Linkin Blogs: Who do you read?

7/21/08 - By Anna Fader

I just returned from the BlogHer conference, where approximately 1000 bloggers descended on San Francisco to meet, learn, discuss and recreate blogging. Although I have very little stamina for conferences and was BlogHurting pretty bad by Saturday, I had a great time and was really pleased to finally meet some of the fantastic bloggers that I have been reading, emailing, trading posts with and linking to for the last couple years, but had never so much as spoken to before.

I also had the opportunity to become acquainted with many new bloggers and blogs that I had never read before. This week, instead of our usual linkin' b'logs, I thought I would share some of the wonderful blogs that I read or will start reading now that I know about them. These are some of todays' best writers, who share their intimate, passionate, unique and truthful takes on parenting.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

If you like reading about funny parenting stories, here's where you'll find some of the bestest, funniest ones:

Amalah

Mom-101

Laid Off Dad

Mother Goose Mouse

Mama Bird Diaries

Finslippy

Mocha Momma

Alpha Mom

If you are looking more for sites that are helpful to parents, rather than anecdotal, I think two of the best practical parenting sites out there are ParentHacks and RookieMoms.

ParentHacks is an amazing site where parents share those little shortcuts that most of us only discover the hard way. Solve problems, save money and frustration with tips from Asha and her amazing community of parents.

RookieMoms is another one of my absolute favorite sites. Heather and Whitney are like the sisters or best friends I wish I had, helping moms get through the first year of motherhood (and beyond with fun ideas for you and baby.

I wholeheartedly believe that their book, The Rookie Mom's Handbook: 250 Activities to Do with (and Without!) Your Baby should be given to every single new parent. They should hand that thing out at hospitals. In that first year of motherhood when every day can feel like a lifetime, the Rookie Moms, in their blog and in their book, take you day by day to make it less lonely. more balanced and a lot more fun.

If you like to read about sex (and who doesn't?) The Mominatrix tells it like it is, making grownup, married with kids and, sometimes even pregnant, sex funny, exciting and, well...sexy again. Don't forget to stop by at the Mominatrix Gift Guide on the way.

If you like shopping blogs, check out these three MightyGoods, Mighty Junior and the brand new Mighty Haus to explore their selections of great, beautifully designed and highly functional items for general stuff, kids and now the home. I especially like like the 50 under $50 series.

If you enjoy reading about other places:

Delicious Baby is a great travel blog which now lets readers submit their own reviews. Check out what other parents have to say or add your own adventures from this summer's travel.

Ever wonder if it would be funny to move to the Hudson Valley? Apparently, it is: Exurbitude

If you are going to Italy this summer, you might want to read Ms. Adventures in Italy or ItalyLogue. THe first one is all about eating in Italy and the second shares experience about everything from how to avoid lines in Florence to how to order Gelato.

Or if you are traveling to England, Londonelicious is all about eating in London.

The thing that is striking about all of these bloggers is how extremely passionate they are about what they do. They are passionate about their writing and equally passionate about their readers. They have formed strong and deep friendships, frequently with people they have never met in person, by sharing their, often intimate, thoughts, daily struggles, and passionate discourses.

Although at Mommy Poppins I rarely share my personal family life (you don't deserve that type of torment), I feel just as passionately and personal about the content I am sharing and just as strongly about the community we are building around this site. It is a special type of person who is attracted to this blog and the type of information that we share and our readers are a particular breed of savvy parents who seek out a cool, unique way of living in NYC with kids.

I have heard from many of you with your interesting questions and wonderful ideas for things to do in New York. I have been trying to figure out how to include the community in the site more. So, this week and next we are going to be sharing many of the great reader tips you have sent to me or posted in the comments of other post. If you have some tips for NYC parents you would like to share, please send them to me.