The idea for the Keeping in touch with Mum website and community resulted from my recent decision to leave full-time work to take on full-time caring duties for our baby son. Initially inspired by a blog idea to keep my wife updated in the day as to how things are at home once she returned to work. I hope to expand this idea to encourage users of the website to send similar updates, integrating these with existing social media platforms, email and text messaging services. With the key option of being able to apply sharing filters to such updates.
I am conscious that single friends or workmates may not be as interested in our justifiably proud photos and thoughts on our expanding family. Adding these filters to existing networks such as Facebook and Twitter would allow users to channel updates directly to their partner, key friends and family as they choose or feel it is more appropriate. By integrating with email and text platforms other less social media savvy or web integrated contacts could also be kept in touch with.
My ambition for the site would be to encourage users to engage more in writing about the experiences of raising a family rather than just sending instant messages and pictures. I strongly believe that the additional thought and reflection that would go into creating these updates can only bring additional benefits for all the family. Sharing more is never a bad thing.
My vision for the website is for it to be bright and vibrant with engaged users choosing confidently to share their thoughts and pictures to a degree that they are comfortable with, be it to their partner only or to the world at large.
Users would be encouraged to share with others in the community whose children are at the same developmental stages and build a voice to raise issues and concerns (such as the cost of childcare and flexibility of employers) both on and offline. The website would also provide a platform to share advice and reassurance.
Quirky add-ons will be provided to mark key milestones and achievements – such as a virtual rosette to tag photos and videos of baby’s first steps and short message balloons that float off screen to become in ‘reality’ tweets, e-mails, texts or status updates. Technical tools would automatically convert submitted texts and images into recognisable blog formats and keyword text messages.
I hope by making Keeping in touch with Mum a success I will not only have benefited from spending time raising our son but also added to the family finances by creating something of commercial value. My ambition for the website is that it will be of use and hopefully interest to the large number of us both working and raising a family in partnership.
Find us 'Keeping in touch with Mum' here:
