Crystel
“Is there anything about me in here?” Crystel said with a hint of despair in her voice.
“Yes,” I answered. “There’s a sentence. Keep reading.”
She was skimming my recent blog about our 3-legged cat.
“This story is mostly about Antonio,” I added.
“Grrrrrr,” she responded.
I laughed. “Do you want the next blog to be all about you?”
“Yes,” she said emphatically.
Writers often worry about writing about their kids online. Using them for fodder when crafting a story. Much is written about the ethical implications of mothers writing about their kids and the online privacy of children. Mothers don’t want to betray their children.
I’ve had a different experience with Antonio and Crystel, both now thirteen years old. My children want to be seen, noticed, and heard. They want to be important enough to be blog material. They would feel betrayed if I didn’t include them in my writing life.
Crystel helping me with squad maintenance checks.
From time to time, I get squeamish blogging about my children. Not because of what my kids might think but what other writers might. Mothers should protect their children, not exploit them for media attention. Sometimes, I feel tempted to add an aside to blogs and tell the reader that my children have read and approved of the story and photos. I don’t do that. Another voice emerges in my head, a much louder voice. That it’s my business what I write and readers have a choice whether or not to read my material. I won’t be silenced as I was when I was a child.
If the blog is about them, Antonio and Crystel know the contents before I even start drafting the blog. Before it’s published they’ve read the article and seen the photos. They might ask me to change a line or to take a sentence out or to use a different photo. Most often the blog is published as is with their approval.
There are benefits to having a mother who will blog about you. Last week, Crystel was finishing a class project for her Language Arts class – a 3 panel brochure – that needed to include pictures of herself when she asked, “Do you have any photos of me?”
In the trunk of squad cars there are stuffed animals for children. Crystel is picking one of her monster dolls to add for a give-away.
Antonio answered her, “Just Google yourself. I put a picture of me and my birth mom Rosa on mine.” He looked at me and explained. “That was the most recent picture I could find online.”
Crystel was positively gleeful. “You’re right.”
Crystel’s desire to be a part of my writing life isn’t limited to the WordSisters blog.
She visualizes herself sitting next to me signing copies of House of Fire, my yet to be published manuscript.
House of Fire shows that thirty years of breaking free from a cycle of silence and betrayal was not enough to prepare me for the trials of starting my own healthy family.
Jody and I have worked hard to create a home of love, safety, and joy where no one gets silenced.
Crystel’s been practicing her autograph. I’ll be so proud to have her next to me. Both of us will be seen, noticed, and heard.
Her only complaint about this blog – “It doesn’t have enough pizaaz.”
Well, next time kid.
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