Blogging Tips

It's time for another Blogathon Theme Day! Today's theme: If I started blogging today, I would...

I started blogging in 2009 because I heard it was the thing to do. Writers everywhere were started blogs, and I'd knew be behind if I didn't at least learn how to blog. So I took a class. I signed up for Jane Boursaw's Blogging for Fun and Profit. Her class gave me the nudge and support I needed to start Blogging 'Bout Boys. (My very first post was less-than-inspiring, but hey, it got me going!)

At the time, I was pretty clueless. I'm not a techie person, so I chose Blogger as my blogging platform, because I heard it was easier. But if I started blogging today, I think I would use WordPress instead. I've heard many good things about WordPress from other writers and bloggers, and I've actually worked in WordPress for various clients. It's not as hard as I thought. Plus, it seems to have more useful features and add-ons. Plus, I'm not a big fan of this new Blogger format.

Now, I'd like to migrate my blog to WordPress. I know it can be done, but the truth is, I'm intimidated. Has anyone here migrated a blog to WordPress? I'd love to hear about your experience.

What else would I do differently? I'd...

• love a better template.  For a few years, I had a really cute, free Blogger template. But I lost that just over a year ago, when the woman who designed the template (and many others) lost her free PhotoBucket storage. I was bummed. I stepped away from my blog for awhile, in fact, because it no longer appealed to me. Finally, I decided some blog was better than no blog, so I resumed blogging with this template. I'm not in love with it. Anyone else have a better idea?
• blog on a regular basis. My long-term readers know that my blogging has been sporadic over the years. It's easy to get caught up in life and paying work, and very, very easy to neglect blogging when you're in the midst of a nasty divorce. But when I blog, I connect with interesting people. And when I connect with interesting people, I learn and grow. When I learn and grow, I have something to share. Blogging regularly, I've learned, helps me maintain my enthusiasm for my blog and topic, and introduces me to others who share similar passions. 
• write with abandon. Truth be told, one of the big reasons I didn't blog much last year was because I was self-censoring my posts before they were even written. It's one thing, I think, to be conscious of how much you share about your life and family online. It's quite another to shut yourself down completely due to fears of what other people might think. The Blogathon has taught me that people respond when I write openly and honestly.

Do you have a blog? What would you do differently, given the chance?

Best of the Blogs

WAT Book Club Four Great Books for Boys. Full disclosure: I used to write for an editor who is now part of the We Are Teachers (WAT) team. But that's now why I'm recommending this blog post. I'm recommending this post because I'm always interested in seeing great book suggestions for boys -- and I'm particularly enthusiastic about this post because it introduces four books I'd never heard of. (For the record, The Achilles Effect is not so keen on "Books for Boys" lists. You can be sure that we'll talk cover that topic in my upcoming author Q & A!)

Dictators with Mommy Issues. You know I'm a fan of Kate Stone Lombardi, and that I loved her book, The Mama's Boy Myth. The last lines of this post, though, are just precious:

Let's see....Stalin and his mother were savagely beaten by his alcoholic father. She fought the father to try to keep her son in school. Yup, must have been that close relationship with him mom that made Stalin the monster he was. 

My Son Looks Like a Girl. So What? I've been thinking a lot of gender lately, and the messages we send our boys about what's OK and what's not. So Catherine Newman's post about her 12-year-old son's long, pink-dipped hair caught my attention. Really, what does hair matter anyway? Isn't it what are kids are inside that matters?

My Vote of Dweebiest Superintendent of the Week. According to Lenore Skenazy, five high school seniors in Indiana decorated the interior of their school with post-it notes. (With inside adult assistance.) The kids were suspended. The custodian lost his job. Actually, a total of 67 kids were suspended. Did the superintendent might the right call? Or do you agree with Skenazy? Why?

 Integrating Tech Tools Into Learning. Shameless self-promotion: This is a blog post I wrote for onlineschools.com. But I have a feeling that some of you may be interested in fun and educational tech tools as well.

How to Work From Home and Homeschool. Yeah, this one is mine too. ;)

Did you see any blog posts that caught your eye this week? Share a link below!

Best of the Blogs

This Friday, we're going to revive an old, occasional feature: Best of the Blogs. From here on out, my Friday posts will be a round up of some of the best stuff on the 'Net.

Today's Best of the Blogs:

Sexism and The Early Learning Centre. A Facebook friend pointed me to this post after she read my recent post, "Helping Boys in a Sex-Soaked Society." In my post, I mention the insidious nature of mass media images, and how they worm their way into our sons' brains and affect their self-image, beliefs and preferences. This blog post shows you how that happens. It's kind of long, but definitely worth a scroll-through. The author includes lots of images from a common catalog, and let me tell you: the pictures make her point.

Nurturing or Ambition: Do Moms Have to Choose? I love Meagan Francis, aka The Happiest Mom. Her latest blog post is a common sense look at the internal struggle many moms feel -- the kind of struggle that fuels the Mommy Wars, if you ask me. As far as Meagan is concerned, there's not need to choose. Moms, she says, can be nurturing and ambitious all at the same time. Amen, sister!

Experiment That Lets Kids Get Messy: Learning About Catalysts.  How could I not love the title of this post? As you know, I'm all about hands-on education, and as far as my boys are concerned, the messier the better! This post, by fellow Blogathoner Danielle promised a science experiment that is "a big step up from the old  baking soda and vinegar trick." AND it makes something called Elephant's Toothpaste!

Are Men Attracted to What They Think Other Men Approve Of? Ok, this article by Hugo Schwyzer may not technically be a blog post. But it does include a mention of my blog, and I think that's pretty cool!

What do you see on the 'Net this week that struck you as fun, interesting or worthwhile? Share a link in the comments!

Helpful Blogs for Parents of Boys

There are 250 blogs participating in this year's blogathon! In 2009 -- the first year I participated in the blogathon -- there were less than 30.

That year, I ran a full list of participating bloggers. This year, I'm going to suggest some blogs that you might enjoy:

Amanda Steinhaus – Ms. Panda’s Blog, Poetry, children’s stories, playwriting and more. Last year, she posted My 5 Favorite Children's Picture Books.

 Anna Murphy – Murphy Baby, Wife and mama to baby Ronan. Recorded words because I never want to forget what this feels like.Anna is mama to a baby boy, and she'll remind you of that sweet first year all over again.

Cariann McCready – Unionvale Mom’s Spot, Rural life with family, food, crafts and books. She's a homeschool mom of two boys!

Claudia Neely – Social Skills Success, Teaching parents of special needs teens, pre-teens and young adults how to mainstream their kids into successful peer groups and more. Claudia specializes in dealing with kids who have ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Anxiety Disorders and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders.

Danielle – Porridge Report, Digital doses for the modern family as seen by a distracted mother and writer. Today's post is about how to make slime!


Debbie Kaplan – Frisco Kids, Your guide to kid-friendly events and trips around the San Francisco Bay area. If you live in or near -- or if you plan to visit -- San Fran, you'll love this blog.

Doña Bumgarner - Aubergine, Musings of a midlife mama. Today's post is about rest. What parent of boys doesn't need rest? ;)

Jackie Dishner - Bike with Jackie, Your guide to inspiration, encouragement, quirky stories, laughs and life-changing adventures. Jackie blogs all about self-improvement, and she's not afraid to share her struggles either.

 Jan Udlock – Imperfect Mom, Professional writer, parenting expert, mom of five. Jan's a homeschooling mom of five. Two years ago, she wrote a guest post for Blogging 'Bout Boys during the blogathon.

Jenni Derryberry Mann - Mamahhh, Navigating the labyrinth of motherhood one breath at a time. She has happy birth stories!

Jennifer Patrick - Still Living the Dream, Raising two young kids in my 40s. Jennifer won an award for her rock-star costume at her daughter's recent piano recital -- except she wasn't wearing a costume!

Kate Reilly – Polkadot Suitcase, Finding fun through creative living. Kate's a homeschool mom of two boys. She's also written some amazing, hands-on learning books.

Katy Manck - Books YA Love, Recommending young adult books beyond the bestsellers. Need help finding your teens something to read? Look here!

Kirsten Oge – Puppy Paws and Dirty Noses, First time mom and housewife. Kirsten has an adorable 4-month-old son -- and blog title that just screams "boy!"

Leah Ingram – Suddenly Frugal, How to live more on less money. Leah always has some great tips.

Liz Sheffield - Motherlogue, A mother talks about mothering, writing and life. Check out her post about Facebook and parenting.

Sandra Hume – Little House Travel, Everything Little House fans and their families should know about traveling to places Laura Ingalls Wilder called home. Plan a trip?

Sarah E. Ludwig - Parenting by Trial and Error, The learning curve in raising kids. During my first blogathon, Sarah wrote a  guest post about the mysteries of raising boys.

Stephanie Vozza – Five Minute Mom’s Club, Simplify, simplify, simplify. Then organize. Stephanie has a husband, two boys, two dogs -- and some tips to help you manage your life.

Tere Scott - Teachable Scotts Tots Homeschool, Parenting and homeschooling; and Elephant Ears Learning, Homeschooling resources and tips.

Want more? The full list of 2012 Blogathon participants is here.

Absent

As many of you have noticed, I've been absent for a stretch. I'll be honest: my life has been in a state of transition. My divorce was finalized at the end of September and I've been concentrating on rebuilding my life. But my blog, I've realized, is part of my life -- and part of yours too. So I promise you that I'll be back soon. I'll be taking some steps to revamp the blog (this background has GOT to go!), making this a perfect time to solicit your feedback.

What would you like to see more of on Blogging 'Bout Boys? What would you like to see less of? Book reviews, guest posts, video clips? A Q & A section? A Readers-Give-Advice section? Are there any topics you'd like to see addressed?

I want this blog to be an Internet home for parents of boys. I want to share information and ideas to help us raise and educate our sons. So, how can I help you?

Undergoing Renovation

Yep, things look different around here.

I'd been using a free blog template for almost two years, but the designer no longer has access to those images. So out with the old, in with the new!

The only problem is, I'm not sure what the new will be. Please bear with me as I establish a new look for Blogging 'Bout Boys. Any suggestions?

And the Winner Is...

Denise Schipani!

Denise, who blogs over at Confessions of a Mean Mommy, is proud mommy to Daniel and James. She's also sick of people assuming that her boys will someday grow up and forget all about her. (Boy-moms, can you relate? I sure can!)

Thanks to all who entered my contest. Only one could win, and this time around, that winner is Denise. An autographed copy of I'm Outnumbered: One Mom's Lessons in the Lively Are of Raising Boys is on its way.

Best of the Blogs: Parenting

Parenting is hard work -- but maybe not as hard as we make it. In Why Good Parenting is Less Work Than You Think, blogger Denise Schipani writes about some intriguing new research that suggests parents may have far less power over their kids' potential than we've been led to believe. It's an especially great read if you happen to have more than the typical 1.86 children.

Of course, parenting involves many decisions, from the mundane (do I let them watch one more TV show?) to the serious (is he mature enough to drive?). Mommy Minute tackles one of the more mundane issues in Raising Nature-Loving Boys in the Age of Wii, while Peggy Sue Brister examines boy-parents' first big decision, To Circumcise or Not to Circumcise?

Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers is one of the wisest parents I know (even if she is weird and unsocialized!) Her latest act of parenting brilliance is Time for Mom. Stop over and see what she's been doing.

Best of the Blogs

Parenthood is a full-time job (plus!). Picking up crackers, wiping snotty noses and reading All About Diggers for the 100th time doesn't exactly leave a lot of time for personal pursuits. And many, many parents, caught up in the whirlwind that is parenthood, let themselves go for a period of time. They push their dreams and passions aside while caring, exhaustively, for the needs of their children. But is that they way to go? Visit Boy Crazy to read a great post, On motherhood and art and our former selves. (You'll see a comment from me there as well.)

A lot of parents struggle with feeling of incompetence too. But as Jan Udlock learned, there's a big difference between "incompetent" and "learning." Read more at Imperfect Mom.

Interested in healthy, hearty, homegrown food for your family? Andrea at Say YES 2 Boys is busy reading about food, and she shares her favorites books with you in Books, Chickens and Boys.

Education Week has a great post about educational standards. No Child Left Behind may have been well-intentioned, but the standards generated in its wake are often nearly unobtainable, especially for many young boys.

Read anything else interesting this week? Send me a link!

Blogs about Boys

Welcome to a new weekly feature, a weekly round-up of some of the best boy-related blog posts on the web. Find something interesting during the week? Send me a link! You just might see it again next Friday.

On being heard -- Elizabeth at Boy Crazy writes beautifully and eloquently about the need to listen to our sons, and the way their words can get lost in the busyness of our days

Lessons from the class of 2010 -- Outnumbered Mom has a son graduating this week. She accompanied his senior class on a mountain hike and learned something about stragglers and leaders.

Boost kids' summer reading -- This time of year, a lot of parents are wondering how to incorporate reading into their sons' summers. Single Parent Savings has some excellent ideas, including a link to Guys Read, Jon Sciescka's blog. (Yep, he's the guy who wrote The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. If you haven't read it yet to your boys, run to the library immediately!)

Numbers right now -- From the time we first count their little fingers and toes, parenthood is all about the numbers. Visit 4 little men & girly twins for a numerical snapshot in time. I'll bet you can relate!

Can we lay off mom-judging now? Please? -- Let's face it: we've all felt superior, on occasion, to another mom. But as fellow boy-mom, blogger and freelance writer Denise Schipani points out, our judgements do more harm than good.

Blogging Lessons for Parents

Have you ever watched a bunch of marathoners at the finish line? Some stride through confidently throught the finish (only to puke on the other side). Others grimace and groan, determined to push through to the end. Still others stagger and crawl, the tears streaming down their faces a mixture of pain and pride.

The Word Count Blogathon is like that. Some, like Jackie Dishner at BIKE with Jackie, make it look easy. The rest of us are just grateful to have finally reached the finish.

Today, bloggers from around the world come together to reflect on the Blogathon. There's a wrap party on Twitter (join us at 8:30 am PST, #Blog2010). Blog posts celebrating lessons learned are lighting up the blogosphere. So I began to ponder -- What did I learn from the blogathon this year? -- and realized that my top four lessons apply to parenting as well. Take a look:

Four Lessons for Parents and Bloggers

1. You can't expect greatness all the time. It's pretty hard -- no, make that impossible -- to create a magnus opus every day. The only way to blog every day is to let go of your need for perfection. You need to accept the fact that some days, you'll only have the energy for a haiku. Or a borrowed YouTube video. Parenting is the same way. Some days, we're on our game, whipping up tasty, healthy meals while planning interesting activities and excursions. Other days, we order in pizza and let the kids watch TV and IT'S OK! Parenting, like blogging, is a long haul adventure.

2. Reaching out makes a difference. One of the main benefits of the Blogathon is the chance to learn from and interact with other bloggers. Participants are encouraged to visit others' blogs, to comment, to guest post, to share insights. Last year, I was an active particpant in the Blogathon, visiting and commenting on almost every blog in the bunch. I went above and beyond and hosted weekly blog exhanges, thereby creating relationships with other writers that last to this day. (The ever-hilarious and consummate professional Ron Doyle is currently designing my professional website.) This year, I was overwhelmed with deadlines (a GOOD problem for a writer to have!) and didn't reach out to other bloggers nearly as much. As a result, my experience this time around wasn't nearly as rich. Parents, too, need to reach out to others. Sure, you can do it alone, but it's much harder. When you reach out to others, you tap into the strength of a parenting collective. You can borrow others' ideas -- or just feel better about your own life. Isn't it reassuring to know that other boys badger their parents for airsoft guns as well?

3. Putting yourself on the list is a very good thing. We all KNOW that we need to make time for ourselves. We're heard the airplane oxygen mask analogy more times than we can count. But in the midst of daily life, with one child begging for milk and another asking for help on the computer, it's all to easy to forget to pee. Blogging is the same way. My paying work, naturally, takes priority over my blog. But all too often, that meant I had no time or energy left for the blog. (Hence, my hideous posting record in the month of April.) To blog every day, I added it to my work calendar: Blog. Just 4 little letters, but by placing those letters on the calendar every day, I gave them weight. Listed next to my assignments, "blog" became a priority, a part of my work day. Parents need to do the same thing. Schedule "exercise," "haircut" or "girls' night out." Put it on the calendar and make it happen!

4. You don't need a plan. More than one blogathoner has stressed the importance of a plan when blogging on a daily basis. I, however, did not have a plan for the blogathon. No plan, no pre-scheduled posts. And you know what? I made it through! Parenting, by it's very nature, requires hundreds of on-the-fly adjustments -- and often, the unscheduled days are the best. It's OK to be a planner, but it's equally OK to take life as it comes. Successful parents (and successful bloggers) are creative and adaptable.

What did you learn from the Blogathon? Did you like the daily posts in the month of May?

Blogathon2010: Haiku

Posting everyday can be a challenge. There's the time commitment, sure, but even more than that, there's the pressure to stay fresh, interesting and relevant on a daily basis. So today's Blogathon challenge is short and sweet: Write a haiku.

Don't remember haikus? Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry, a word picture expressed in 17 syllables: 5 syllables for the first line, 7 for the second and 5 for the third. Some great stuff has been posted today, so I highly encourage you to visit a couple other Blogathoners.

Here's mine:

Bouncing on the couch
Boundless energy in jeans
Men yet to be born

See? It's easy! Give it a try -- I'd love to see your haikus.

10 Blogs to Read Before I Sleep

Blogathoners all over the Internet are posting the top 5 (or 10) blogs they can't live without today. And while I can certainly live without blogs, there are certain blogs that keep me up way past my bedtime. Here's a sneak peek at what I'm reading when I should be sleeping:

Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers -- Kris is a phenomenal resource. If you want to know anything about homeschooling -- how to do it, what a typical day looks like, where to find curriculum, what math program would work best for your active learner - WUHS can help you out.

Boy Crazy -- The writing here is sublime. And since this blogger has three boys of her own, I can definitely relate to her world!

Outnumbered Mom -- Are you a "boy-mom?" This mom of four boys has written a book just for moms of all boys. Watch for it later this summer!

Living in Splitsville -- As a mom going through a divorce, I've found this blog (by a mom/writer who's a little further along in her divorce) to be oddly comforting.

BIKE with Jackie -- I met Jackie during the Blogathon last year, but continue to follow her blog because she inspires me to be a better person.

The Happiest Mom -- This blog's tagline says it all: Happy. Mother. You really can use both words in the same sentence.

Blog Salad -- Ron Doyle is hilarious. And smart. And sensitive. Plus, he gave me an award.

SingleParentSavings -- This is a new one for me (thanks, Blogathon 2010!), but I've quickly come to love it.

Project Happily Ever After -- A marriage blog might seem like a crazy choice for a divorcing woman, but Alisa's writing and advice is so straight-on and amusing that I inevitably spend way too much time on her blog.

Mothers for Women's Lib -- I'm passionate about parenting, pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding, and this blog has some of the most excellent, thought-provoking articles on the Web.

Blogging 'Bout Kids and Family

Over 100 writers are taking part in this year's WordCount Blogathon. I'll post the full list soon, but today, I'm highlighting the parenting blogs.

Karen Bannan – Natural as Possible Mom, Because natural isn’t always possible — or easy

Danielle Buffardi – Horrible Sanity, Going into the mind of a mother and freelancer

Heather Faesy – Blame it on the Full Moon, My kids, writing and reading

Nancy Mann Jackson – Growing Food and Kids, Gardening, harvesting, cooking and preserving with kids in tow

Sarah E. Ludwig – Parenting by Trial and Error, The learning curve in raising kids

Kim McNeill – Kim’s Play Place, An active parent trying to make sure my kids are educated

Charles Newbery – Pine Tree Paradise, The life of a work-at-home writer and father of three

Andrea Parker – Autism Fundraising Guide, For parents of children with autism

Kate Reilly – Polka Dot Suitcase, Family fun through creative living

Melissa Sais – Digital Mom, Raising kids in a digital world

Lisa Samalonis – Single Parent Savings

Michelle Smith – Law Office of Michelle R. Smith, Because it’s your life, your family and your choice

Jan Udlock – Imperfect Mom

Rachel Vidoni – East Coast Musings, A humorous look at kids, family and life

Take a look around. Enjoy! And if you get a chance, come back here and let me know which are your favorites.

Blogging 'Bout Boys

The challenge for any blogger is blogging consistently. It's one thing to have ideas -- and quite another to commit to keying them in via the keyboard.

So I've once agained signed up for the WordCount Blogathon. If you were around last year, you may remember the May blogathon as the time I posted most frequently, the time of guest posts or the time Ron Doyle posted a photo of a chimp on my blog. If you weren't aroud last year, let me explain.

The Blogathon is a combination challenge and committment. Participants agree to blog every day -- every day! -- during the month of May and to encourage other participants to do the same. The idea is to get into the habit of blogging, but if last year's blogathon was any example, the benefits go far beyond that. I discovered some wonderful new blogs and forged relationships with other bloggers. I was inspired by their writing and they, occassionally, were inspired by me.

So I'm getting back up on the horse. Busy schedule or not, I'll be blogging 'bout boys every single day in the month of May.

Turning Lemons to Lemonade

Talk about a nice start to the weekend. Blogging 'Bout Boys has been named a Lemonade Stand Award winner! According to Michelle and Karen at Layers of Learning, the Lemonade Stand Awards recognize blogs that demonstrate great attitudes or gratitude.


Now it's time for me to pass on the honor. Here are 10 blogs that I think deserve the Lemonade Stand Award:

1. Parenting by Trial and Error. Sarah Ludwig is a single mom of four kids, just like me. She's also a witty and personable writer who understands parenting from the trenches.
2. Living in Splitsville. Christina and her husband separated a little over a year ago. Her tagline -- Notes on a Midlife Makevoer -- says it all.
3. Journey to a Wondraful Baby. Disclaimer: My SIL runs this blog and the main topic is my adorable little niece. Underneath is all, though, is a story of gratitude as Heather blogs about finding their daughter through adoption.
4. Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. My first, favorite homeschool blog. Here, you'll find real-life stories of homeschooling and thousands of fun tips.
5. Eclipsed. Yup, it's a two-for-one deal. Eclipsed is by the same woman who writes Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers, but it focuses on weight loss instead of homeschooling.
6. Boy Crazy. How could I not like this blog? The writing is divine.
7. Saying YES 2 Boys. Andrea is a mom after my own heart. Her boys run, jump and swing swords while she reflects, supports and joins in on the fun.
8. Alasandra's Homeschool Blog. If you're a homeschooler, Alasandra's blog is a must. She keeps you up-to-date on news and happenings in the world of homeschooling.
9. The Happiest Mom. Another parenting blog by another writer and mom of many. (Meagan has five children.) But her take on parenting -- Happy. Mother. You really can use both words in the same sentence. -- isn't one we hear often.
10. BIKE with Jackie. This blog is all about positive attitudes and gratitude. Jackie uses her BIKE technique to teach you how to overcome adversity.

What other blogs inspire you? I'd love to hear about your favorites!

Thank You!

Thanks to your votes and support, Blogging 'Bout Boys has been named a...


Thank you, Alasandra, for hosting the contest. Please head to Alasandra's Homeschool Blog to check out the other winners!

Boys and Bedwetting

Did you know that Michael Landon, Vince Vaughn and Mark McGwire were all bedwetters?

I didn't, until I read, "Bedwetting: Here's Help," by fellow parenting writer Kathy Sena. I did, however, know -- from personal experience -- that bedwetting can be a frustrating situation for both child and parent.

One of my sons wet the bed until he was almost eight. It wasn't an every night kind of thing, but it was often enough to be annoying. Realistically, I knew the bedwetting was beyond his control. Realistically, I knew he felt embarrassed and ashamed, and I know he didn't enjoy waking up in cold, wet jammies. Practically speaking, though, I got awfully tired of washing sheets.

But somehow, my mommy intuition knew that the bedwetting, too, would pass. The research seems to back me up on this one. According to a study published in the British Journal of Urology, if your 7-year-old is wetting the bed one to two nights per week, he has a 96% of outgrowing it by the time he's 15. Obviously, if the bedwetting continues -- or if you have any other concerns about your child's health -- you should take him to see a healthcare provider.

For whatever reason, boys are twice as likely to wet to the bed as girls. As Dr. Howard Bennett, a clinical professor of pediatrics at George Washington University Medical Center and author of Waking Up Dry: A Guide to Help Children Overcome Bedwetting, says, bedwetting, "happens because a child’s brain and bladder are not communicating with each other at night.”

Remember that bedwetting is likely to become a problem if you make it a problem. If you handle it in a business-like manner instead, with dignity and respect, your son will view you as a ally, someone he can count on in times of need.

Did your son wet the bed? What advice would you give to other parents?

I've Been Nominated for an Award!

Kim, of Kim's Play Place, recently nominated me for my first-ever homeschool blog award.

The awards are given by Alasandra's Homeschool Blog, an intriguing site if ever I saw one. Recently, she's been running a series of posts covering the controversy the erupted when school kids sang a song about President Barack Obama.

She's also accepting nominations for Best Homeschool Blog thru November 27th. Hurry over and nominate your favorite homeschool blog!

Books for Boys: The Legend of Vinny Whiskers

Happy October! Today, we kick off a new feature: Books for Boys. Approximately once per week, I'll highlight a Book for Boys (or Boy Parents), a book I think your boys will love -- or one that will make your job as a boy parent a little bit easier. Each Book for Boys day will include a Q & A with the author, providing you with a behind-the-scenes look at the book. (I sound like Dr. Suess there, don't I?)

Today's book is The Legend of Vinny Whiskers, which I previously reviewed in June. Author Gregory Kemp is kicking off a two-week blog tour today, and his first stop is Blogging 'Bout Boys.

Where did you get the idea for The Legend of Vinny Whiskers?

GK: That’s a popular question people ask me, but I find it difficult to pin down. It probably came from a few different directions. I tend to give animals, like our dog, a voice. It’s not quite what you’d expect. Our dainty little Italian greyhound talks tough. She’s also interested in science and a fan of William Shatner. My wife thinks it’s pretty funny. I’ve given voices and personalities to the squirrels in the yard, animals in the zoo. So when I was entertaining the idea of writing a novel, an animal story seemed natural.

The other consideration was picking the right animal. In stories, I’ve always preferred underdog heroes over superstars. Secret agents, kid geniuses, knights—while they can be fun, they lack the depth and complexity that exists in the real world. Real people are fallible, yet real people can be heroes. A prairie dog hero offered a lot here. Turning a burrowing animal at the bottom of the food chain into a bona fide legend got me excited. Boomer Lookout, the protagonist of my novel, is not especially good at anything. And he’s got a lot of issues. To me, he’s the ultimate underdog. Plus he lives in the dirt which is funny.

Why do you think this book will appeal to boys?

GK: I don’t have to guess here. I’ve already heard from boys who identify with the main character, Boomer Lookout. Boomer is just a regular kid prairie dog trying to find his way. He doesn’t have any magic powers or special skills, yet over the course of the novel, Boomer finds ways to succeed. I’m very proud of this because I think it holds true to life. You don’t have to do spectacular things to succeed. I think if you give life an honest effort, everyone can find success.

I like the fact that you use big words, like conspicuously and ingenuity. Was that an intentional decision?

GK: Not at all. I originally wrote the book without thinking about the audience. I’ve since been told that books should always been written for a target audience, but I was just trying to write a fun book that might make you think when it’s all over. Hopefully the vocabulary is suitable for the audience. If kids find a tough word here or there, I’d just offer them this advice: don’t let it get in the way of enjoying the story. There are about 65,000 words in Vinny and if you don’t know a few that’s not bad at all! If you learn one or two, all the better.

What kinds of books did you like to read as a boy? How did your likes (and dislikes) then influence Vinny Whiskers?

GK: My favorite books growing up were Choose Your Own Adventures. You know the type, right? “You are stranded on a deserted island. Ahead on the beach you see a wooden chest. In the distance you hear the beating of drums. If you want to investigate the chest, turn to page 10, if you want find the source of the drums, turn to page….” These were fun for me. The plot took all sorts of sudden turns.

I also grew up reading Piers Anthony, the fantasy writer. The Xanth series was a favorite. His creativity is off the chart and I want my writing to be original and fresh.

What advice would you have for young boys who are interested in writing and storytelling?

GK: The boiler plate answer for this would be read, read, read. Okay, I can’t argue with that in principle because you can learn a lot by reading other people’s work. But I would qualify the advice by saying, “Read and think.”

Getting lost in a good book won’t help your writing. You need to stop and ask yourself what is good about the book? What makes you want to turn the page? A good story will have a clear answer for this.

At the same time, you’ve got to practice your writing. Start with a one page story, something like, young Jimmy wants to know what’s inside all the delivery boxes at his neighbor’s house. Put an obstacle in Jimmy’s way like the neighbors are out of town and he can’t ask them or they have a really big dog that Jimmy fears.

Lastly, deliver on the story. Jimmy sneaks over and peeks in a window. What does he find? Why all the boxes? Perhaps there are copies of The Legend of Vinny Whiskers in the boxes and Jimmy’s neighbor is my biggest fan. That’s a very good story if you ask me! When you think you’ve got the story right, go back and make it better. I wrote at least five major drafts of The Legend of Vinny Whiskers. I don’t claim it’s perfect, but it’s a lot better than where I started. And by golly, pay attention in English class!