I began my blogging journey as a homeschool blogger. And despite a few posts about cooking or sewing and a healthy dose of China posts, I’ve been consistent with the niche.
But when I chose my domain, I chose Jimmie’s Collage precisely because I knew one day I would no longer be homeschooling. I didn’t want to limit myself to a single area that would be only a 13 year season in my life.
(Don’t worry. This post is not an announcement that I’m not going to homeschool any more. We are committed to home education through Emma’s high school graduation.)
But this homeschool blog thing is interesting. It can’t stay the same because our homeschool doesn’t stay the same.
We’ve changed ages, curriculum styles, even continents!
I know there were lots of readers who loved my China posts. And when we left China, a whole chunk of my blog just disappeared. That was natural. But it was sad for those of you who loved experiencing Asia through my lens and words.
China is now a far away place. Just memories. It’s not a day to day experience for me anymore. How could I keep blogging about China? I can’t.
Because I have only one child, I visit each stage only one time. I can’t stay a preschool blogger or an elementary blogger, or even a middle school blogger. I’ve done those stages. And now we are in high school. But in just three and a half years, that stage will end too.
What will I blog about then?
I don’t know.
I have created a totally different site, a professional one where I can write about marketing and social media, things I love but don’t fit here. So what will happen here? Honestly, I can’t see that far down the road.
I sometimes feel blogger’s guilt that I don’t post here as much as I used to. But then I realize how silly that is. This blog is a reflection of our homeschool, and I don’t have as much to say about homeschooling as I used to.
When your daughter is fourteen, you are no longer
- making lapbooks
- painting salt dough maps
- taking field trips to the zoo
- making homemade games
- doing math with manipulatives
- cutting papercraft dioramas
Instead she is doing a lot of independent work in front of a book or computer screen. It’s not as cute as an eight-year-old holding a lapbook. I don’t have free printables to share or craft pictures that look fantastic on Pinterest.
Plus, did you catch that she’s fourteen? Teens are not as tolerant of being blog fodder as a nine-year-old. In other words, if I pull out the camera, her hair and makeup must be just so. When I laugh and repeat a funny phrase she said, I am warned, “Don’t you put that on your blog or on Twitter!”
And I respect her wishes. Our relationship is far more important than a blog post.
And this is a natural progression for a blog, I think. In order for it to be real, it has to change over time. Because change is real, so very real.
And that means readers come and go as our stages no longer intersect. It’s okay. It may be sad, but it’s part of the order of life. Things mature and things die.
I’m going to keep blogging when I have something to say or something to share. I want you to know about GHC and RRR because those are events I personally support with my time and my travel. Plus I want you to come meet me in person! I share about Samaritan’s Purse in the same way. It’s a ministry I believe in, and I want you to support it too.
And I will share about our final years of homeschooling — what works and what doesn’t — while I respect Emma’s desire for privacy. If it fits where you are, I’d love to have you along on this last leg of the journey. And together we can see what this Jimmie’s Collage morphs into.
Katey says
Yep. I’m in yr 7 of homeschool blogging and 2nd round of high-school. I’ve added homesteading to my niche because, as you said, teens don’t make good blog fodder. Another reason why I switched from Crazy Homeschool Mama to Mama Kautz….makes the transition of niches easy all in one place.
Jasmine says
Thanks for this, Jimmie! I was feeling guilty for not posting r3egularly on my own blog, but the season I’m in is 3 kids ages 3 and under! I just have no energy and get very little sleep! (Why am I awake now?? I have a 3 mth old!) Thank you for pointing out that kids don’t stay the same age, we move, (I just moved over the summer ACROSS COUNTRY with my newborn and two toddlers!), and we moms also change over time. I think I’ll have to reiterate this in the post I’m working on now where I’m explaining why I’m a delinquent blogger. I’ll be sure to link back to this post!
Blessings! – Jasmine
Erin says
Oh Jimmie I do understand!! if I didn’t have younger ones, was building etc, was just relying on my highschoolers and college kids for blog fodder my blog posts would be pretty slim.
Nadene says
Oh, Jimmie, I can so relate to how a blog changes when one starts to reflects a teenager’s life, their successes, let alone their realities on a blog! Despite my protecting my family’s privacy from the start, and asking their permission before I post anything personal, teens know it may go public and my blog posts inhibit them.
I have featured less and less of my older children, until recently, now that my eldest is about to graduate, my daughter is fine about what I share. She feels freer to view her homeschooling journey and has let me post my What Works! posts.
You have a wealth stored up here for moms with young kids, and your high school posts are a beam of hope to those who doubt they can go all the way. Keep sharing what is in your heart here … obviously with that precious sensitivity that protects and honours your daughter!
Mary says
Jimmie ~ I was thinking about this the other day as I was reading Barb’s blog – how beautifully she has transitioned her blog from a time when she had children at home to a time now where they are all away.
I enjoy reading your posts, because it’s REAL to see how you change and your homeschool changes along with it!
Thank you 🙂
Tara says
What a great post. I’ve found myself pondering some of the very same ideas. I’m down to my last homeschooled kiddo, and while she’s just 10, half of what she does is independent work. My middle son, 15, also makes the “don’t you dare post that” comment frequently.
Melissa says
I loved watching Dana at School For Us (http://alexml.blogspot.com/) transition through homeschooling her only child, to being a self-learner and traveler with a child in school, and back to a homeschool mother. It is just as fascinating for me to learn about the learning she does on her own, as the learning she does with her daughter. I think that sums up a homeschool blog- education that never stops. Our learning doesn’t stop just because our kids leave home, and the wisdom we have to share doesn’t go away when our students do. And as a mother whose first child recently left home, there is a lot to learn even in that process. 🙂
Mommy Reg says
Yes this is so right on point. With three olders I have realized just how much has changed in how I post. They also are not as excited about having things they do blogged as much as when they were younger. I get it. And besides a whole post about their independent work for the day would be positively boring unlike when we were doing so many more projects. Lucky for me I have one younger who is getting to do the fun stuff now. Life changes and with that what we write changes.
Pamela says
Something is in the air! I’m watching so many women struggle with the issues of “blog drift.” I’ve BTDT myself, too.
All I can say is that one has to follow one’s bliss as a blogger or else one will burn out anyway.
Ticia says
I’ve been following along since you were back in China, so it’s been interesting to see how life has changed for you as Emma has gotten older and how your blog has changed as a result.
Joy says
I’m another one that started reading your blog because of the China posts. It was fascinating to learn about another world through your eyes. But you are just as fascinating back in the States too.
Collage is a great name for it. I know my blog is similar – no one purpose, just write as I want to write.
Sheri H says
You know, you have captured with this post how I have been feeling lately b/cuz of the new season we’re in with. Now that we’re just down to one student (#4, other 3 have graduated) and with him being 12-there simply isn’t as much to post in regards to the homeschool stuff like we used to be able to. Esp. since he’s a boy, so much of the cute stuff has long since taken a hike in our day to day schooling activities. I guess that is simply the way life works. Cycling in and out of different seasons. Like you-not sure where my blogs will go after he graduates. I am glad you pointed this out so I know I am not alone in my ‘to blog or not to blog’ and ‘where is this going’ conundrum. Thanks for the update!
Joan says
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Super-excited to hear you share about this transition in such an open way (obviously, the same issues are coming up in our family, too!) and glad to stick around for the ride!
Shirley Ann says
I have been feeling the same way about my blog – yet only when I read your words did it suddenly dawn on me that ‘hey, that’s exactly what I am feeling right now!’ For months I have been finding that blogging about homeschooling seems to be just not that interesting any more. Like you and many of your readers we have been on this journey for 7 years now and my girls are now 13 and 15. I have less to say about how we do things – it’s just not as interesting as it was in the beginning.
I am posting more and more on my hobbies and interests – then feel guilty because I started off in a certain niche and I am outgrowing that.
I loved your statement, ‘And that means readers come and go as our stages no longer intersect. It’s okay. It may be sad, but it’s part of the order of life. Things mature and things die.’
Thank you for writing that – it kind of puts things into perspective. I have also loved reading your readers comments. Wow! So many woman are going through the same thing!
This has been such a wonderful post to read, from your first words to your readers thoughts. Thank you Jimmie
Jenilee says
My poor blog… lol it has changed so many times since 2008… I have a core of readers who stick with me through it all… we are about to make more changes… it is interesting to see how a blog can morph and move and become something different. Thanks for your honest post!
Annie Kate says
Yes, I’ve been thinking about all that advice to stick to your blog’s niche. I never did very well if I consider that my niche is reviews for homeschooling moms, but if I see myself as a homeschooler sharing my life as well as my reviews, it’s OK.
I like how you and some of the other commenters left your blogs open to change…because change is going to happen.
Thanks for getting me to think about this from a more sane point of view!