To Infinity and Beyond!

Developing a Blog                                                  

            If I were asked to give one statement that rings true as I moved through the classes to secure a degree in communication, it would be “know your audience.”  As we moved into this Capstone class we have been asked to develop a blog and I am taking that information to heart when I selected Perpetual Parents as my topic to blog.   “Write about what you know” allows me to pull from years of experiences and to blog about a topic close to my heart.  This also allows me to identify a “target audience” and because I live in that audience, I find it easy to write from what I know and live.

            Some of the tips from researching the development of a good blog might include having a voice.  Who is writing this and what is their passion?   A good blog shows folks where you are taking them and encourages them to stay tuned.  It assures the reader that there is a story that will support them.  Some great blogs might be creative and only use photos and videos.    Good blogs make you want to give it a try yourself.

            This was my first adventure into blogging so I followed my own research:  “Know your Audience” and “Write about what you Know.”  Being the parent of a young man with disabilities who lives with us has given me over thirty years of life to pull from.   It is my assumption that many parents of children with disabilities have a belief that the State will provide necessary living for their children as they age into adulthood.  “If anyone who has a disabled child expects the State to come up with a residential home, they’ll be out of luck,” states Lorraine Phifer, 67, a Chicago mother of two disabled adults.   With a current annual price tag of $124,090 per person for the State; it becomes clear that State institutions can not be the only answer.  State run institutions are not an option for many families who want quality care.   Because of this need to be planful, a blog for parents and siblings of adults with disabilities could be very helpful.  Adult service providers would also be able to glean intimate information from the dialogues within the blog.

            Robert evaluated my blog and encouraged me to remove the cover page from the last assignment, which is an easy fix.  Robert also encouraged me to use a different title that might be larger.

            Barbara asked me to look at my blog for functionality.  I appreciated her encouragement to “interact with the content.”  “A good blog is much more than a diary with comments. It allows for you to interact with the content, and makes your experience much more enjoyable.” (Martin, 2012).   I have struggled with how much content is too much and how much content is not enough.  This can be a heavy content area; and I have been questioning whether readers want a blog to remain light or to give them heavier information that will benefit their children’s future.

  If I were to continue to write a blog, I believe I would “chunk” pieces of content through-out the daily blogs.  It is my assumption that parents who are also raising adult children have very little personal time in their busy schedules.   I would appreciate mini topics.  I believe I would become invested in a blog if mini topics were easily identified and could be accessed quickly, contained data/research, and also brought a personal touch to the blog.   It is documented that the average blog reader stays 96 seconds per blog.   Opinions vary according to length.  Article I have read vary from 100 words to 1000 words, although both writers felt a post of 400 was pushing the limits.

According to Tracy Gold, “Some of the best blogs use unusual formats, employ only photos and video, or utilize the list format to artistic effect” (Gold, 2011). As I work to finish my blog for this final project, I want to make it eye catching, appealing, have content that informs and supports.   Most important to me is that my blog includes a call to action.  It is easy for families to “bury their head in the sand” and expect someone else to care for their child when they get older.  It is a dark hole that exists for us and one that needs to be brought to light.  Families need to have information and begin dialoguing as a whole family about what to do with “Barry” when mom and dad simply get to old.  My wish is to honor the families who are taking on this perpetual parenting role, inform, education, and connect.  Families can learn from each as we face this wonderfully exhausting fulfilling challenge. 

Resources:

Gold, T. (October 11, 2011).  What Makes a Good Blog Post:  10 Tips for Corporate

            Bloggers.  Downloaded from http://www.whatmakesagoodblogpost/htlm

Martin, M. (June 26, 2012). 7 elements to make your blog look great. Pro Blog Design.

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