I Am Dad Blogger, Hear Me Roar
on May 10 in General by DanThere’s been a lot written around the blogosphere recently about 2010 being the year of the Daddyblogger. Hell, there is even a career path laid out for it.
I should perhaps point out that this talk has been occurring over on the other side of the pond. DadCentric and DadWagon in particular spring to mind as places where Blogging Dad’s are taking on a very professional and high quality sheen.
Over here in the UK it’s the Mummy Blogs that are the ones with the star ascending. With the advent of the British Mummy Blogger’s ning group (who has been exceptionally generous in it’s donations to Hadrian’s Walk by the way) there has been a definite boom in the number of mummy blogs out there, and there are some real gems among them.
And of course there are the MADS and the Tots 100 that bring some controversial competition into the arena.
I’m not one for clearly defined groups. I like to be broad and eclectic in the blogs I follow, just like I prefer to mix up the topics I write about here on my own blog. This probably costs me in readership, as I often post things of interest only to myself. But if I’m honest that’s pretty much deliberate. It’s my way of convincing myself that i’m keeping it real – especially since through the necessity of the walk (and admittedly personal avarice) I’ve started interacting more with PR’s and corporations.
However I recognise that sometimes it’s nice to feel part of something. And while I share some of the misgivings of people such as Avitable about the self imposed labels and conventions placed on parent’s who blog, I still consider myself proudly in the Dad blogger camp, even if I do kick against it every now and again.
Time was that I was only aware of two other UK Dad Blogs. Steve from To be a dad and Dad Who Writes (although they were both blogging under different guises at the time). Then I came across Ian from Single Parent Dad who is currently probably the most successful british parent blogger out there, albeit slightly reluctantly (have you looked at the number of google reader subscribers he has recently?).
But over the last few months I’ve noticed I’ve started stumbling across more and more British dad blogs. It’s not particularly that they are new, it’s just i hadn’t seen them before.
Back in the day, when dad blogging was new even in the USA, Clair’s Dad maintained a list of all the dad bloggers in the blogosphere. It was a long list sure, but it was doable.
So I’ve got a notion to put together a list of my own. A list of UK dad bloggers. I’m not looking to set myself up as some sort of community leader or anything, but it’s nice to have things like that in one place.
I’ve put together a list of ones that I’m aware of, but there are bound to be a number that I’ve forgotten or don’t know about so any help would be greatly appreciated.
- All That Comes With It
- Blog Up North
- Bringing Up Charlie
- Daddacool
- Dad Who Writes
- Don’t Panic, RTFMM
- The Other Side of Paris
- Goodbye, Pert Breasts
- Lemon Drizzle
- Life and Times of a Househusband
- Like Father Like Daughter
- Mere Bagatelle
- Mr Shev’s Blog
- My Daddy Cooks
- Scottish Blogger Dad
- Selfish Blogger
- Single Parent Dad
- To Be A Dad
- UrbanVox
- Views From The Bike Shed
- When Daddy Gets Home
- Whiskey For Aftershave
Related posts:
- A-Z of Hadrian’s Bloggers: JJ Daddy-O & Jo Beaufoix
- An Alternative State of British Parent Blogging 2009
- Blogging for Fun and Profit?
- A bit of euphoria about blogging
- Watt Blogger Template
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Cool, a list, I love lists, it gives me something to read when I have 5 mins (yes not very often, but I live in hope)
.-= TheMadHouse´s last blog ..The Best Ever Oat and Raisin Cookies in the world =-.
@TheMadHouse, the trick is to lock the kids in the cupboard.
Good to see the men getting some limelight. You all have a different way of looking at & presenting the world! Thanks for the list!
One you missed Tim Atkinson at http://bringingupcharlie.co.uk
.-= jfb57´s last blog ..Conflict or conscience? =-.
@jfb57, I originally had Tim down so I don’t know how I missed him out in the edit.
Selfish Blogger http://selfishblogger.com/
When Daddy Gets Home: http://whendaddygetshome.blogspot.com/
Blog Up North: http://blogupnorth.blog.co.uk/2010/05/01/the-world-we-live-in-8494176/
.-= Tara@Sticky Fingers´s last blog ..The Young Children Workout =-.
@Tara@Sticky Fingers, When Daddy gets home was there already – but i hadn’t got the other ones. Thanks.
Yay for those Daddys! And a list too – love a good list of blogs, saves me having to rootle them out myself. Ahh, a happy morning of blog reading (and work avoidance) coming my way.
.-= Pants With Names´s last blog ..Being pregnant again =-.
@Pants With Names, mine is the best obviously.
I hate being described as a Mummy blogger for those reasons – I’m much more than just a Mum so I write about a whole range of things, some of which are about being a Mum
Have you got Bringing up Charlie on your list – Tim is a good bloke too
.-= Muddling Along Mummy´s last blog ..I feel trapped by breastfeeding =-.
@Muddling Along Mummy, The problem is I imagine that you started off blogging with “Mummy” in your name so it’s pretty hard not to be stereotyped
Great list. Makes me want to put up a list of great blogs from across the pond. Maybe I’ll just link here!
.-= tysdaddy´s last blog ..Why – A Mother’s Day Question =-.
@tysdaddy, the problem with lists is that they can be exclusive rather than inclusive. But the British Dad blogger scene is small enough currently for me to be able to list everyone with no real problem.
Good on ya Dan! I also hate being described as a Mummy Blogger. Simply I’m not. That’s not my definition! I probably spend more time writing about travelling and work than I do about the kids. I never write about nappies. That was a long time ago in our house. Like you I write about eclectic stuff, and the rebellious side of my nature baulks at being categorised and ranked.
I write. People read. It’s all good.
.-= Vegemitevix´s last blog ..Vegemitevix Tardis Tumble =-.
@Vegemitevix, I wouldn’t class you as a mummyblogger anyhow. I think the only problem with things like the BMB network and Tots 100 etc is that it gives the impression that there is only one aspect to blogging.
I’ve noticed the recent increase in daddy bloggers too, and it can only be a good thing. Btw, I don’t mind being referred to as a mummy blogger – it’s just a label someone else has come up with, but it can mean whatever I want it to mean. As long as people are reading it doesn’t matter does it?
@notSupermum, I’m always wary of labels. They can constrict and also colour people’s perceptions of you. There are some very negative connotations of the word Mommyblogger which would be a shame if they started to translate to mummyblogger too.
Thanks for the mention. If I knew anyone would be stopping by, I would have tidied up a bit.
Trying to keep up a list of bloggers is a never-ending battle. But good luck with it.
@Darren, I like to give you a prod every now and again :)
It seems that even if we don’t want a label we are stuck with one anyway. Quite a few mom bloggers over this way are starting to resent the designation because there’s an underlying negative connotation associated with it. The primary reason for this sentiment stems from those who, in their aggressive promotional efforts, have created the impression that mom blogs are synonymous with blatant consumerism. For the moms who are true to their blogs, want no part of this. Staying true to our blogs as dads is an important issue that many of the dads you mentioned above are already adept at. Nice post.
.-= Clark Kent’s Lunchbox´s last blog ..Turning Into My Mother =-.
@Clark Kent’s Lunchbox, over here commercialism is certainly starting to become pretty all pervasive now. I kicked against it strongly initially, and still resist to a certain extent. However I’ve come to the conclusion I can work with brands to my own advantage without completely selling my soul.
And anyway I was just shouting into the void when I protested about it.
I do have more than a twinge of regret for the loss of the punk rock ethos of blogging though. And may well move back to that given time (and once the walk is over with)
Fab list Dan. Is Xbox on there??
.-= Jo Beaufoix´s last blog ..Bunny Bothering =-.
@Jo Beaufoix, I would argue he’s not British as he’s from southern Ireland. I think. I dunno though.
Thanks for the list! I really dig you Brit dads. Why are you so much smarter than us?
Man, that abdpbt piece was harsh. But hilarious.
.-= beta dad´s last blog ..Mother’s Day Fail and Brilliant Recovery =-.
@beta dad, it’s a well know fact that our accent adds on 20 IQ points.
The only daddy blog I have come across is ‘my daddy cooks’ and that was only this weekend… and now yours! Sounds like that smug face prick David might not get any hope of power if the rumours of the promising liberal democrat and labour talks are to be believed. It does make me laugh when they say ‘senior labour officials and liberal democrats held secret talks this morning for an hour and a half….’ Our countrys government hangs in the balance and a 90 minute talk apparently leads us closer to stability. 90 minutes! It’s only a bit longer than a lunch break!!!
And I’m all for just blogging about what you want to blog about rather than being absolutely focused on one particular area.
A
@Amy, now it’s swung back the other way it seems. I think we should all just keep having elections until someone wins at this rate.
Eeee, seems a long time ago when it was just me, thee and DWW.
I used to have a strictly “Dad blog”. That makes less sense as kids get older and need more privacy (as Clair’s Dad himself pointed out when his blog shifted gear). And anyway they’ll want to read about their parents one day as much as about themselves.
By the way, be careful, setting yourself up as leader of a group of disparate mavericks with little in common other than wanting unifying identity, you could end up Prime Minister.
.-= Steve´s last blog ..Long time, no see =-.
@Steve, Yes, the issue of privacy is an interesting one.
It won’t be long now until amy is able to actually read what I write and i’m going to have to rethink what i do once again.
Plus there is the possibility of her friends googling her. soon i intend going through this blog and removing all traces of our last name and the village we live in.
Soon. Not yet though as it will be a real pain in the arse.
.-= Dan´s last blog ..Tara’s Gallery: Men =-.
This could be a neverending task you know? But a fun one. Next you’ll be starting the newest ning site!
.-= Kristin´s last blog ..Letters I never sent =-.
@Kristin, I don’t think dad bloggers have the sense of cohesion for a ning site, and as i said i don’t want to set myself up as a community leader in any case.
But I like the idea of a list :)
.-= Dan´s last blog ..Tara’s Gallery: Men =-.
Thanks for the link Dan. I am relatively new to this blogging malarcky, so to be listed as one of the UK Daddy-Blogerati and included alongside some mighty fine and established bloggers is a quite an honour.
@Dan (whendaddygetshome), I didn’t realize you were a Dan too.
You know this means war right? i shall not rest until I drum you off the internet.
There can be only one
.-= Dan´s last blog ..Tara’s Gallery: Men =-.
Thanks for the inclusion! Much appreciated!!
.-= Ben´s last blog ..Week Twenty: Over the hill =-.
I remember that time. Though then as now, I tend to avoid blogs which are explicitly about parenting. I don’t really consider myself a ‘dad blogger’ – the whole position of my blog is one of resistance to the way parenthood consumes you as an individual (leaving aside the fact that one identity is actually pretty much of a muchness compared with another one).
To be honest, parent blogging is getting less and less interesting and more and more about corporate sponsorship. It’s fair enough but isn’t there more to blogging than an endless round of sponsor/PR friendly group hugs?
(Not that I couldn’t list ten blogs that WEREN’T like that but I’m not blogging regularly enough at the moment to be bothered).
.-= Dad Who Writes´s last blog ..(Waiting for the) Booty Call =-.
I struggled and struggled to find blogs like these to read. All I ever found were the US based dads which was never what I was looking for.