On any given day if you search online for a parenting question, Google will direct you to hundreds of blogs that will give you an answer or their opinion.  And today many parents, moms in particular, rely on these blogs for answers. Mommy blogs have become very popular and even a business for some moms. But are they beneficial for parents or just simply entertaining?

It takes a village to raise a child

There are many benefits when it comes to reading parenting blogs; mainly the sense of community they establish. Today, families move around a lot whether for new jobs, schools, or other opportunities. Women of all ages are becoming mothers for the first time too. Starting a family away from your close family and friends or without having a group of moms around you to turn to for advice can be hard.

Instead, most moms turn to bloggers for advice about parenting. As Heather Armstrong the author of dooce.com pointed out on the CBC radio program Day 6 “My generation of women has lost our village. We live far away from family and many of our closest friends are those we’ve met online … and we sort of recreated these villages with our blogs. These are the women we’ve turned to for suggestions about what stroller to buy, which school to go to and which clothes to buy.”

Reverse the feeling of isolation

Starting a blog can also have a positive effect on new moms. A study called New Mothers and Media Use: Associations Between Blogging, Social Networking, and Maternal Well-Being found that new mothers who blog and use social networking feel connected and have social support, which leads to increased well-being. The study points out that blogging can reverse the feeling of isolation that new mothers sometimes feel and it eases their transition into motherhood.

The downside

Although there are a lot of benefits from blogging and reading other blogs, it does come with some disadvantages. Sometimes when people blog, they post events, photos and advice that shows the “best version” of their lives. As a reader this can change your experience from a positive social one to a feeling of further isolation. Some moms can feel like they’re not doing as well as others, and they feel as if they should be doing something different. It’s easy for parents to compare themselves to others, without realizing that bloggers have bad days too.

Sponsors and advertisements

Parents have to be careful when they are seeking advice. They have to keep an eye out for sponsored messages and advertising. Although, most professional blogs will post a message stating that a company sponsored this post, some don’t and parents may be led to believe that the post is a genuine opinion versus a targeted advertisement.

Pick and Choose

There are millions of blogs out there, discussing various topics and issues from politics, fashion, art, and parenting. It can be overwhelming. Find one that suits you best and start participating! It takes one person’s story or comment to create a community and active social networking can rake in lots of benefits.

Which blogs do you follow? Do you rely on blogs more than other traditional media like news articles and magazines?