I think sometimes that if there had been blogs when I was raising my children, I might not have made quite as many mistakes.

Often, during those years, I felt very isolated.  I was sure that nobody else was feeling the same emotions, having the same problems, trying and failing at so many things, when it came to parenting.  I felt like I was the only one, struggling with this and that, with my babies, and later with my children.  I was embarrassed to ask some questions, because I knew that nobody in the universe could possibly have my same problems.

I used to wish that there was some place where I could find a lot of advice and sure-fire plans to help me.  I used to wish that there were people who had BEEN there, who could share their successes and failures; word of mouth is stil the most believable way of selling anything, and advice has to be sold, you know.  We SAY it’s :given,” but if it’s not packaged and presented juuuuust right, nobody will take it.

I was given pamphlets and booklets and diagrams and videos, but what i needed was something else, someONE else, someone who KNEW.

Sure, there were relatives who were laden with advice.  Friends, who had a lot of advice.  Some of it was good, too, and just as much of it was horrible.  And the “supply” of relatives and friends was limited, so limited, there was no way their experiences could help me with very many of the problems and questions I had.  Besides, they were, well relatives.  And friends, however beloved, don’t always agree with our own parenting methods or theories or needs.

The Blogosphere has changed all of this, and changed it drastically, and changed it for the better!  For every question or problem a blogger posts, there are potentially millions of people who have BEEN THERE, and somehow survived, and who therefore have believable and practical advice for a young parent who is wondering, puzzled, or even at the end of his/her rope.

For parents, some small thing some other parent mentions, that OTHER parents comment on, might make a world of difference.  Bloggers have created a neighborhood of trust, friendship, and advice that really counts because it comes from people who really do know.  They KNOW.

It takes a village to raise a child?  Bloggers, WE are the village!