Seven years. I’m not sure where the time has gone but that’s how long I’ve now been blogging for – seven whole years!

To put it in context, that’s 2,555 days resulting in 1,226 blog posts which have attracted 15,436 comments, the majority of which concern the many highs (and lows) of parenthood.

Each year I mark my ‘blogiversary’ in some way, and as well as being surprised by the numbers (have I really waffled on that much?!) it’s always a time for reflection too. What am I doing it for? Should I keep on going? Is it time to stop? Those are always among the questions I find myself pondering as the anniversary approaches.

This year, with baby number four due in a few months, it occurred to me just how much blogging has shaped me as a parent. I definitely wouldn’t be the mum I am today – for better or worse! – if it wasn’t for Confessions of a Crummy Mummy so, to mark my seventh ‘blogiversary’, I thought it would be fun to share 7 ways blogging has shaped me as a parent.

7 ways blogging has shaped me as a parent

1. Oodles of free advice

You can’t be a blogger without reading other blogs, and the good thing about reading other blogs is the advice, tips and words of wisdom you’ll inevitably pick up from other mums (and dads!) in situations just like yours. Like the freezer bag hospital bag hack (thank you Surrey Mama!), how to make the easiest peasiest slow cooker fudge (thanks Pink Pear Bear) and the endless sage advice from the Mumsnet Influencer Network.

2. Reassurance you’re not the only one

Through writing about the highs and lows of parenting, sharing experiences and inviting comment back you quickly discover you’re not the only one struggling to get a toddler to sleep through the night, let alone in their own bed; you’re not the only one with a five-year-old you have to bribe to do virtually anything and you’re not the only one who feels like they’re doing too many things and none of them well. The truth is we’re all just winging it!

View this post on Instagram

At Kingston Lacy National Trust trying to pretend I’m not 39 today The kids keep saying it really loudly & it’s actually making my ears hurt On the upside Misery Guts has come up trumps: we’re going out for sushi for tea & he’s booked us a two-day childfree spa break next week – I’m so worn down by mumming at the moment I almost wept when he told me! #mumlife #mumproblems #thismamaloves

A post shared by Crummy Mummy (@confessionsofacrummymummy) on Aug 10, 2019 at 9:22am PDT

3. Thousands of photographs

Without a doubt we have more photographs and videos than we would have done had I not been blogging week in, week out and charting the ups and downs of our lives over the last seven years. We’re also really lucky to have some fantastic professional images as a direct result of the blog – favourites include this one of the middle one as a baby at the world’s first baby spa when we were Huggies Wipes ambassadors.

4. The ability to give the children experiences that will last a lifetime

Blogging has meant I’ve been able to give the children experiences they simply wouldn’t have had otherwise. From reviewing a holiday in Majorca with Thomson and Mumsnet to our Kingswood adventure on the Isle of Wight, to days out like LaplandUK and being invited inside Innocent Smoothie’s Fruit Towers, I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunities we’ve had.

5. It helps me keep them safe online

Being a blogger means you inadvertently become social media savvy, and being social media savvy helps me keep one step ahead in terms of internet safety too. Thanks to the online courses I’ve done, masterclasses I’ve been to and forums I’m a member of as a direct result of blogging I feel confident in knowing what I need to do to keep them safe in our tech dominated world – the video sharing app TikTok being the latest challenge!

6. Knowing all about the latest fads and toys

It can be so hard to keep up with what’s hot and what’s not as a parent and one of the benefits of blogging is some of the fantastic products we’ve been asked to review, from baby equipment to clothes to books to games and toys. And if we’re very lucky sometimes we get to test things first. Memorable items include I’m a Girly’s styling head Lola – because I don’t know about you but a styling head was the childhood toy I always wanted but never got!

7. It’s shown me I’m not a perfect parent – and that’s ok

When I first came up with the name for my blog I had no idea how true the moniker would turn out to be – and that’s 100% ok. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from being a parenting blogger it’s that we’re all simply trying to do our best in the best way we know how – even if that means we get it wrong sometimes. Writing Confessions of a Crummy Mummy helps take the pressure off and gives me an outlet to let off steam with other like minded mums and dads – and after all, I’ve got to ensure I live up to my name! So, happy seventh birthday Crummy Mummy!

If you liked this you may also enjoy reading:

6 life lessons I’ve learnt in 6 years blogging

10 reasons blogging IS a proper job

Why I won’t be using the hashtag #freebie