My Single Mom Life

In the world of blogging lately, "mommy bloggers" are getting mega attention.
Advertisers are falling all over themselves to get these moms of babies and toddlers to pimp out their diapers, baby shoes, potties and a gazillion other products on their blogs.
But what about the untapped market of the moms of teens?
Have you any idea how much teenagers cost?

Teens ask for more high end, high priced items, yet advertisers are paying no attention to these other "mommy blogs".
Do they not realize the value of these teens?
Babies and toddlers have absolutely no say in what products they wear on their butts or feet, what toys or DVDs mommy pops in the DVD player, or what kind of yogurt you feed them.

Teens on the other hand, want the more expensive items like ipods, DVD players and tvs in their rooms.
They want the high priced shoes and the latest in style clothes.
They want the gaming systems and the expensive games to go with it.

There's been a lot of uproar to go along with all this mommy blogging stuff too.
Some moms are getting invited to attend major "mommy events", getting tons of free products, free trips etc, and some of the moms aren't.
I haven't been following the whole thing intently because well, my kids are teens, I admittedly haven't been paying much attention.
But the stories are starting to spread.
Some moms are totally pissed off that they didn't get an invite, they aren't getting products, and the moms that are getting this stuff, are getting right snippy back with these other moms who are sniping at them over it.
I read something the other day about something called Camp Baby, and let's just say there have been some nasty comments going back and forth amongst the moms going and the moms who are not going.
And then there's the whole writing of stories and articles.
I was asked if I wanted to write a few articles a month for various sites about being a single mom raising men, but for no pay.
When I asked if the moms of babies and toddlers get paid, the answer was yes.
Why are they getting paid yet the moms of teens won't be?
Am I pissed off about it?
No, but it does send a very tell-tale message that mothers of older children are not valued in the same way as mothers of babies and toddlers.

When did it get like this?
Why are adverts only listening to a few of these moms voices?
Why are only certain moms getting the invites and products?
And yes, why are moms of teens completely ignored in this market?

I thought perhaps one of the reasons may be that some teens demand privacy, that they no longer think it's cool that mom is blasting their pictures and stories up all over their blogs, and while it's true for some teen mom blogs, not all.
Like my teens don't really give it a care, I've been blogging about them for 10 years now, they are quite used to it.
There are some issues they ask me not to blog about, but mostly they don't care.
When they do ask me to respect their privacy, I do, and will not ever cross that line.
But for the most part, it's fair game around here and they know it.

But back to the advertising.
Advertisers are totally missing this untapped market of higher end stuff.
Teens want and wear the collectible Jordan's, the name brand everything in clothes, they want the biggest and best ipods available, the newest gaming systems and games, and where are the adverts for them?
Do advertisers realize just how much teenagers can spend or want their parents to spend?
I'm not saying I would pimp out every single product if it were offered, but yeah, throw some of those advertising dollars to these moms of teens with blogs.
The teens can actually provide real feedback about the items, love them or hate them.
Babies and toddlers will eat the yogurt and say yum, but a teen will tell you with brutal honesty if you have the best snack foods, the best soda, the coolest and hippest shoes and clothes, cell phones and a multitude of other items.
They are the current and future buyers of the high end products with their moms currently footing the bills.