[Podcast #226] The Internet and Parenthood with Jill Smokler of She’s Got Issues

Brave Writer Podcast

The internet has been a great tool for creating community. It has given us ways to connect, commiserate, and even start entrepreneurial adventures. In the 90s, we were just figuring out blogs and message boards. Now, there is TikTok, Instagram, and going viral.

Jill Smokler
Jill Smokler

Founder of Scary Mommy and She’s Got Issues, Jill Smokler joins us to talk about how being a parent on the internet has changed, and stayed the same, over the years. We talk about our experiences with figuring out what stories to share about our kids, and which to keep private.

We also talk about:

  • being an entrepreneur,
  • growing older,
  • and parenting adult kids.

Tune in to the Brave Writer podcast and enjoy the conversation.

Show Notes

Choosing What to Share on the Internet

In the 90s, it was much easier to be anonymous on the internet. In fact, anonymous confessions catapulted Jill Smokler’s Scary Mommy website to fame. Now, true internet anonymity is much harder to achieve, making privacy more precious than ever. As parents, especially parents who write public works, we need to think carefully about what we share about our kids’ lives, and seek their affirmative consent.

Being an Entrepreneur 

Although Jill knew pretty early on that Scary Mommy could be profitable, it took years for it to bring in significant money. Julie experienced the same with Brave Writer. Our advice? When starting an entrepreneurial endeavor, be realistic about how much time it may take to start making more than a supplemental income. Also, build a team of support– this will help prevent burnout so you can stick around to see the full fruits of your labor.

Parenting Adult Children

As parents of adult children, we know that “it gets easier” does not necessarily apply to parenting. Although we now end up with more time to ourselves, we still worry about our grown children. Plus, our worries get multiplied by spouses and grandchildren. If you find yourself struggling with this stage of parenting, don’t worry, you definitely are not alone.

The internet may change, but the fundamentals of community stays the same: Share your authentic self, support others and ask for support, and be mindful about sharing stories that are not solely your own.

More About Jill

Jill Smokler is a New York Times bestselling author and entrepreneur who became an authentic voice for millions of imperfect moms through her Webby award winning blog, Scary Mommy. Launched in 2008, Scary Mommy began as a chronicle of Jill’s stay-at-home days with her children and quickly transformed into a vibrant community of women brought together by a common theme — parenting doesn’t have to be perfect.

Over the next eight years, without advertising dollars and on a shoestring budget, Jill and her team provided the destination for high quality, humorous, sharable parenting content. In 2015 with millions of followers, three books and the top parenting site in the country, Jill became the first “mommy blogger” to sell her brand to a media company. After three years acting as Chief Content Officer, Jill departed in 2018. Following a much needed break, Jill returns with She’s Got Issues – a brand for Gen X women focusing on the myriad issues uniting them.

Resources

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Produced by NOVA Media

Brave Writer Podcast

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