From Teacher to Mom to Blogger: What I Learned

Last updated on February 24th, 2024 at 08:52 pm

It’s the blog’s birthday! That’s right– Chocolate for the Teach has dug little roots down on this spot on the web for a whole rotation of earth around the sun.

And just like I threw a party for my sweet daughter when she turned one, I’m drumming up just a little bit of commotion for this blog’s milestone.

This year has been packed full of learning experiences, meeting new people, and writing writing writing.

To rattle off just a few of the highlights of this publication:

1. Shooting reels awkwardly by myself on breaks during subbing.

2. Jotting down hilariously memorable student quotes on random notebook pages that sometimes never escape the lined pages (but somehow sneak out of my memory into blog posts from time to time).

3. Baring my soul, trying new things when it comes to motherhood, and sharing my ideas.

4. Interviewing a teacher comedian after his comedy show.

5. Connecting with readers and friends around the world.

Whew! What a year!

Here’s what I’ve learned about blogging one year in:

1. Building your own site on WordPress is not like setting up a blog on blogging sites like Blogger, Tumblr, Wix, etc. It’s a whoooole different ball game, and not the fun kind where you get to eat a hot dog. My saving grace was an arsenal of YouTube videos and joining the WordPress for Beginners group on Facebook. Tell Bob I sent ya.

2. Headlines matter for SEO (search engine optimization). So because it’s no longer 2009, the blog post title “Hello, world– it’s me!” will get you no where. (Don’t feel bad… it took me way too long to figure this out.)

3. It does get better– it really does. Just in the beginning, when you’re figuring EVERYTHING out, the overwhelm can be crushing. Fear not. Each time you build one component or figure out one thing, you’re reducing the workload and creating leverage.

4. There’s no good reason to make a Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and X (Twitter) account for the blog. A few of those are going to get neglected and also bring in 0 traffic. Focus on one or two socials and learning the language of those platforms, so that they can actually perform for you.

5. “Oh, that’s nice….” is the response most people have when you say you run a blog. Then their eyes glaze over. Don’t take it personally.

6. You might be misunderstood/received apathetically 90 percent of the time. For the one or two comments that sneak in occasionally thanking you for the impact you’ve made, it becomes worth it. The others aren’t your audience anyway.

7. Nearly all of the monetization models for content involve building an audience. Once you focus on this, you can avoid the pitfalls of shiny object syndrome and actually work toward that singular goal. It takes a massive effort. (I’ll let you know when I get there!)

8. The thrill of owning a website doesn’t get old. Hold onto that coolness when the disadvantages of the blog start to weigh you down.

9. You will need to spend some money if you plan to sustain the blog. Hosting and the domain is a minimum cost. Think of the domain as your property title and hosting as the yearly taxes you pay. You own the property, but there’s an annual fee to keep it.

10. Get your site set up on Google Search Console and use that for information on your performance.

11. (Bonus!) If this is something you really want to do, don’t give up. By this time, if you’re not making any money, you’ll start to feel insane. Maybe you are. But only the insane will succeed, right?

A Question and Answer session with the blogger, substitute, and mama:

Question: Is your blog monetized?

Answer: Not yet!

Question: What made you want to become a blogger?

Answer: I’ve always had a penchant for writing. In real life, I’m super shy, but when the words get typed out, apparently I’m comfortable spilling my guts. Also, I have a degree in journalism. I’ve already created a dozen or so blogs. This is my first serious, strategized blog.

Question: What made you pursue the topic of substitute teaching/momming?

Answer: I was actually on the fence about this. It was between this and a baking blog. (I have a passion for baking!) I discovered that making the recipe, photographing it, and getting it all up on the site was too much for me at this season in my life. I could, however, squeeze in time to write about the things I’m already doing frequently: subbing and being a mom!

I also noticed the dearth of resources out there for substitute teachers. Subbing is a tough gig, and I wanted to create a “place” to connect and share a laugh with other subs. Because in this job, if we don’t laugh, we’ll cry…

Question: What’s your traffic looking like?

Answer: Traffic on Chocolate for the Teach has gone up and down. It made a gradual, mountainlike incline for a while, then dipped and increased again. I’m finally starting to see that ebbing and flowing wave I think many of us in this business for a while see. Fortunately, the general trend continues upward!

Question: Do you recommend substitute teaching as an occasional income stream for a busy mom?

Answer: Though it’s not straightforward, in general, I’d say go for it! Check out any of the articles in my substitute teaching section of the site, or especially the post called Is Substitute Teaching Worth It? for details. Then you can weigh the pros and cons.

Question: Do you regret quitting teaching?

Answer: I don’t really regret leaving full-time teaching. Some days, I miss the income and benefits, to be honest. But that gets cured pretty fast by my priorities at home. Besides, I still feel like I get to be a part of the benefits of teaching– like interacting with the kids, reading to and instructing classes– through substitute teaching and volunteering at church. It’s the best of both worlds for me right now!

A thank you to my Chocolate for the Teach readers and supporters

Thank you so much for being here! I’m excited to give away some mini cakes to celebrate this blog birthday, and I hope to have more to come. (If I could send delectable mini cakes through computer screens, I would!)

To my readers– you’re simply the best.

To my family– this wouldn’t be possible without you.

Thanks for showing up!