This is a question that I have been dwelling on for some time. There has been a shift in the parenting blogging world over the last couple of years and I'm not sure that I like it. Of course there are still many blogs that are keeping it real, but they are on the decline.

When I started blogging, it was purely a hobby. A way to document the ups and downs of parenthood. As time has past I am guilty of focusing on the good parts of life. There are things I would like to put to paper but don't because of fear of upset to others. I have always kicked myself for not having an anonymous blog where I can blog freely. Free therapy if nothing else! I try and focus on the positives and try to use nice pictures where everyone looks happy. So yes sometimes it is a bit fake.


It could of course be that I have been naive in the past. 

I guess a lot of the fakeness is due to monetisation. I am not having a go about this. I use my blog to make my living. I think it is fantastic that we have this opportunity. But there is a shift to it becoming like the Truman show. Oh we had a lovely walk in the woods at the weekend *disclaimer we were provided welly boots by xxxx. But then I flick through a magazine and it is the same. Pages of adverts. Many extremely subtle. And who am I to talk. I am guilty as charged. However, I have made an effort this year to pick my review items carefully, with brands I already like. 

Then there is the linky. A way of sharing your posts with like minded people. Which it can be. However, it can also be a place where people link dump and just comment on the hosts post. Just to increase their number of comments.

There are comment swaps, Facebook likes, Instagram likes and comments. the lists go on and on. I honestly didn't realise how many of these groups existed and how many people take part. They do have their positives. I joined an Instagram like thread. It was fine when you could like a photo of your choosing. It made me see the photos of accounts that I  already followed but had missed in the timeline. But every now and then there was an account where I needed to like a photo. But do you know what? I didn't like any of their photos. They weren't someone I followed and there wasn't one photo I felt worthy of a like. Yet just because they were in a load of "like" groups they had a silly number of likes. It is just wrong. Cheating. Skewing the stats. I just can't be bothered with it all. Ok some PR's may well be fooled into thinking that these bloggers are doing great as 127 people liked their blurry photo of a child eating chocolate. But I am hoping that if their Instagram photos were rubbish then their blog was pretty mediocre too.  

I am fed up of bloggers shouting look at me! Aren't I the best!?! All. The. Time. The only time I know the Tots rankings have changed is when someone puts their best ever score on instagram. I don't want to dislike that. I know what a buzz it is. But it does get my back up. I just don't have the energy to shout. So where does it leave me? I could be a sheep and join a million groups spending every waking minute liking and sharing posts that I don't actually like or haven't even read. What is the point in that? Quite frankly if that is what is needed to be a "top" blogger then I am not that kind of material.

Maybe I need a break. Blogging is time consuming and draining. Or maybe I just go back to my own little world of writing what I want and reading the blogs I like. I can't see things changing anytime soon. I just see a sea of similar blogs saying the same thing. All looking the same. Lack of personality. Being fake.

What do you think?