I Am More Than Just A Mommy Blogger ft. Spirited Mama

This week’s episode of my five-part mini-series – “I Am More Than ‘Just A Mommy Blogger'”! This series came about by the need to tell everyone more about the person behind the Mommy Blog and to show that we are more than’ just’ moms and definitely more than ‘just mommy bloggers’.

This series is focusing specifically on South African Mommy Bloggers. You can read more about the theory behind it and future series opportunities by reading the introductory post I did before the features started. This week I am so excited to feature Spirited Mama, a part-time working mom of two boys who also blogs. I am a little jealous of this fabulous lady so please read on to find out more! 

So over to Spirited Mama!

Please tell us a bit more about you?

You read right – I am MORE than just a mommy blogger. I have no qualms with anyone wanting to label me as a mommy blogger but there is so much more to me … and then of course there is always the “unspoken” or “unheard” of mom duties yes #momlife happens too.

Sit back, relax and enjoy an insider’s scoop to Spiritville. Some days it’s smooth sailing and some days NOT so much. I am a mom to Dudie, 8 years old, and Troll, who will be 10 months old in a few days.

I’m a scheduler, events manager, home executive, wife for 10 years already, employee, nurse, doctor, pharmacist, homework/project doer supervisor, dog groomer, bird whisperer, cook, baker, daughter, sister, friend etc. I am also a list maker of note, and yes I actually do follow through on my to-do list, albeit not at the scheduled time. I also have OCD tendencies that would drive anyone insane. I just can’t help myself. However, my greatest and most rewarding JOB is being a mom. I just need to learn that with kids the house will NEVER be sparkly clean!

What work do you do and how does it suit you and your family?

Besides being a mom, I also work full-time but only half days. Does that make sense? On my employment contract it states that I am a full-time employee but I only work half days. My paying job is being a media liaison and administrator in the tertiary education sector. This job, however, has me wearing multiple hats from finance and procurement to HR, to consultant, and even being a shoulder to cry on.

In my previous work life, I had a fancy job as a Project Coordinator. I traded my fancy job to be more available for my family. In fact, I can clearly remember saying “When I have kids I want to work half day”. Those were the exact words I put out to the universe. Do you believe in the laws of attraction? Do you believe that if you ask for it you’ll get it?

I got what I asked for!

Well my half day job didn’t fall into my lap. I actually had to prove my worth. I also took a huge pay cut! But here I am four and a half years later and I don’t regret my choice at all. I am available for my kids all the time. Whilst I am at work, Dudie is at school and Troll is in daycare. I did a little stint of helping out and working full day for a few months. The salary was glorious BUT I was selling my soul for a salary again.

Once I returned to half my hours I was definitely back in MY zone. I believe that as a family we have the best of both worlds, a working mom (because I know I am just not cut out to be a SAHM, even my husband has told me that I can be bitchy and he liked me better when I was working) and a mom who is available for extra murals, sporting fixtures, appointments, mid day shopping, and just plain mid day sessions with the kids.

So tell us more about your blog?

The name Spirited Mama was borne out of watching my eldest child grow and blossom into a free spirit. Watching his transformations made me realise that we are in fact all spirited beings.

Essentially, I found blogging a cheaper form of therapy. I was in a dark state and I needed a place to let the voices out of my head. I also wanted to document my experiences with Dudie and keep record of our random conversations. These days he is very savvy but still as opinionated as ever.

The whole blog had a glum and heavy look. I decided to take a gap year from blogging which then turned out to be two years. I must admit as much as I missed it, I also revelled at the idea of not putting myself under pressure to blog consistently. I was free but I had a gnawing feeling that something was missing. When I started to blog again, I realised my blog is a part of me. It is a part of my soul.

My Blog Style

My blog posts range from parenting, to lifestyle, some travel adventures as well as relationships. I am NO expert but I am extremely proud of myself and what I have achieved thus far with my blog. I don’t always have the time or the energy to blog because right now as a spirited family we are enjoying and adjusting to our lives with Troll, our new baby boy.

Although my blog is anonymous, many people know who I really am. I find blogging with a degree of anonymity gives my readers a chance to relate or disagree with whatever I am saying without being biased. Dude, aka the husband, told me that it is human nature to judge a person rather than use/discard the advice/message they are trying to relay. This I can attest to as I too am guilty of this. We look at the person rather than what is being said.

Challenges of Mommy Blogging

As far as my kids are concerned, I choose not to post face pictures of them. When they are old enough and choose to have an online footprint that will be their choice. For now, I prefer to keep them out of the spotlight.

Why I Love Spirited Mama and her blog?

Her and I face the same challenges in that although we are Mommy Bloggers we don’t share our kids’s faces on our blog. Her reasons are almost exactly the same as mine and so our posts tend to focus more on us as the mother and how we deal with motherhood and not solely on our children.

It’s not easy to ‘compete’ in this space without sharing cute adorable pictures of our precious children, but at the end of the day we all have to do what suits our family best. It’s just another aspect of mommy blogging. It’s impossible to lump us all in one basket and expect the same from everyone. Every true blogger has their own unique style, voice and even audience. It’s important to be true to you.

Jealousy?

If you were wondering, the reason I am jealous is that I would love to have a part-time job that perfectly balances my needs with that of my families. One day …

Another random fact – Dudie and I share the same birthday which is awesome, and even Spirited Mama herself is an October baby – #connections.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZkjh0QlHek/?hl=en&taken-by=spiritedmamablog

Please do check out Spirited Mama and follow her on her other social media platforms as well.

Spirited Mama Blog: www.spiritedmama.co.za

Facebook: @spiritedmama1

Instagram: @spiritedmamablog

Twitter: @spirited_mama1

Thanks so much for agreeing to be part of this series and showcasing for us the part-time working mom side of parenting and blogging. You are definitely more than just a mommy blogger for sure!

If you want to check out the previous three episodes, please do:

I Am More Than “Just A Mommy Blogger” – feat. MammaChef Jozi!

I Am More Than “Just A Mommy Blogger” feat. Muller Kids 

I Am More Than “Just A Mommy Blogger” ft. High Heels & Fairy Tales

Pop back next week for our final episode in the series for another awesome lady who is also more than just a mommy blogger.