Social Media and Mommyhood (Day 3 of 30)

This topic will probably need a part 2...or 3. In fact, just thinking of all that I can write in this one entry is overwhelming! I'll start with something funny. Check out The Mompetition if you haven't already. It's freaking hilarious! The videos are so accurate.

So from an outsider's perspective, my sister often comments about how mothers' Facebook posts are always about their children. Who pooped in the potty today? Who cried all night long? Who said their first words? Took their first steps? Breastfed the longest? Yes, us proud mommies use social media to talk about (boast about, perhaps?) our children's accomplishments sometimes. Sometimes we also look for support from other moms (although the advice we get is often mixed, and I generally go with my gut anyway regardless of advice). Sometimes we just want to vent because, well, who doesn't want to vent sometimes? Facebook and Twitter have basically been taken over by working moms, work-at-home moms, and stay-at-home moms who want to connect with each other. In fact, many mothers are able to use social media tools to earn a living. There are mom boutiques on Facebook, mompreneurs on Twitter, and mommy bloggers reviewing every family-friendly product/service on the market! I'm fortunate enough to help support my family by teaching online graduate classes through the University of Phoenix and work online on directorial duties for Abi's Place. This blog has also helped to establish my "Huppie Mama" identity, allowing me to become a Guidecraft Educator, which I think is just awesome! This opportunity allows me to review educational products that I can either keep or donate to Abi's Place.

This brings me to Twitter. I started using Twitter about a year and a half ago. I kinda understood what it was all about, but it seemed like something I didn't have the patience for. About 2 months ago, I saw one of my "liked" organizations/businesses on Facebook would be hosting a Twitter party. I participated and won a prize - summer supply of ONE Coconut Water. This seemed pretty easy. A few weeks later, I tried again, and won a year's worth of products from Organic Valley. From that point forward, I have been mapping out each week's Twitter Parties, recording what prizes I've won, who I contacted, when the prize arrives, etc. I've won everything from food to toys to magazines. I now have all of Lydia's gifts for her upcoming 2nd birthday (dolls, Disney castle, toys, arts & craft supplies, etc.) and probably almost all of her Christmas gifts (whatever is leftover from her birthday gifts).  Pretty amazing what a few Twitter parties...well, perhaps more than a few...can save you monetarily!

So, that's the intro to my take on Social Media and Mommyhood. Next entry may have to be about getting kicked out of a Facebook group called Mamarama...ha ha ha!