So I’ve been blogging here at Toby Goes Bananas for getting on for four years now. I started writing in 2013 when Toby was a few months old, and since then I have read a lot of other parenting blogs too. Some of them I’ve been reading since before Toby was born, others I have discovered more recently. Anyway, I thought it would be nice to share some of my favourite parenting and family blogs with you too…

What the Redhead Said

Donna’s blog was one of the very first parenting blogs that I started reading. Her little boy is a few months older than Toby and I always enjoyed reading what life might be like a bit further down the line when the boys were little. I have no idea how Donna manages to write as much as she does but What the Redhead Said has something for everyone from family updates to recipes and reviews. I’m now lucky enough to count Donna as one of my friends but even if she wasn’t I would still love reading her blog.

Make Do & Push

Hannah’s blog was another that I started reading very early on. Her daughter Busby is about six months older than Toby and I remember reading about Hannah’s post natal depression when she was little and really identifying with what she was saying. Since then Hannah has had a little boy too, who is a few months older than Gabe. H-Bear was born at home just like Gabe was and I loved following Hannah’s pregnancy as I went through my own (and we were also able to support each other a bit through the horrendous first year of dealing with reflux) Now I mostly love looking enviously at the all the amazing clothes Busby and H-Bear have and admiring Hannah’s ability to take such gorgeous pictures of her children.

Scrapbook Blog

(Formerly Belle du Brighton)

Lauren also has children who are of very similar ages to mine (can you see a theme here) and so I’ve always enjoyed reading her blog as her children grew up at a similar time to Toby and Gabe. I love Lauren’s chatty style of writing and always enjoy her ‘stuff on Sunday’ posts (although I think they may have a new title to go along with Lauren’s rebrand!) Athena is starting school in September, just like Toby and both Donna’s LM and Hannah’s Busby too – it’s going to be so strange to see them all heading off in their uniforms when they were all just babies when I started reading about them.

We’re Going on an Adventure

I think I first discovered We’re Going on an Adventure when I started reviewing products and adding them to the Tried & Tested linky. I love Colette’s blog mostly because she always seems to be having so much fun with her three children. Also I have no idea how people manage with three children – two is hard enough! I think because her kids are a bit older than my two I enjoy getting a glimpse of what life might be like when Toby and Gabe are older too. Oh, and Colette also makes fab videos so I enjoy catching up on her YouTube channel too.

Dear Bear and Beany

Dear Bear and Beany is a blog that I started reading more recently. I think I came across it through Living Arrows originally. Laura’s daughters Alice and Holly are just so sweet and I love catching up on their weekly photos. I think maybe Laura’s blog helps me indulge the side of me that would have liked to have had a daughter!

Emily and Indiana

I first came across Emily’s blog when I was pregnant with Gabe. Her son Parker is only about three weeks older than Gabe so I enjoyed following Emily’s pregnancy as we were pretty much at the same stage. We also then worked together as Babymoov ambassadors when the boys were weaning. Indie and Parker are a bit closer in age than Toby and Gabe though and they are super-cute together. Emily and her husband Jack also do lots of vlogs together too so I enjoy catching up on those when I can.

Pondering Parenthood

I only started reading Julie’s blog quite recently, another Living Arrows discovery I think. Her daughter Little M has just turned one though and she is so cute! Julie is a teacher like me too (although she teaches primary) so we have that in common, and I was so pleased I was able to meet her at BlogOn this year – I can confirm she is just as lovely in real life as it seems from her blog.

Budding Smiles

I first came across Hannah’s blog just after her son was born. I think I mainly noticed it because he is called Toby too. After reading for a few weeks about how Hannah was struggling with feeding and comforting her new baby it seemed like he had very similar symptoms to my Toby and it turned out her Toby also had silent reflux. As we were a year further down the silent reflux road I did my best to offer Hannah some advice and support and we have been friends ever since. Hannah now also has a gorgeous one year old called Martha and I love reading her blog – she doesn’t shy away from showing what life is really like when you have two small children and I love Budding Smiles for that.

Four Acorns

Four Acorns is yet another blog that I discovered recently through Living Arrows. It is written by Annette who is French, married to an Irish man and living in Ireland with their four children. What is unusual about Four Acorns is that it is a bilingual blog – all the posts are written in both English and French (which is fab – and I don’t envy Annette having double the work for every post!) Although I’m a French teacher I haven’t been working for two years now and I’m ashamed to say I haven’t been using my French (or Spanish) at all while I’ve been off. Four Acorns gives me a chance to practise my French whilst also looking at the amazing pictures that Annette takes of her children and the beautiful Irish countryside.

Alice in Scandiland

Alice in Scandiland is perhaps more of an interiors blog than a family or parenting one but as well as writing about her beautiful house Alice does also write about her two girls occasionally too. I think I first noticed this blog when I started researching and planning our kitchen diner in the new house and I just absolutely love her style. I have total house envy and I read Alice’s blog regularly for inspiration – we’ve still got pretty much a whole house to redecorate!

 

I think that’s about it for now – there are so many blogs that enjoy reading but I couldn’t include them all so please forgive me if I haven’t mentioned yours, it doesn’t mean I don’t love it! I may well even come back again in a month or two with another ten as there were so many I haven’t mentioned today.

What’s your favourite family blog? I always enjoy finding new blogs to read so do leave me your suggestions in the comments and I’ll check them out.