Once upon a time blogs were seen as online journals for people to express themselves. Today parent blogging is big business and a place where someone can become ‘virtually’ famous from the comfort of their own home. Mommy wars and parenting shaming aside, following great blogs can help provide perspective and serve as an excellent reminder that we’re not all alone out there and we can lean on each other, even if we live thousands of miles apart. Parenting blogs can provide tips on planning that family vacation, suggest colic coping strategies, help you celebrate family milestones, give you a laugh or a pick-me-up, or help you seek solace after a frustrating, day, month, or even year.
Famous Parenting strives to provide a wide collection of content to all of our readers, but we also know that variety is the spice of life, which is why we wanted to spread some love for some other interesting blogs worthy of celebration. When putting this list together we looked for varied content that could interest parents in all stages of their journey in hope that anyone reading through will find at least a handful of content that piques their interest, maybe even becoming a regular favorite. At the time of this publication, all of the blogs mentioned are updated regularly, and provide genuine content, not simply peddling specific products or services.
Know a great blog we didn’t mention? Any suggestions for amazing blogs we’ve missed can be added to the comment section below, so help us share the love!
www.pexels.com
Fatherly
It’s become more and more clear that dads also want a voice in the world of child-rearing; this also means they need the support of their peers. Fatherly’s mission is to help empower men to raise fantastic kids alongside living more fulfilling adult lives. Parents can look at articles filtered by the age of their kids as well as by important issues including love and money, news, and more. Real dads provide refreshing perspectives on things like spectacular parenting failures, and a-ha moments, and they aren’t afraid to tackle (read alternative approaches to parenting). Fatherly provides a space for dads, without diminishing its accessibility to moms, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.
Instagram & Twitter: @FatherlyHQ
Mom on The Side
Lisa is a mother of four who isn’t afraid to admit that parenting is stressful, overwhelming, and imperfect. Mom on the Side is a great place to find ideas on family game night, recipes, and perspectives on raising twins. A big promoter of ‘Me Time’, Lisa is always trying to make self-care a priority, sharing this with her readers. Parents who love Pinterest will love this site for theme party ideas as well as her craft ideas to help keep your kids entertained on rainy days.
Twitter: @amomontheside
Instagram: @momontheside
Pregnant Chicken
What came first, the chicken or the egg? Pregnant chicken boasts positivity, sunny side up, and ‘the burd herd’ includes parental perspectives from several different moms including founder Amy Morrison, with a focus on the early stages of parenthood. Look here for inspiration on pregnancy (think birthing, gifts, pregnancy announcements and maternity photoshoot ideas). Need help on breastfeeding or packing a bag for the hospital, they’ve got you covered! Their honest reviews of products will save new parents both time and money.
Twitter & Instagram: @pregnantchicken
Scary Mommy
Scary Mommy is a repeat of last year’s list because it continues to tackle parenting perspectives that many of us think about but are too afraid to say out loud. It looks for humor in difficult situations and seeks out judgment-free parenting, bringing moms together, not tearing them apart. It provides a raw and unfiltered place for many parent contributors to speak from the heart. Looking for some great albeit controversial debates for your next parent group, visit Scary Mommy and get reading. This blog was started a decade ago by mom Jill Smokler and has since become a viral sensation, with nearly 500,000 Twitter followers alone filling up all of our social media feeds.
Twitter: @ScaryMommy
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Five Kids Is A Lot Of Kids
Dream of having a big family? This blog will help provide some insight into real life with a large family. Mother of five Beth Woolsey decided to answer the call of a friend who asked, “If I see one more blog full of pretty ballerinas, I’m going to vomit. Where are the blogs about kids smearing poop on the walls? Where’s your blog?” The rest is history. Beth has written about adoption, having twins and so much more. Since her blog doesn’t review products or take on guest posts you get all Beth’s content all the time. Feel like your kitchen is too messy, follow this blog.
Twitter: @Beth_Woolsey
Crappy Pictures
Remember when you were a little kid and loved reading the funny pages? This blog is realistic, head-banging against the wall funny pages for parents. They say a picture is worth a million words and these comic clips are spot on about what real parenting is about. A lot of the time published parenting authors begin to only use the blog to promote their latest book for purchase, but Amber continues to create and share her wonderful drawings of parenting. If you love the content you can purchase her books on parenting and marriage, but you don’t have to.
Twitter: @AmberDusick
Free-Range Kids
I wish I parented more like Lenore Skenazy, who is another repeat blog thanks to her focus on parenting to raise self-sufficient, and self-aware kids. She is the anti-helicopter mom who works hard to debunk parenting scare tactic stories and advocate for other parents who are chastised for attempting to give their kids a little more freedom. Lenore is funny, honest, and refreshing, in a time of sensationalized parenting, and first made headlines when she got into trouble for letting one of her children ride public transit alone.
Twitter @FreeRangeKids
Artful Parent
Stumped on activities and crafts to try with your little one? The Artful Parent provides over 500 fun kid-focused art and craft activities that are just a click away thanks to their directory. Regular blog posts showcase accessible art that doesn’t require a personal studio or huge budget to keep your children entertained and create a variety of work. Kid art ‘curator’ and creator Jean Van’t Hul works to share tried and true easy art for kids to help them celebrate artful moments in everyday life as well as for special occasions. Jean encourages readers to take creativity into their own hands and even has guides for those who want to start their own kids’ art groups.
Twitter & Instagram: @artfulparent
www.pexels.com
Moments A Day
Parents often talk about wanting their children to be successful and happy, but what about kindness? Moments a Day focuses on children and character building, as well as helping families grow both kinder and closer together. Chelsea Lee Smith is an author, certified parent educator, homeschooling parent, and blogger on personal growth, and values of education. She believes in the power of using small moments every day to help us and our kids build character which will lead to a better planet. This blog is reflective and can help parents grow alongside their kids because we’re all still learning. If you want to focus on gratitude, etiquette, and building your children’s social skills this is the blog for you.
Twitter & Instagram: @momentsaday
Multiple Momstrosity
In a shameless attempt at self-promotion, this is my own award-winning blog. It is currently the number one multiples category blog as voted on Top Mommy Blogs and was ranked by Humorpedia as one of the top 10 Funny Blogs About Life That Will Make You Laugh. This blog not only chronicles my life with fraternal girl/boy twins, but also is an excellent source for kid movie reviews, tips on family travel, parenting in general, and the ups and downs of life with kids and multiples. I consider it to be my somewhat darkly comic portrayal of life after mom.
Twitter: @Sarabethbug
Extremely Good Parenting With Kara Carrero
Extremely Good Parenting recognizes that some days it’s just about getting through, whereas for others you’ll have meaningful, teachable moments with your kids. This parental motto applies to parents of toddlers and teens. This Boston mom of three began her blog to address eco-friendly living and green parenting. This blog has since become an online parenting magazine that talks about the importance of familial connectedness, intentionality, and authoritative (not authoritarian) practices in the home. Want to be better at putting yourself in your child’s shoes? Follow this blog!
Twitter & Instagram: @KaraCarrero
The Good Men Project
Launched in 2009 The Good Men Project is something we all should be talking about. This media company and idea-based social platform are all about its diverse community of 21st-century thought leaders who have dedicated their time to talking about how men’s roles are changing and what these changes mean and how they impact all of us. Over the years, The Good Men Project has grown into a diverse, multi-faceted media company and an idea-based social platform. This blog talks about the tough stuff like toxic masculinity as well as the things we need to know like parenting without gender expectations and what this means for how we are raising our kids.
Twitter: @goodmenproject
www.pexels.com
Offbeat Home and Life
The word empire isn’t often associated with a close-knit community of modern people, but in this case, it is. The Offbeat Empire is an umbrella from numerous sites that create spaces for people to celebrate non-traditional life and living as their best authentic selves. This started out as Offbeat Bride but has since expanded into Offbeat Home and life which dives into some fantastic adulting reads from contributors around the globe. Sometimes the topics have to do with parenting, and other times have to do with our lives outside of our roles with our kids like polyamorous lifestyles, social dilemmas we face, and so much more. It even has a place for people who need the advice to seek answers from readers, providing a true community feel. They are also amazing at policing trolls, so if you’re going to comment keep it respectful!
Twitter: @offbeatempire
Urban Moms
Urban Moms boasts of being the place where Canadian moms connect, but you don’t have to live in Canada to enjoy their content. Founded in 2005 by marketing mom Jen Maier and inspired by an epiphany after the sudden death of her cousin (who was also a mom). Urban moms have a huge community and feature writing from some of Canada’s top writers who work to provide intelligently and thought-provoking content on parenting, entertainment, life, and relationships.
Twitter & Instagram: @UrbanMomsCa
The Search for Imperfection
Life is messy, and this blog is designed to help busy parents navigate modern life and embrace this imperfection. The blog is run by Jennifer, a working mom who wants to offer solutions for real parenting. This blog is filled with parenting, foodie thoughts, homemaking tips, as well as life lessons to help guide us all towards living greener. Need tips on planning that camping trip, or tutorials on fun hairstyles for your kids? This is the blog for you to follow!
Twitter: @searchimperfect
Instagram: @thesearchforimperfection
Globetrotting Mama
Families with wanderlust who want to rid themselves of the doldrums of how life with soccer practice, school homework, and a daily office commute that grinds should follow this blog. Heather Greenwood Davis and her husband Ish Davis thought there had to be more to life than the endless loop of school, packed lunches, karate practice, and work on what seemed like a repetitive Groundhog’s Dayesque cycle. This National Geographic Traveler magazine journalist chronicles her family’s decision to “See the World. Build a Life. Bring Your Family.” Learn where to start looking for Black Panther’s Wakanda or what to eat when traveling in Japan, or a teenager’s perspective of family travel. Learn about sustainable travel, and start planning your own family travel bucket list.
Twitter: @greenwooddavis
Instagram: @heathergd
Mommy Poppins
Just like Mary Poppins, Mommy Poppins is a blog that offers a spoon full of sugar to help amp up your parental experience. This American-based site offers activities by regions of the US which can also come in handy to anyone who plans some US travel with their kids. This site is your calendar of events for major US cities with a side of everyday projects you can complete with your kids at home. Do your kids have the ‘we’re bored’ disease? Follow this blog to get some insight and creative inspiration to help fill up your calendar and family bucket list.
Twitter & Instagram: @mommypoppins
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Mom Blog Society
This is a global site that is aimed at connecting moms from all over the world together. This blog has reviews, contests, and some fantastic parenting content. Explore parenting issues you haven’t thought of like the importance of life insurance for parents and ones that you have, like balancing work and parental responsibilities. This blog has extensive gift guides for anyone who has that hard to buy for a person on their shopping list.
Twitter: @momblogsociety
Instagram: @momblogsociety1
Enjoying The Small Things
This is another repeat blog from last year’s list, mostly because of the innovative way that blogger Kelle works to keep things fresh and vibrant in her space. Her photography alone is worth a visit. The blog was founded in 2007 and has since evolved from the early days when mom Kelle used the platform to write about the birth of her daughter Nella, who was born with Down syndrome. Kelle has written a book entitled Bloom about her family’s first year with Nella. Relatable reads meant to inspire you, like how to get over a creativity funk or getting creative with your family photography, there’s always something great to check out.
Twitter: @KelleHampton
Instagram: @etst
Jenn’s Blah Blog
Consider yourself a foodie parent – follow this blog and prepare to drool! Parents who are looking to make sure that their pet remains a prominent and important part of the family post kids should follow this blog. The blog belongs to Jenn but features a number of guest writers and regulars from all over the US, including Jenn’s husband Shawn, and a lot of content that is updated all the time. This blog is a hodgepodge of family life content that is bound to have something for everyone.
Twitter: @SJBlahBlahBlog
Gay Parents To Be
This is the ultimate site that represents gay parenting voices. This is Health line’s 2016 best LGBT parenting blog and features many qualified and different perspectives on parenting. While most of the information shared pertains to helping LGBT families begin and continue their journeys to raising fantastic children, there is also some fantastic international material worthy of checking out. Visit this site to learn more about surrogacy, and local issues within the LGBT community, as well as answer difficult questions from your children about the surrogacy process.
Twitter: @GayParentsToBe
Lunchbox Dad
This blog is just so much fun that it needed another mention. As the school year comes to an end most parents can’t help but feel uninspired when it comes to packing lunches your kids will love and actually eat. Beau turns lunchtime into fun, kid-friendly works of art. Even if you aren’t ready to bring your lunchbox game up to level ‘expert’ like Beau, you can certainly use his photos to help you prepare Pinterest-worthy meals for a special occasion like a theme birthday party or family movie night.
Twitter & Instagram: @lunchboxdad
www.pexels.com
Many readers fell in love with the Bloggess AKA Jenny Lawson years ago thanks to her funny stories and dry, sharp sense of humor. This mother of 10-year-old daughter Hailey is a best-selling author who still provides regular content on her site. Her refreshing honesty about coping with depression makes her an amazing and relatable mental health advocate, and it doesn’t hurt that she’s funny. Read her books, and follow her blog, you won’t be disappointed.
Twitter: @thebloggess
Out with the Kids
There’s a lot of writing content out there that covers life in pregnancy and with babies, but it’s a little more challenging to find quality content for parents of tweens and teens. That’s where Jeff’s blog comes in. Beyond his blog, Jeff has written for Cosmo, Scary Mommy, Esquire, PBS, and The Huffington Post to name a few of his other outlets. Great photography, and out-of-the-box posts that are about both parenting and general adult life. This repeat feature on our list will help you plan vacations and events with your family that are more authentic than most tourist-based travel, so buckle up!
Twitter: @OWTK
Rookie Moms
Feel like a novice to parenting? Rookie moms will help you get out of your new baby bubble and outside of your comfort zone in the best way possible #MOMLIFE. Whitney and Heather get that life at home with a baby can be both boring and completely overwhelming at the same time. This site focuses on life with infants (and building a registry of what you’ll need for your baby) to common topics of interest for moms raising a pre-schooler. Take a look around at their topics on self-care or where to rent maternity clothes. Just like last year, our favorite features remain the weekly challenges to encourage new parents to increase their confidence by venturing outside of the home with their baby.
Twitter & Instagram: @rookiemoms
An Occupational therapist, freelance content writer and more importantly a stay-at-home mom, Sara, like all other parents juggles her many roles. Her passion for writing combined with her professional expertise as an Occupational therapist (working with children with special needs) has helped her craft content specific to child health, wellness and learning skills. At present, Sara alternates her time between raising her two young children, and writing about what she knows best- children!
