum
My Random Musings

Cuddle Fairy

Mummuddlingthrough

5 blog posts all new bloggers should read

My first blog birthday is approaching in March, I have no idea where that year has gone? I had no idea when I started my blog what I was letting myself in for and how much I was going to fall in love with this whole thing.

I decided to start a blog on a bit of a whim, I was bored, lonely, jobless and felt like I needed something that was just for me. A hobby that I enjoyed, helped me document Leo’s little life but also enabled me to get back into writing, that’s what I wanted from my blog. That is exactly what blogging has given me too, plus so much more: inspiration, friends and a little bit of cash.

If I could go back to that day in March last year, I would do some research before I got started. I would read up a bit about blogging, have a browse around the parent blogger community and read lots of tips. Instead, I jumped straight in at the deep end, head first and spent the first month or two just floating around cyber space, wondering why no one was reading.

So, to help any new bloggers out there, I have put together a list of posts I wish I had read before I started my blog. I still feel like I am learning myself so I will leave the tips and advice to these brilliant bloggers. I hope you find these posts useful…

1. So you wanna start a blog – Brummy mummy of 2.

brummymummyof2

This is a must read, a great post full of everything you need to know if you want to start a blog. It is written by the very lovely Emma and is really informative as well as funny.

2. 50 blogging tips – You Baby Me Mummy

I love You Baby Me Mummy, Aby’s blog has taught me so much. This post of tips is so useful, it covers everything from how to make a blogging schedule, edit pictures and how to promote your posts. I would strongly recommend checking out Aby’s blog club, it is a whole series of posts, full to the brim with blogging tips, advice and inspiration.

3. The Linky Guide – Cuddle Fairy
Cuddle Fairy
There is one thing I am sure of in this world of blogging – if it were not for linky parties. my blog would get nowhere near as many readers as it does. When I first started blogging, I didn’t have a clue what a linky was. I wish I had found this post from Becky over at Cuddle Fairy sooner, every part of a linky is explained and she also give details on how you go about linking up your posts and why you should get involved.

4. How to be a friendly blogger – Mama Mim

This is a lovely little post by the equally as lovely Mim. You can find five brilliant tips on blogger etiquette and how to be a friendly member of the blogging community. Just like in the real world, a good attitude and manners will take you a long way. Everyone loves a friendly blogger.

5. Deciding a blog name – Live. Love. Blog.
Live Love Blog
And finally, if there is one place online you need to visit as a new blogger, it is the Live. Love. Blog. online magazine for bloggers. This blog is written by pro blogger Aby from You Baby Me Mummy, Hannah from Mums Days and Katy from What Katy Said. You can find literally everything you could possibly need to know about blogging here, but I thought  this post on deciding a blog name would be particularly helpful if you are thinking of starting a blog but can’t decide on a name. I wish I could go back and change mine, Leo is not going to nap forever and I am not sure what I will do about my blog name then!

Are you a new blogger? How are you finding the experience so far? Maybe you have been blogging for years, is there anything you wished you had read before you started? Let me know you thoughts. If you are a new blogger, welcome to the blogging world and enjoy!

My Random Musings
Mummuddlingthrough
A Cornish Mum
Cuddle Fairy

My 2016 blogging goals

Happy new year!

I can not believe it is 2016, where did last year go? I hope you all had fun celebrating New Years Eve last night. Oli and I had a curry, drank prossecco and watched a film. I passed out on the sofa at 11.45 but Oli woke me up in time to see the new year in.

January 1st is usually the day where I write a list of new years resolutions. You know, eat less chocolate, exercise more, be more positive, the usual stuff. I rarely ever stick these though, I eat healthy for a week or two or whatever but it is not long before I just give up and slip back in to my old ways.

So, this year, instead of wasting my time writing a list of resolutions that are doomed from the start, I am going to write a list of what I want to achieve from my blog in 2016.
I think I am more likely to stick to these as I really want my blog to do well this year. I put a lot of my time in to blogging and having this list of goals to achieve will help me focus and make my little blog a success, hopefully.

My 2016 blogging goals…

1. Take better photographs – I love taking pictures for my blog and would love to learn more about framing and other photography techniques. I need to stop using my phone and instead use my camera, there is only so much you can do with a camera phone and sometimes my pictures look a bit blurry. The blogging world is more visual than I first thought and I don’t want my images letting my posts down.

2. Grow my audience – This applies to my page views and followers on my social media channels. My twitter account seems to gain followers with very little effort which is great, one less thing for me to do. However, my Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and G+ accounts only have a small following and I am struggling to boost my audience here. I need to set time aside each week to focus 100% of my online time on my social media channels. Hopefully, as these accounts start to grow so will my blog page views.

3. Work with other bloggers – I would love to help co-host a linky, collaborate on a series with another blogger or write a guest post on one of the blogs I love. Since starting my blog last March I have got to know so many amazing people and would love the chance to work with some of them this year.

4. Comments – Comments make me so happy. If you have ever commented on any of my posts, thank you, it means so much. I am pretty rubbish at writing back, I always do but sometimes it takes me weeks to get around to it. From now on I am going to write back to someone as soon as I see their comment, that way I won’t have to spend whole evenings trying to catch up.

5, Reach out to brands – So far I have only written two sponsored posts on my blog. This is fine as I don’t desperately want or need my blog to be making money. However, I really enjoyed writing these posts and a bit of extra cash never hurt anyone. The 2 companies I worked with contacted me initially, I am yet to make the first move. This year I plan to put myself out there, reach out to some brands I love and just see what happens. The worst thing they can do is say they are not interested.

6. Be more organised – At the minute I have no real blogging schedule. I blog when I want, sometimes only once a week and other times I blog every day for a week. I have bought myself a diary, specifically for my blog and I am going to plan and write posts in advance and publish posts on the same day each week. I am hoping to manage my online time more effectively so I don’t find myself frantically typing the night away when I realise I haven’t published anything in over a week.

7. Do what makes me happy – My final goal is the most important. Yes I want more people to read my blog and all the rest but I don’t want my blog to take over my whole life. Sometimes I worry I spend too much time on my phone/laptop and that is time taken away from Leo. Although I mostly blog while he is sleeping, sometimes the list of jobs can’t help but overlap with the hours while Leo is awake. I need to know it is ok to take a break, if trying to keep up with social media as well as writing posts is stressing me out and making me unhappy, then I have lost the true reason why I blog. Blogging is a hobby I love because I love to write, if all the other things start to dwindle my passion then I want to make sure I take a break. Yes stats are important to me but keeping my love of writing and spending uninterrupted time with my family is more so.

Do you have any blogging goals for 2016? Or are you happy with your blogging life as it is? I would love to know. I am hoping I will be able to achieve all of mine.

A Cornish Mum

My Random Musings

6 things to do on your blogging break

Blogging, we all love it right? Our own little space on the internet to share our thoughts, embrace our passion for writing and to meet new people. Starting this blog earlier this year was definitely one of my smarter ideas, it has helped me improve my writing, inspired my creative side as well as making me a more confident person in general. Blogging is not always easy though, it can be very time consuming and the endless social networking that goes with it can be very demanding. No matter how much we love our blogs, sometimes it is good to step back and take a break.

In September I was very busy moving house and decided to completely abandon my blog for a month. I needed the time to focus on packing and I also felt like my blog was suffering due to distractions from my personal life. Instead of spending a month churning out half hearted, uninspiring, potentially badly written posts, I chose to sign out of Blogger, ignore the whole blogging world and enjoy a month away from it all.

Along side completely relocating with my family, I managed to do lots of things on my blog break and I found it really beneficial.

If you decide to take some time away from your blog, here are 6 things you should do on your blog break…

1. Read that book – you know the one I mean? The one that has been sat on your bedside table, untouched for the last few months. Reading blogs is great but there is only so much reading you can fit into one day. Use this new spare time to pay that book some attention, you bought it because it looked interesting after all.

2. Tweet – Once you become a blogger your Twitter account suddenly becomes home to endless blog promotion, retweets from other bloggers and everything else blog related. Instead of tweeting a link to your latest post, use this time to share a bit more about yourself with your followers, things they might not have known before. Lets be honest, everyone prefers a witty or heart warming tweet to yet another blog promo anyway.

3. Embrace parenthood – Now, I am not saying we don’t all do this every single day anyway. However, when you are on your phone reading comments, sending tweets or updating your blog that is time taken away from having fun with your child. Although I try to only blog when Leo is asleep, with the amount of work that coincides with blogging it is inevitable that sometimes various tasks leak into our time together. It’s time to get those hands off the keyboard and use them to give your toddler a good old tickle and have some fun.

4. Enjoy other hobbies – Whether you blog for a living or it is just for fun, sometimes the things you enjoyed before blogging can get a bit neglected. If your writing time has taken over the hours where you used to watch films, sew, swim, paint, read or whatever then use this break to get back into your favourite past times. Between packing boxes and cleaning, I managed to finish a whole book and get some serious knitting done, it’s amazing what you can do when you’re not glued to a screen.

5. Reflect on your blog – Now I know you are on a blogging break but now is a good time to address any issues you may have with your blog. You can use this time to give your blog a make over, tart up your side bar or update your about me page. Without the stress of deadlines or all the post promotion, you will be shocked at how inspired and creative you will start to feel. Even though you are having time away from your blog, post ideas will keep popping up in that clever brain of yours so make sure you write them down. I came back from my blog break with a pretty new layout and a much more focussed mind.

and most importantly..

6. Relax – Yes, you’re stats are going to suffer. How could they not? It is not the end of the world though, when you are ready to come back your readers will be back too.  Just enjoy some time with your family without your blog getting in the way. Be it a week, a month, a year just make sure you enjoy your blogging break and you get everything you want from it.

Have you ever taken a break from your blog? Did you find it beneficial? I would love to know what you got up to.

What my blog means to me

It has been 2 and a bit months since I started this blog. When I sat down to write my very first post all those weeks ago I never expected that my blog would become such an important part of my life.

Blogging has become a much loved hobby and I now spend more time reading other blogs than I do books, this is a big deal for me! I feel like I am gaining so much from my blogging experience and I never imagined my little corner of the internet would end up meaning so much to me.

5 things my blog is to me…

1. A scrapbook

I have always been one for taking photographs and keeping little things to remember places I have been and things I have seen. Since Leo arrived I have turned into some crazed photographer and I have thousands of pictures waiting to be printed and put in an album or frame. My blog is a place where I can keep my photos with the memories written up along side them. In the future I can look back on this blog and not only will I see lots of photos but I will alo be able to remind myself of where the pictures were taken and how I was feeling and what Leo was like when they were taken etc etc. Also, a digital scrapbook takes up significantly less room than actual scrapbooks, always a bonus in a house running dangerously low on storage space!

2. Something just for me
Naptime Natter is my blog, it may be one of thousands of other parenting blogs but this one is mine. I started this blog because I wanted to, not because someone told me to. I have always enjoyed writing and it is a very personal hobby, it is something I don’t have to share. As a mum I have little time to do things just for me, in the precious moments where Leo is sleeping it is nice to know I have something I can do that i enjoy and is not a complete waste of time, like watching Hollyoaks for example (guilty pleasure!).  

3. Therapy
Sometimes being a mum is hard work. We all have those days where nothing is going right or we feel like we can’t cope. Having a good old rant about Leo’s bad behaviour, talking about things that are stressing me out or reading posts from happier days really makes me feel more positive. Even if I spend an hour furiously typing and not one person comments it doesn’t bother me; sometimes just putting how you are feeling into words and getting it all out is enough to make you feel better. Finding posts by other bloggers who are experiencing similar difficulties to you is always a great comfort when you are feeling alone and don’t know what to do.

4. Inspiration
Reading other blogs as well as writing your own come hand in hand with the blogging experience. Before I started my own blog I had only nosed around a handful of other parenting blogs, now I am reading several different blogs every week. From reading other peoples blogs I have been inspired to do lots of different things. I have discovered lots of fun childrens recipes, craft ideas and toddler activities and have read lots of posts that have made me laugh and cry. Also, other bloggers have inspired me to work on my own writing skills and imrpove my own blog in the process. 

5. A place to meet new people
There are so many parenting blogs out there. This can feel over whelming sometimes, like your voice isn’t going to be heard amongst the thousands of other bloggers sharing their own stories. Don’t worry though, if you put the effort in people will read what you have to say and you willl start get to know lots of new people. I am slowly beginning to form online relationships with other bloggers and through people commenting on my blog I am recieving lots of great advice and support. Every parenting blogger I have spoken to so far has been nothing but lovely. As I only have a small network of friends where I am currently living, it’s nice to know there are thousands of like minded people just a few clicks away who are doing what I am doing: bringing up a baby and telling the world all about it!



Has your blog had a big impact on your life? What do yoou love about blogging? I would love to know.

Mums' Days

My first month as a Mummy blogger

It has been just over a month since I started this blog and I thought I would take the time on this quiet Sunday to reflect on my blogging experience so far.

What I love about blogging:
• Having a place to express myself, write down my worries and document what’s going on with Leo.
• Feeling the love from other bloggers through their lovely comments on my posts.
• Embracing my creative side and indulging my inner writer.
• Discovering lots of other parenting blogs and reading so many inspiring posts.

What I dislike about blogging:
• Using an android tablet and mobile phone to write my blog. The blogger app is ok but everything would be so much easier if I had a laptop. Copying and pasting html, adding images and even just typing text are 10 times more difficult that they need to be on a tablet.
• Blogger. I regret deciding to use Blogger to host my blog instead of WordPress. There seems to be more design options and you get a .com url when you have a WordPress blog. Ah well, I’m sure if I put a bit more effort in I can make my blog beautiful.

What I’ve learnt so far:
• Writing and perfecting posts is quite time consuming.
• There are these amazing things called linkys. These are weekly/monthly post sharing events hosted by other bloggers. They are a great way to get your blog seen and the prompts can give you inspiration if you are suffering from writers block. My favourites are The List and Twinkly Tuesday. If you want more info on linkys click here.
• I have lots of ideas but not enough time. As soon as I started my blog I knew that thinking up content would not be an issue for me but finding the time to write it all would be. My head is bursting with post ideas but this is just a hobby and I don’t want it to consume all my free time.
• Social media is essential to grow your blog audience. I have kept my Facebook page just for personal use but I am now sharing my blog on my Twitter account. In the last month I have had several interactions with other bloggers who have been lovely enough to retweet and share my blog.
• Honesty is the best policy. The best blogs I have read are written by people who are not afraid to be themselves; their posts are real and honest and this makes for much more enjoyable reading.
• Trolling does not seem to be present in the parent blogosphere (well I am yet to experience it anyway). I was worried about people judging me and my parenting skills when I started this blog but everyone seems to be really lovely and supportive.

What I still want to learn/do:
• How to add text to pictures.
• How to add big social sharing buttons to my page.
• Improve the layout/design of my blog.
• Write posts more regularly.
• Find and get to know more lovely mummy/daddy bloggers.
• Fix laptop so blogging becomes easier and therefore more enjoyable!

The stats:
I know it’s important not to get bogged down by statistics but I am just looking back out of curiosity…
Posts: 13
Pageviews: 765
Comments: 37
Subscribers: 0
New twitter followers: 25
Most popular post: TimeHop: A love/hate relationship.

So there you go, a brief look back at my first month as a Mummy blogger. Are you also a newborn blogger? I would love to know how you are enjoying it all.

If you’re looking for some great blogging tips I recommend giving You Baby Me Mummy blog club a look.

I am really loving this whole experience and I look forward to getting to know even more of you and continuing to write about mine and Leo’s adventures.
The Twinkle Diaries

Where to next?