I am parent, hear me roar
Maybe I should have saved this post's title for when I have to pull out the old "Because I said so" line when Flybaby because a "why"ing preschooler.
But anyway.
As I was turning 35 {choke!}, I was lamenting that society was no longer going to care about me. Already a part of misunderstood and ignored Generation X, I was leaving the 18- to 34-year-old demographic that marketers/society pines for, supposedly because this is the time in your life when you are making decisions, including which brands to buy. That's why marketers love these people, and they buy air to advertise to these people, so TV shows are written for these people, and TV helps form our ideas about our society and blah blah blah the theory goes. (Hey! I didn't make it up!) Turning 35 made me feel so ... so unimportant. Sniff.
News flash: I'm not through making decisions about my life or about what I buy. But, yes, it nice to be able to save time at the store because I already know which laundry detergent I'm going to get.
What does this have to do with parenting?
As a new parent, I'm being courted by marketers all over again. New parents have extreme buying power. Parents buy not just for themselves, but also for new, impressionable little lives. Just trying to pick out items for my baby registry was nothing compared to the endless choices that still lie ahead. What kind of baby food will I feed Flybaby? Or will I make it myself? Either way, there are purchases involved. Where will I buy his clothes, now that he is growing so fast? What toys should I buy that are educational, age-appropriate and fun to play with? And that's just for me -- what toys will I get for him?
So I was lucky enough to be invited to join the Parent Bloggers Network. You've probably heard of it. It hooks up companies with bloggers who will give honest reviews of their stuff. As a blogger and a reader, I love it when people blog and comment about what works for them as a parent. (As was the case recently when nice readers commented that Hyland's Teething Tablets were fab.) And I have the chance to do the same thing, as part of the Parent Bloggers Network. It will be fun! Bring on the reviews!
But anyway.
As I was turning 35 {choke!}, I was lamenting that society was no longer going to care about me. Already a part of misunderstood and ignored Generation X, I was leaving the 18- to 34-year-old demographic that marketers/society pines for, supposedly because this is the time in your life when you are making decisions, including which brands to buy. That's why marketers love these people, and they buy air to advertise to these people, so TV shows are written for these people, and TV helps form our ideas about our society and blah blah blah the theory goes. (Hey! I didn't make it up!) Turning 35 made me feel so ... so unimportant. Sniff.
News flash: I'm not through making decisions about my life or about what I buy. But, yes, it nice to be able to save time at the store because I already know which laundry detergent I'm going to get.
What does this have to do with parenting?
As a new parent, I'm being courted by marketers all over again. New parents have extreme buying power. Parents buy not just for themselves, but also for new, impressionable little lives. Just trying to pick out items for my baby registry was nothing compared to the endless choices that still lie ahead. What kind of baby food will I feed Flybaby? Or will I make it myself? Either way, there are purchases involved. Where will I buy his clothes, now that he is growing so fast? What toys should I buy that are educational, age-appropriate and fun to play with? And that's just for me -- what toys will I get for him?
So I was lucky enough to be invited to join the Parent Bloggers Network. You've probably heard of it. It hooks up companies with bloggers who will give honest reviews of their stuff. As a blogger and a reader, I love it when people blog and comment about what works for them as a parent. (As was the case recently when nice readers commented that Hyland's Teething Tablets were fab.) And I have the chance to do the same thing, as part of the Parent Bloggers Network. It will be fun! Bring on the reviews!
posted by Damselfly at 3:47 PM
10 Comments:
Hyland's? Wouldn't affect The Hurricane in the least when she teethed. But she claims she has an amazing resistance to pain that no meds can touch. ;-)
Isn't it great to get free crap? LOL
35? Really? I had "seen" you in my mind as about 30, no more. I don't know if that's insulting (hope not, it should be a compliment) but at 36 sometimes I feel so old in the blogging world, seems so many mombloggers are in their twenties. :)
Scribbit, I love you for life!
Ohhh.. neat! I look forward to reading your reviews.
Cool! Can't wait to hear more insights on what to get and what to ditch!
We're about the same age. I'm turning 34 soon, so 1 year left to soak up the advertising for me. I still have the kid though. Thanks for the blog tip.
Hylands were our saviour.
And I totally agree with Scribbit ... I thought you were like 29 or thirty. Not that 35 is a bad thing ... hell I am 34.
I had the same anxiety when I turned 35. But I became a parent at the same time, so it sorta made up for it.
Hey Damselfly, Congrats on the new gig! And I remember using Hylands like 15 years ago...numbed me when my baby cried all night long. LOL, just kidding.
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