Companies and bloggers alike are getting more savvy when working with one another, but there is still controversy in the world of “parenting bloggers and product reviews.” Are Moms “selling out?”

I think a more appropriate question would be, “Are Moms providing value to their readers?”

What Does “The Stuff” Really Mean To You?

As a writer, your job is to inform and/or entertain. And - make no mistake - if you blog, seek comments, and participate in social media and the blogging community, you are a writer. You are putting words out there for the world to read, and that means you have a responsibility.

If you enjoy reviewing products and believe you are filling a need for your readers (some niche blogs do this very well), by all means, go for it. But I think sometimes bloggers fall into a trap where they see “the stuff” as a measure of their success. Getting emails from companies that want your opinion, and want you to write about it, and want to compensate you (with product or any other way)? Well, that’s flattering, right? Who doesn’t want free stuff?

And maybe you get addicted to the stuff. Oh, the stuff! We get offered some sweet stuff. We use the term “swag” now, which is defined as “a burglar’s or thief’s booty.”  So it is subconsciously implied that you are stealing stuff. When you get the stuff, you might feel obligated to write about the stuff, because that’s why they send it, and what if the stuff stops coming?!? What if the people that provide the stuff no longer deem your blog worthy?

Integrity

One of the goals of a public relations professional is to get eyeballs on their product without paying to advertise for them. There’s nothing wrong with that, and almost every writer and editor has written about a product they have sampled, or that has come across their desk in the form of a press release. Public relations and marketing professionals are important to writers, but they don’t define your success. You are under no obligation to write about anything.

If you’re overwhelmed with product pitches, be more selective. I get the point of MomDot’s “blackout” (write about what you love), but the way it was presented was all wrong. Why blame your exasperation on PR people? They’re just doing their jobs. Liz/Mom 101 covers this wonderfully in her post, as does Caroline McCarthy at CNET.

If you try a product, genuinely endorse it, and feel it would provide value to your readers, you should pass your opinion on to your audience.  If you’re just reviewing something because a company sent you a freebie, you’re only hurting yourself. Your audience will eventually lose trust - and interest - in you.

There really is no controversy. As parenting bloggers, we have the good fortune to be able to direct our own publications. There are no editors standing over us (at least not with personal blogs) demanding we write about a certain topic. It’s our responsibility to grow and know our audience and provide them with value. If your blog thrives through product reviews, good for you. But if your blog is not thriving, step back and re-evaluate what your readers want.

About two years ago, I wrote a post titled “I Kinda Loathe Product Reviews.” I said I wasn’t interested in reading “review” blogs on a regular basis, I would not add them to my feed reader, and I wasn’t sure where this whole trend in review blogs was going. (Apparently it’s going toward “burnout.”) I also stated that I didn’t enjoy visiting a blog I love and seeing a random review of something that totally didn’t fit the blog’s topic. And finally, I said I would no longer review products on my blog. I stand by my thoughts in that post, with one exception. I’ve decided I will entertain product reviews again. Occasional, relevant, transparent reviews of products that fit my blog’s mission and that I think you, dear reader, will value.

Similar Posts:

I Kinda Loathe Product Reviews


How Not to Influence People


I’m Giving Away a Gift Card Because THIS PR Person Gets It

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• I Kinda Loathe Product Reviews
• How Not to Influence People
• I’m Giving Away a Gift Card Because THIS PR Person Gets It

Now, let’s talk giveaways.

• Journey2Learn has a 2009 Schoolhouse Planner~Review & Give Away. This planner looks pretty amazing, with 375 pages of forms, resources, and even recipes.
• ChoosyHomeschooler has an ongoing Wednesday Winner Contest. Just subscribe to their newsletter to be entered to win something new every week.

And I’ve got some excellent workbooks to give away. Summer Bridge workbooks consist of daily activities in reading, writing, mathematics, and language arts with bonus activities in science and geography for grades Pre-K through 8th. The books include flash cards, incentive contract calendars to keep kids motivated, and a certificate of completion. My daughter begs me to do this workbook every morning. I think we might be through the “summer activities” in two weeks!

I’ve got three to give away. (Winners will let me know their child’s grade level and the appropriate book will be sent to them.) Here’s how to enter:

• Leave a comment with a link to your favorite homeschool blog or online education resource — need not be specific to homeschooling! (one entry)
• Twitter this page as follows: @phatmommy is giving away three Summer Bridge Activities Workbooks that will keep your kids sharp over the summer. http://bit.ly/6YaqO

(one entry)

Giveaway will close on July 5th at midnight ET.
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Sharing Opinions on Homeschooling and Politics


Homeschool Helper 11.12.07


Homeschool Science: Capillary Action in Plants

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• Sharing Opinions on Homeschooling and Politics
• I’m Back and Paying It Forward
• Nominated!

There is this contest. For kids. Kids who might want to be on a PBS show called Raggs. Raggs is looking for “animated, talkative and clever kids,” which clearly defines my daughter.

I’ve taken some video of her. I just need to put it together and submit it. But I have all these nagging feelings. Do I really want my daughter on TV? What if she is chosen and we go to a taping and she hides behind my leg, or cries, or is just generally uncooperative? On the flip side, what if she’s fantastic and we’re bitten by that “show biz” bug? This is honestly what I’m most afraid of. I’ve always wanted to be in show business. My dreams as a little girl were of becoming a rock star or a dancer on Broadway. I’m not sure I wouldn’t get completely obsessed with getting her auditions, commercials, photo shoots… Do I want that life?

Perhaps I’m getting way ahead of myself. It’s just a PBS audition. I can take things one step at a time, right?

Only 4 days left if you want to enter your child. I’m still not sure if I’ll enter mine.Similar Posts:

One Day At A Time


Ice and Illness Does Not Equal Exercise


The 30-Day Life/Blog Happiness Project

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• Ice and Illness Does Not Equal Exercise
• How Did I Get HERE? Part I
• Who Put the Blow in Her Applesauce?

Whenever I spend time traveling, on field trips, or working on projects around the house, I come back to my computer and wonder if this blogging gig is a good use of my time. It’s definitely not a big money-maker, so it’s more for my own personal satisfaction and quiet time. Which is fine, but there are so many other things I want to do that would also fill that need. Scrapbooking. Traveling. Photography. Gaming.

I’d love to have a blog that is a “business.” Something I can brand and promote and make money from. And I’ve tried (half-assed) to do this several times, but I’ve always felt too scattered. I have this “mommy blog,” but then I have a few other blogs about other topics and I can’t keep up with them all. Being the perfectionist that I am, it makes my brain explode and I just end up throwing my hands in the air and not focusing on anything.

I’ve been working on ProBlogger’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog and it’s already helped me see that I need to make some changes. I don’t know what will become of this blog. I don’t know if I have it in me to turn this blog into a place where I share resources for homeschooling parents and discuss how blogging and the internet can help them find community, support and information.

And… haven’t you read this exact same post on this blog several times before… ?

So I thought I might just close up shop. Then I thought I’d just stick with one blog. Then I thought maybe I’d try to re-brand. Then my brain exploded and I threw my hands up in the air.

Decisiveness is not my strong suit.
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Confliction


LBHP Day 1

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• LBHP Day 1
• Homeschool Home Swap?
• It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…

Preschool was fun. Playtime, with some education and social etiquette thrown in. It was a good experience for our whole family and it actually taught me to more fully embrace homeschooling. I learned that as much as I yearn for more “me” time, I like being with my kids and sharing their learning and growing process. There were several times that Cassie shared something she learned at preschool and I’d get this prickly feeling, like, “Oh, you learned that? I wanted to teach you that.”

I did consider sending her to school. I don’t “get” my daughter the same way I “get” my son. Our personalities clash. And the arguing that goes on between my kids makes me want to find a way to separate them permanently. But none of this is a valid reason to put my kids in school.

A valid reason might be believing that they would thrive and be challenged and be taught to think independently and pursue their passions. But I don’t believe that would happen. I believe they’d learn to mock or shun kids that are different or younger than they are. They’d learn to memorize facts to pass a test and get a good grade. They’d likely learn to be bleeding-heart liberals. And would I be any less stressed? I doubt it. If preschool is any indicator, I’d have my hands full helping with homework (that I’d be pissed off about because subjects weren’t being taught properly), field trips (that I’d rather do on my own in a more leisurely fashion), parties, assemblies, fundraisers and other responsibilities that come with attending a public or private school. And I’d know much less about my kids.

I homeschool my children because I believe they’ll be better off. And because I want to. For awhile I wasn’t sure that I wanted to. But I am now.

So thank you, preschool. It was an interesting ride. But I’ll happily give up the early-morning rush, getting homework in the backpack, scouring the house for a show-and-tell item, and packing up snacks and craft items and permission slips. We do that once a week when we have our homeschool co-op. The rest of the week we’re happy to have leisurely mornings in our jammies before moving on to our field trips and playdates. And the learning? With just a little suggestion and a rich environment, it happens all the time. It’s beautiful, natural, and pretty darn exciting to be a part of.

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Thoughts on School Choice

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• Finding My Homeschooling Groove
• We’re Not “Homeschoolers,” We’re “Worldlearners”
• Sharing Opinions on Homeschooling and Politics

Being the (somewhat) crafty Mom that I am, I brought my daughter to Michael’s and had her pick out some silky ribbon. I pulled out my sewing machine and prepared for Operation Baby Bear. When she first saw the sewing machine, needles, pins and scissors, she was pretty nervous.

But she got over it quickly enough and wanted to help.

I sewed a new, shiny, silky ribbon on the bottom. Cassie wanted “hot pink” instead of a lighter pink that matched.

But we used light pink for the paws. They look a little Frankenstein-esque, but are soft and silky nonetheless.

And tonight, all is well in the world again.

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She’ll Be Such a Loving Mommy


The Fine Line Between Coddling and Controlling


Haircuts and Today’s Update

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• She’ll Be Such a Loving Mommy
• Piercing, Cooking and Blowing
• Contest Winners, Why Won’t You Contact Me?

My son got a haircut, too. But he was all like, “I’m just too old for this blogging about my hair thing, so leave me out of the photos.”

Cassie and I played a new game yesterday called “Kung Fu Bubbles.” According to my daughter, this is a game where “two girls, who are twins, fight bubbles with their army powers!” We blew bubbles and tried to pop them with our Kung Fu, wonder-twin, matching haircut awesomeness.

Update on the Life/Blog Happiness Project, days two and three: I didn’t run or Shred yesterday because I cleaned a good portion of my house and my pool. I also pulled our garbage can up our long, steep driveway which is really very similar to doing two to three sets of leg extensions and hamstring curls. I smiled a lot and I only yelled once because I still have not mastered how to hold my temper with a snotty tween who insists on picking on his younger sister for no reason at all. I did Shred this morning, but it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to get a run in for a few days because of this incessant rain we’ve endured for, oh, I don’t know, a month?

As for the Build a Better Blog Challenge, my task was to write a list post. So go check out my post on Five Kindergarten Math Resources. Today’s task is to promote that post, so how about a Stumble or a Tweet after you read it?
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Ice and Illness Does Not Equal Exercise


Who Wants to Life Swap With Me?

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• Shred Level 2: Squat Thrusts? Planks?
• Ice and Illness Does Not Equal Exercise
• Her First Haircut

Since my daughter is only 4 1/2, I can’t yet get her the book Math Doesn’t Suck, but I can work with her on some fun kindergarten math activities.

• Maths Is Fun: We love the picture addition worksheets — a great way to introduce basic addition to your child.
• Number Time:Unique math worksheets including number ladders, number stories, sequencing, and more.
• SoftSchools: Generate your own worksheets and online games, personalized with your child’s name.
• Kindergarten Math: Lots of simple games your child can play online.
• HomeschoolMath.net: Suggests games, activities, worksheets and goals for kindergarten math. The concepts presented here seemed easy for kindergarten level, so this article may also suitable for preschool math.

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Halloween Math Printables


Homeschool Blogs, Links & Giveaways


Homeschool Helper 11.12.07

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• Halloween Math Printables
• PHAT Links: Math Monday
• This Homeschool Co-op Thing is Working Out Well

Today, I was a Rockstar.

Health: Walked/ran 1.5 miles, per Couch-to-5K program. Did Jillian Michaels’ 30-Day Shred. Drank only water and coffee and stayed well within my calorie limit.

Happiness: Smiled more - even when my kids were fighting. That really throws them.

Blogging:

• Started commenting on the SITS community web sites. Just takes a minute to spread some comment love and discover new bloggers.
• Per ProBlogger’s 31DBBB, I wrote an elevator pitch for my blog. Here goes:

PHAT Mommy brings parenting, homeschooling, and technology together. I share resources for homeschooling parents and discuss how blogging and the internet can help them find community, support and information.

At least that is what I’d like my blog to be. Having that elevator pitch will help me to define and develop my blog with a clear goal.

I also had to buy myself a bathing suit today. That was the only part of my day that sucked ass.Similar Posts:

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To Blog Or Not To Blog?


Blogolution

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• To Blog Or Not To Blog?
• Let’s Get Blogging!
• The Summer of Shannon

I was never particularly bothered by this facet of my personality until I started noticing it manifesting in my children. After reading a magazine editorial that said, “Smile more. Your face speaks volumes to your child,” the truth I’ve always known was driven home once again: What you model is way more important than anything else you do in raising your children.

And there’s the issues of my weight (not happy with it) and my career (need to commit and focus).

So today I am starting my 30-Day Life/Blog Happiness Project. My goals?

• Lose weight, eat better and continue working on the Couch-to-5K program in anticipation of the BlogHer 5K.
• Consciously work on being more calm, patient and happy.
• Follow ProBlogger’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog.

Every day I’ll post an update of how I’m doing. It’s a lot of work to change life-long habits, but perhaps with accountability and the help of a wonderful blogging community (not to mention a supportive spouse), my children can soon see a happier, healthier face when they look at me.Similar Posts:

Wouldn’t You Like to Be a Shredder Too?


The Summer of Shannon


LBHP Day 1

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• The Summer of Shannon
• Happy New Year
• Wouldn’t You Like to Be a Shredder Too?

So I was interested in trying out the Protect-A-Bed Pillow Protector when the opportunity came my way. According to Protect-A-Bed:

Your body can lose up to 2 pints of moisture for every eight hours you sleep. This excess moisture creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and dust mites in both your mattress and pillow.

Ewww. The Protect-A-Bed pillow case (they also have mattress covers and crib protectors) is designed to prevent this breeding and cut down on allergies, asthma and eczema. It’s made of a soft terrycloth that I thought might not be comfortable, but it really is.

I slept on the pillow cover for exactly 3 nights. Then my daughter stole it.

“Honey, I need to sleep on this pillow so I can review it on my blog. It’s Mommy’s work.”

“But it’s sooooo soft and cuddly. I neeed it.”

There’s an endrosement for ya.
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We’re Still Recovering From the Sleepover


As Long As She Sleeps, I’m OK With It


The Lemonade Stand: Sell What People Want

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• As Long As She Sleeps, I’m OK With It
• The Wrath of the Princess
• Quick Sleep Update

When: Friday 7/24, 6:30 am

Where: Chicago Lakeshore

How: Register now! The 5K is limited to 50 people and we’re halfway sold out!Similar Posts:

The BlogHer 5K Project


Greetings From BlogHer


BlogHer in Spirit

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• The BlogHer 5K Project
• Greetings From BlogHer
• BlogHer in Spirit

Here is school reform advocate John Taylor Gatto:

“If you gave children and families (schooling) options … inside of a decade the institutional schools would vanish because they don’t teach the way children learn nor can they teach the way children learn. That’s not what they’re set up to do … They’re set up to sort people into occupational categories…”

Hat tip to Muse with Indy Jane.Similar Posts:

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Judge Rules Parents Have No Say In What PS Teaches

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• Judge Rules Parents Have No Say In What PS Teaches
• Sharing Opinions on Homeschooling and Politics
• BlogHers Act - Educational Freedom

(digital scrapbook page by Shannon)

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Greetings From BlogHer


Fun With 40s


Coloring Pages From Photos

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• Greetings From BlogHer
• Spread the Love Sunday
• Fun With 40s

Me: “Yeah.”

Husband: “Didn’t we go camping then it rained?”

Me: “No idea. I thought we just drove around the area on our way home from somewhere else.”

Husband: “No, we were camping. Then we hiked all around Gettysburg. You don’t remember anything.”

Me: “But you have to ask me 5 times what is happening tomorrow. My brain is full of the stuff I have to manage day-to-day. I have scrapbooks to help me remember the past.”

Husband: “So it’s like you are RAM and I am ROM.”

I love that man.
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I’m Still Smiling

©2009 PHAT Mommy. All Rights Reserved.

• To Blog Or Not To Blog?
• Her Wedding Scrapbook is Only 2 Years Late
• The Mommy War Inside My Brain