I initially started this blog to keep family and friends updated on the boys. As I found the world of homeschool blogs, I felt the need to document what we do for preschool and tot school to contribute to community of ideas that inspired me. With Magoo’s dairy allergy, I’ve had to relearn the basics of nutrition and cooking without using any dairy products. Every once in a while I encounter someone dealing with a food allergy, and realize how much I have learned since Magoo was born. I’ve felt over the past year that it’s time for this blog to transition from a simple family journal to a resource of what I have learned and am still in the process of learning about homemaking, homeschooling in the early years, parenting, food allergies and the resulting half-vegan diet.
The idea of inviting and encouraging new readers, especially strangers, is terrifying because I have serious anxiety about writing. I’ve never been very good at writing (in my opinion), mostly because I struggle with the basic rules of grammar and spelling. I have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and can do advanced math fairly easily, but I can’t tell you the proper placement of a comma or what tense I’m currently in. I have no idea what syntax or semantics are, or how they’re different from each other. The point is, I’m more than aware of my weaknesses. The perfectionist in me refuses to write knowing the product will be riddled with mistakes, while my creative side is bursting with ideas. I have dozens of ideas in my head, and when I sit down to actually write I generally freeze. Writing my daily posts for project 365 had been really helped me conquer the initial paralytic fear I usually encounter at the keyboard.
As I think about expanding this blog and writing content with some substance rather than just a journal of what we did, many of my old writing fears are resurfacing. My dad made the comment to me the other day that my always present grammatical errors are cute. I don’t think they’re cute. I think they’re embarrassing, almost to the point of preventing me from posting what I write. Rather than run and hide, I’m choosing to embrace my imperfections and give you, my readers, a few promises:
First, I promise grammar and spelling errors in every post. That in and of itself removes so much pressure that for the first time in my life, I have pages of ideas actually written down.
Second, I promise to be authentic and transparent. There are many areas of parenting and homemaking where I have no idea what I’m doing. I will share my struggles and the resources that have helped me.
Third, and most important, I promise to write. I can’t make promises about how often it will happen because I don’t know what our routine will be like as we settle into a new house then get a new baby. You’ll hear from me at least once a week in my project 365 recaps. I hope to post a weekly school update on each of the boys when we get back into a school routine in July or August.
More important than facing my own fears, I don’t want my kids to inherit my writing struggles. I want them to see me writing, hopefully enjoying the process, and then grab a piece of paper to write their own stories.
Go for it. As you know I write and speak publicly every week and I thank God for spell check. Just write and share your heart. Maybe a grammer teacher will grade and correct it.
I love your blog…..write on sweet girl!!!!
Tell your dad to hush!!! I love reading your blog. We love the adventures and will love the information you want to share. As for the grammar and such, your dad has his Phd. Look forward to your post.
You are and have always been a writer with a unique way to look at the world and express it in words. May the old voices (especially the high school English teachers’ voices) be silenced! Just share with us and we’ll be delighted and grateful to hear from you!