Sadly, this carnival won't involve a carousel or a replica of the Eiffel Tower or delectable mini-doughnuts. But oh, man, if it could....
There was an amazing response to the Practice of Mothering community project.
I had to rethink how to handle it since there were a few more of you than I expected. I want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to participate - without turning Emerging Mummy into four solid months of guest posts on the subject.
(We all know I'd spontaneously combust if I couldn't write things out here with you.)
Meet the solution:
We're kicking off a Practice of Mothering Community Carnival. It'll be a week long Practices of Parenting EXTRAVAGANZA. (Hyperbole, I love you.)
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, that's okay. Basically, we're all sharing the stuff that we do - or try to do - to help us enjoy parenting in the trenches right now.
It sounds so festive to call it a Carnival. Candy apples for all!
Here is how to participate:
- On or before 6 February, write a post on your own blog about your own Practice(s) of Mothering or Fathering.
- Head's up for those of you that received an email earlier: there has been a date change!
- I don't care if only your sister reads your blog and you haven't updated it since 2009. Link up anyway. That way you'll have as much space as you need to share.
- Include the community graphic somewhere in your post so that your readers can find their way back here to read other practices from all of us.
- Recruit your friends or family members that influence your parenting to participate. If they don't have a blog, host a guest post for them on your site. They can link up that way.
<a href="http://www.emergingmummy.com/search/label/Practices%20of%20Mothering" target="_blank"><img src="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b32/PoetStyles/EmergingMummyCarnival-1.jpg" alt="EmergingMummy.com" width="320" height="213" /></a>
Then simply visit Emerging Mummy on Monday 6 February. You'll see a Link Up post for the Community Carnival.
All you have to do is link up your Practices of Parenting post and we're in business.
Click around to read and comment on each other's practices. Read. Learn. Be amazed. Let me know in the comments if you liked any one in particular (I'll share why in a minute...). Share it on your Facebook and Twitter, that sort of thing.
The next day, Tuesday, I'll choose one of your posts that were linked up to feature as a guest post here. I'm not sure how I'll be able to pick one right now (hence, if you find a favourite other than your own, let me know about it).
On the Wednesday, I'll run a post that features the practices that were emailed to me by those of you that are not bloggers. I'll likely need to edit them a bit since I want to fit as many as I can into that one post. There is some great stuff in my inbox right now and I can't wait to share it.
Then on the Thursday - Saturday, I'll feature a few of my favourites from your Practices link-ups as a Guest Post or a feature.
I know not everyone may be happy but it's the best way I could think of to make sure that everyone who wants to participate can participate. I love your thoughts, I love the ideas you've already sent in and I really want to get this going.
Mothering - and fathering - is hard work. So if we know a little something that helps us enjoy it a bit more, then that is a good story to tell.
