After reading an interesting discussion over on Blogger.Ed that started out about how competitive bloggers were and turned into people sharing the reasons why they blogged, I decided to share with you the reason why I blog
I’ve said before that the reason I blog is to record my children’s childhood for them (and for me) and that one day, I hope to print the whole thing out and give a copy to each of them. Before I blogged I made memory booksfor them and I do update them from time to time aswell but my main record is this blog.
I became slightly obsessed with keeping a record of things when Miss Frugal was a toddler, when my brother died of Cancer.
My brother, Alan, battled mouth cancer for two years before he passed away in 2004. During these two years he had several operations on his mouth and had to have part of his jaw bone and tongue removed which meant he couldn’t talk properly or eat anything solid, it also meant that he looked different and people stared at him wherever he went. He was so determined that he’d beat it though and after his first operation, he even started to train to be a nurse. In fact not long after he had died we got the results from his course and he had passed with flying colours – we were so proud.
Alan was never the studious type and it was only when he had cancer that he seemed to discover his love of writing and he wrote an account of his Cancer journey that was published here - it’s called A Story for Ryan and he wrote it so that if he didn’t make it, his son would have something to answer the questions he would have when he was older about why his daddy wasn’t there. He also wrote a piece that I’ve published before on here.
Watching Alan spend as much time with his son as he could, trying to cram a lifetime worth of memories into such a short space of time made me so thankful for my baby, which is why I started her memory book. Alan never even knew that I was pregnant with Master Frugal as I found out just after he was taken into the hospice, we hadn’t told anyone at that point and it didn’t seem right to tell everyone while he was so ill. I did tell him though, just before when I went to say goodbye to him the day that he died but he was unconscious so he never really knew.
When Master Frugal was born, he got a memory book of his very own too and I religiously kept them both up to date until I discovered the world of blogging. My blogging has led to a love of photography and I now capture everything on camera too. I always carry my Flipcam and one of my camera’s (I have three now!) with me to make sure I never miss anything.
So there you have it, the reason why I blog – My children.
(By the way, if you haven’t visited Blogger.Ed yet you should really pop over – it’s great 
)
This is such a heartbreaking post.
I keep memory boxes and a little website for my children. I love how you have taken something so difficult and made such a beautiful reason for blogging xx
I like the way you write and I am sure your children will love it all too. Their appreciation will change as they grow and find more in your writing ! Keep it up
Thank you very much – that's a lovely thing to say
I cried when I wrote it and again when I read the replies – it took me until today to be able to reply to them all….
I'm sorry to make you cry x x
If it helps I cried when I wrote it (and again when I read the replies)
Thank you very much x
Lovely words – Thank you. I hope you are right x
I've just had to go check the dates, but I was asked back in 2007 why I blogged. I've copied the answer as, essentially, nothing has changed.
* I enjoy cooking and sharing what I’ve cooked, even if it’s only the photos of it.
* I want to encourage others (especially my own children who love seeing themselves on the computer screen) to try and have a go. Although I wouldn’t class myself as a terribly accomplished cook, I do get compliments and they have obviously gone to my head.
* And finally (and my husbands personal favourite) I have way to much time on my hands.
Like you, my intention is to one day print out my entire blog and present it to my children. Then they will be able to at least feed themselves when they leave the nest. This is, of course, unless some savvy publisher snaps up the rights first.
I started blogging as my solace and a release, I dont think I want the boys to share it or see it as it has become my private world. I have found this to be a very lonely place at times with an ADHD son which the majority just view as an excuse for bad behaviour and I guess through blogging I had hoped to 'meet' other UK ADHD parents, as well as aspergers (he has that also). I keep memory books for the boys which are crammed with photos and memories, these to me are more personal.
I hope your blog achieved what you wanted
Don't ever feel lonely though, come find me x x
I'm both sad and joyful after reading this post. Such a lovely post hun x
That's how I feel now reading all the lovely comments – just had a few tears x x
My Dad was unconscious when I went to see him for the last time. We told him it was OK for him to go now. I left, because I had to come home for work tho I rang my sister and asked her to go see my Mum. We didn't appreciate how bad he was. He died about an hour after I left the home he lived in. I'm sure he heard us.
Big hugs to you.
It feels so surreal saying goodbye to someone like that doesn't it? It didn't feel like it was happening….
Big hugs back to you x
Aaww this is such a great post. I am also pretty sure your brother heard you when you told him you were pregnant.
I also blog to 'learn' to write better and keep something in my life up to date. I have tried to keep a blog 3 times already and everytime I just ended up deleting the blog I started with. I am doing a pretty good job with the current blog if you ask me.
Thanks you very much – I hope he did….
I've been tempted to delete mine and start over but I'm glad I didn't now. Keep at it
This is such a warm, beautiful post and it will make us all stop and think about our writing and why we do what we do. I'm quite bowled over by this.
Thank you very much for your lovely words x
What a great post, you keep blogging . You can read back on your posts and relive some wonderful memories.
I started to blog to promote autism awareness from a personal point of view as I have a son with autism.
Thats a brilliant reason to blog – good luck in raising awareness x
Thank-you so much x
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Well if ever there was a reason to blog, you own it.
A beautiful post and a wonderful reminder of the importance of memory-keeping. Long may your blogging continue.
I blog to write, and write more and better (although I suspect that sentence is not grammatically correct!). I really do understand why many people blog to create a memory book for their children. Knowing mine however, I suspect they will best appreciate it as adults. I would love one of my childhood – we forget so much.
I wonder if my little boy will be interested to see the picture of him in a cheerleader outfit from last Christmas – I think that's one thing he would like to forget lol