Should Children Be Encouraged To Blog?

My parenting post at Parentous today asks and answers the question “Should Children be Encouraged to Blog”

My son, who is now 15, started blogging in 2008, maybe earlier. We always encouraged him to write. Back in 2008, I posted a note about his favorite TV show.

Just like millions of Moms around the world, I too have an overflowing box of memories with his poems, essays, critiques, opinions and letters. Why letters? Because he enjoys writing in Tamil and even if he can tell me something directly, he finds it fun to write it, especially when I am working.

A lot of his growing years have been spent hanging around the computer and I am guilty of telling him what blogging is – such as I interpret it and the next thing I knew, he wanted one of his own. I thought it was a good idea. There was no looking back. Soon he was more prolific than I am and with his varied interests, never at a loss for words. Of course, with increasing school work, he doesn’t blog as often as he would like to, but he has not lost the habit of actually writing – his stack of notebooks is proof. He is part of an active music community online.

In fact, during the AtoZ Challenge in April 2013, he was kind enough to guest post here with a book review of “Around the World In 80 Tales” by Saviour Pirotta for the letter F when I was unwell. His post was syndicated on the author’s site.

When people come to know that he blogs, the reaction is varied. Besides those who have no idea what we’re talking about, the ones that are familiar with blogging usually wonder if it is such a good thing.

I say yes. I think there are many benefits to children blogging.

That is what my parenting post is all about:

Should children be encouraged to blog

Here is an excerpt:

In times when everyone, their aunt, niece and cousin by marriage is a blogger, I often get the question, should children be encouraged to blog? This is usually in response to the information that my 15-year old son blogs, and has been for more than eight years now.

Our family is big on the three R’s – reading, writing and ‘rithmetic. I wrote a diary as a child during my teen years. My Mom would insist I wrote about every little trip, regardless of how short or long the duration was.

Setting up a blog is easier than ABC today and I’ve come across a number of amazing children bloggers who are not only consistent, but very good writers. The ability to articulate and have opinions is a plus point.

When my son set up his first blog I was thrilled that this little guy could understand the platform so quickly. What amazed me was the focus with which he did it. Then he set up his next two blogs in the span of a month, which was not such a brilliant idea. I talked to him about it and he understood the logic behind not spreading himself too thin.

Here are some of my reasons for encouraging my son to blog, or the benefits of blogging for children:

Please continue reading the post at “Should children be encouraged to blog” and let me know what you think. Your comments are welcome!