Basically, the MAD Blog Awards are underway - they celebrate the best parenting bloggers in the UK. When the nomination form went live last week I saw posts popping up asking for nominations and I felt a little dubious about it. Maybe it's because I'm a new blogger or maybe it's just because it came on the back of the whole Tots 100 controversy.
For those of you who didn't hear (although you'd have to be on another planet not to) there was a big hooha - I've just discovered hooha is also a word used for vagina, I did not know that - anyway, yes there was a big hooha about a lot of people dropping way down in the Tots 100 ranking last week. Some people took to their blogs whilst others took to Twitter.
A few of you know that I felt extremely uncomfortable about the whole thing.
Why? Because I'd only been blogging 3 months and I went up 200 places from 262 to 62 so I made it inside the top 100. I know I should have felt happy but I didn't, I felt rotten. I felt awful because there are so many amazing blogs ranked way below me that should be above me. Yes I've worked hard on my blog, I take time out to talk to people, I try and join in with great memes as well as ramble on with my own posts (not always poo related) but I just don't feel like I deserve to be above some of the people on there. I actually lost sleep over it. I know, I worry too much!
I'm not a competitive person in the slightest and I think the rankings and ratings brings out a side sometimes that I just don't like and I just didn't feel happy with the whole situation. I got over it after a few days though and moved on.
THEN, the first taster of who had been nominated for the MADs came out on Monday and I was on there. I was alerted via Twitter and excitedly clicked straight on the Best New Blog....I was there. I was happy. This was the one I was kind of hoping I may get nominated for. Just to be nominated was enough, I don't expect to go on and win it. I struggled to vote for this myself as there are so many amazing new blogs out there so I voted for the one that, when I first started blogging I never realised was a relatively new blog. I think that's the sign of a great new blog.
Then I started looking through the other nominations to check the people I'd voted for were on there. I was on quite a few of them too. Anyone who knows me in real life knows I can be a little insecure and I shy away from attention, hence my feelings on the Tots 100 ranking. Maybe it stems from my Dad being on the local Carnival Committee when I was young and to 'make up the numbers' he made me enter Miss Mynydd Isa one year and I slipped over walking in front of the judges! Who knows? Damn, I should have saved that story for another post! I've also blogged about my issues with shying away from attention here.
I sat in stunned silence and felt that awkward uncomfortable feeling like I did with the Tots 100. My real life friend Alyson over at Alysons Blog has taken the decision to remove herself from the nominations. I thought about following her lead but I don't think I need to. I think I just need to be open about my feelings on the awards I have been nominated for.
Looking through the nominations I think there are some AMAZING blogs on there, blogs that really truly deserve to be there. There are also some blogs that I don't think should be on there (me included) but that's just my opinion, I guess these awards can be interpreted in different ways. Looking through some of the categories I've been nominated for makes me a little bit sad (an embarrassed sad) if I'm honest.
This is what I have been put forward for:
Best Family Fun Blog (blogs that inspire to get out and have fun with our families)
I don't think I should be in this category. I did do a post about Mini Cheddar learning through play and have done a few others and some Gallery and Silent Sunday photos about it but that's it. My blog doesn't inspire people to get out and have fun with their families - there are so many great blogs that do.
Best Family Life Blog (blogs that don't fit into a niche like craft or cooking etc.)
I guess I could just about see why I'd been nominated in this but the list of nominations in amazing and there are some great family life blog examples there.
Best New Blog (blogs that have made a big impression before their first birthday)
This was the one that I hoped I was nominated for so THANK YOU. I've only been blogging 3 and a half months and I know that a lot of people are amazed when I tell them that - that is the biggest compliment ever.
Best Writer (blogs that we love for their writing)
This made me feel uncomfortable. Seems whoever voted me for this loves their poo posts! Thank you but honestly, I'm no George Orwell. There are some amazing people out there who write brilliantly.
Blogger Of The Year (all round blogger who moves, inspires and entertains us)
Well, I'm clearly moving people with my poo posts so why not? No, seriously...I've only been blogging a short while, there are some amazing bloggers that I adore out there so if you're stuck for who to go for I can point you in the right direction!
Most Inspiring Blogger (those who inspire us with their words, courage or amazing spirit)
Like Alyson, this was the one that made me feel the most uncomfortable about the whole thing when I saw it. I should actually laugh - I'm not inspiring at all. I mentioned this on Twitter and the lovely Claire over at The Grumpinator - Wean Machine said it was her who nominated me for this. I was really touched but asked her why. She emailed me with a lovely response but still, I honestly don't feel worthy of this. Thank you again though Claire. There are some incredibly inspiring bloggers out there, there are bloggers who I sit in awe of at their lives and their writing and bloggers who despite hardship, illness and family troubles are always positive and it really shines through in their blogs.
Post Of The Year (a post which celebrates a stroke of genius and stands out in the last 12 months)
I was honestly a little chuffed that my (I'll say it again as you can never have too much poo in one post) poo post made the list! I've actually done a follow-up here if you fancy reading it (are you mad?). I too voted for the post that made me smile the most so I'm glad that someone saw fit to smile enough to vote for it.
Best Pre-School Fun Blog (celebrate blogs with children aged 1-4)
Well, I guess my blog fits into that category so I don't have much of an argument for that one do I? The lovely Liska at New Mum Online voted for me on this one I believe. Thank you again Liska. Again though, there are far more worthy blogs than mine.
What I'm trying to say in a long-winded way, as usual, is that you should vote for the blogs that you truly 100% think deserve these awards. Please PLEASE vote wisely. The blogs rely on the amount of nominations they receive to take them through to the next round so I'm hoping that the right blogs go through.
I'd also like to say a massive THANK YOU to those who have voted for me - even though a few of the nominations don't sit comfortably with me that doesn't mean I'm not extremely grateful. I haven't divulged my blog to my friends and family so it's nice to know that people who actually read my blog and haven't met me in real life have voted for me.
If you haven't voted yet, take time to think about who you really care about in the blogging world. You can use the link below (or the one on the side of my blog) to go through and vote.
17 comments:
Wow - that's SOME list :) Congrats!!
Thanks....I think it comes across in my post I like poo a bit too much :/
Congratulations! Hey, if people want to nominate you then they've obviously found something about you and your posting that resonates with them in line with those categories. And that's cool - don't feel bad about it!
I had a nomination too, to my surprise. It's really sweet of whoever it was and I'm really chuffed and grateful, but my blog is not the best out there and I'm pleased about that cause it would be WAY too much pressure! I'm not going to remove myself but I've decided not to put the badge up.
Y'know we really should form a club for non-competitive self-doubting hippies. :)
Ps: You have no idea how much I regretted that Tots100 post!!!! Never again, Lol ;) xX
Hey I just wanted to say I think you totally deserve your nominations. I am even newer to blogging than you (less than a month) so I didn't feel like I knew people well enough to vote for them in the MADS. (Next year I will be though!) but if I had nominated I would have nominated you.
What you said in your post is true, you always take the time to comment on other's posts and because of this you have made me feel welcome to the blogging world. Plus your blog is genuinely enjoyable.
Congrats on your nominations and your ranking and I hope that you win the Best New Blog.
xx
Katie
Hey stop feeing sad . Put a smile on your face and be proud of all you have achieved. If anyone says anything bad its jelousy, keep doing what your doing and ask for nominations, why not I see everyone else doing it. GOOD LUCK X I for one love your blog & may just go & vote for you too now, as I have yet to put my votes in x
Congrats lovely. This is a fab post and this is why you should be in the tots100. Xxx
I Love your blog and you deserve to be there! Good Luck and I hope you win one of those awards x
I really do think you are worrying to much my lovely. People are nominating you becasue they feel you are worthy of it. As very wise lady said to me that blogs cannot be compared really against one another because they are so personal, what I like may not be what you like. Take it as compliment that you have been nominated - the ones that are not worthy will get filtered quickly for example, I have been nominated for craft and have written one craft post! It is so funny! However if more than one person nominates you and you go through to the final votes then you must be doing something right and appeal to a wider audience. People are taking the MAD'S quite seriously I really don't think they will waste votes nominating (apart from my craft vote, which I suspect is you as your the only one that commented on it! he he only joking. Seriously, people love you and your blog.Trust in them. x
Well I've got to say that was pretty inspiing so there you go - maybe you don't see these things but others obviously do so you need to accept that and just be proud of it. That's not saying I don't understand what you're saying but to be honest I think those that love you and your blog will love you even more after reading this. Be warned!
Yours is a wonderful blog, and I very much admire your spirit of collaboration and cohesion. As an aside, might I just point out that you may now receive a ton of search hits not only for poo but also for...hooha!
~M
When we set up the MAD Blog Awards, one of the things we most wanted to do was to provide a platform where people could tell us about the blogs they loved.
They didn't have to have a certain rank, or readership, or be famous, or look uber-professional - it just had to be a blog someone loved.
We're now in our second year and that's still our philosophy. The reason we publish the nominations in full each week, is so people know that one of their readers took the time to go and fill in that form with their blog's name - because they enjoy what the blogger does.
I think this is a great post because I agree, it's always lovely when people have nominated in a thoughtful way - and I think the people who nominated your blog have obviously done just that!
Overall, though, the lovely thing about blogging is it's there for you to have fun. Pick and choose the bits that you enjoy, and ignore the rest.
Sally
MAD Blog Awards
Thank you ladies for your kind words. I went off to bed last night not long after posting this. I feel feel very uncomfortable about it being on my blog but I needed to say it. Karin @ cafebebe read through it before I posted it because I felt unsure - I wasn't sure whether to be so exposed. I don't know whether I feel better for posting it or not.
Kerry...THIS: "blogs cannot be compared really against one another because they are so personal" is SO right! You've hit the nail on the head there.
Sally - thank you so much for taking time out to reply with such a thorough and honest comment.
Thanks again to all of you for making time to comment on here and to others who commented on Twitter.
Oh and Rachel.... I think I've adopted 'hooha' as my new favourite word ;)
xx
Hey, I'm fine that you mentioned me in your post but I quite sad that you were made feel uncomfortable by my nomination and I hope you know that I didn't nominate you for this award thoughtlessly. Like Kate says (and I have recently described her as inspiring also) I think you are inspiring. There are a lot of other blogs out there equally inspiring in their own way and yes lots of other bloggers have difficult circumstances. However, I like that you don't have a sad story or hardship. You are just a normal mum like me trying to do a good job and I can relate to that.
I thought really hard about my nominations, I choose my favourite blogs and slotted them into the categories I felt they fitted best into for me. I feel quite sour about these awards now, not just because of this post but from others I've read in the past few days and the tots100 saga. I don't think I will take part when they come up again. I think they have created a negative culture in some ways which is not what they were intended for. It should simply be an opportunity to share some blog love for whoever you feel deserves it. (Sorry for the long comment)
awww don't be silly. Of course you deserve it! How did I miss the poo posts though?? lol
Can I see your Hooha? :)
You are just fabulous, that is all!
Mich x
Thanks for your comments.
Matt, that doesn't include you!
Claire - you know I love you x
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