The blog is called The Path Less Taken. My friend, the author, is Phoenix homeschooler Jennifer McGrail. The first reason I love reading her blog is because her blog always challenges me somehow to be a kinder, better person and to think about things differently than I otherwise might. Even if I don't agree with her, the way that she writes makes me understand exactly where she's coming from. I'm never left wondering how on earth she could possibly believe what she believes.
The second reason I love reading her blog is that she is an incredibly gifted writer. I love the way she writes. Her style and her choice of words - they're top notch. You can hear the passion that she has for writing and for the topic du jour in your own head while you're reading her words. "Writing is my outlet. It's my preferred mode of communication, my way of expressing myself, and my way of working through and processing all these ideas, concepts, and feelings in my head. I HAVE to write or I'll explode," Jennifer states. BTW, that feeling of having to write or exploding - I totally get that. That is why I have this blog!
Jennifer has been blogging on The Path Less Taken for about six years, reserving what she wrote for her own satisfaction and the benefit of family and friends. It's only been within the last year or so that she has "gone public" with it. I remember when she opened up a Facebook page for her blog and there were fewer than 10 fans on it. I watched it grow and grow and grow. Now she has almost 1300 fans on her Facebook page for her blog, and 250 through Blogger.
Going back to the beginning, the title of the blog was a conscious choice on Jennifer's part. "It (the blog's title) came from a few different places. The well-known Robert Frost poem, and the quotes “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." and "Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence." (Emerson & Thoreau, respectively) I am completely enamored with the concept of finding your own happy path in life, no matter how different or weird or “out there” the world might view it," Jennifer explains. "We have made a LOT of choices that the world does not agree with, and we are blissfully happy doing so. I think that that should be celebrated. Hence, “The Path Less Taken”."
"Until very recently, I hosted my blog on Blogger, which is great for beginners," Jennifer says. "I signed up, picked a background, and started blogging that night. Over the years, I learned more about tweaking the layout, adding things to sidebars, etc. A few weeks ago I decided to switch to self-hosting with Wordpress, which gave me a lot more flexibility. I am still learning as I go though. As far as getting the word out, Facebook has been invaluable for sharing new posts and connecting with readers."
As her blogging has moved into the public sphere, Jennifer has moved away from a journal style of writing, although she does post occasionally about her family's adventures and experiences. Instead, she has chosen to focus on issues she's passionate about. She blogs about unschooling, mindful and gentle parenting, and every week, she participates in "Plank Pullin'", which means she exposes her own flaws rather than pointing a finger at everyone else.
Because many of Jennifer's life decisions and personal philosophies are off the beaten path, they invariably stir up strong feelings and controversy amongst her readers. "I had a very difficult time dealing with the nasty comments when I first started getting them. They really hurt my feelings, even thought I knew intellectually that their words said more about them than they did about me," Jennifer admits. "Now though, I'm much better able to compartmentalize. I know who I am, and my friends and family know who I am. Nothing that anyone else says can change that. I remind myself that 1) the fact that I have “enemies” means I'm standing up for something, and that's important! And 2) that making a positive difference for even one person makes it all worthwhile. I've gotten the most beautiful emails and comments from people letting me know how something I've written has impacted their lives, and that means the world to me. It's also the reason I can keep blogging even on the days of the “You're a terrible mother who's raising future hoodlums and criminals” comments."
When asked about her favorite posts personally, Jennifer says that her favorites fall into one of two categories. The first ones are the posts that have been read and shared, read and shared. Her words have gotten people thinking and talking. "My most viewed posts to date are here: http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/popular-posts/," Jennifer shares.
The second category of favorites are favorites because of their personal nature. They are memories of her family, preserved, like this one http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jennifermcgrail.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fconversations-with-7-year-old%2F&h=EAQCM3BAV and this one http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/2011/03/life-with-three-year-old/.
Jennifer's kids, 14-year-old Spencer, 11-year-old Paxton, 7-year-old Everett, and 3-year-old Tegan, know that their mom writes about life and other things that are important to her. They're also used to her following them around with a camera. Beyond that, she says that her kids don't have an opinion about her blog. "As far as they're concerned, I'm just mom" she says.
As a mom, Jennifer admits that she's not doing a very good job right now of finding that balance between her writing and her homeschooling. "I am still trying to figure out the best way to manage my time," she explains. "Right now, I write in bits and pieces, whenever I can steal a few minutes. I'll often get a chunk of time in the morning, before the kids are up, and I try to take advantage of it. The kids always come first, which means that my writing often takes a backseat."
To those who know her or have followed her blog for any length of time, that sentiment would not be a surprise. For Jennifer, relationships trump all else. "We identify most closely with “radical unschooling.” We live in partnership with our kids. We believe that they are the best equipped to decide what, when, and how they will learn something," she emphasizes. "Right now, our 14 year old has been researching starting his own landscaping business, as well as learning about fixing small engines. Our 11 year old is immersing himself in the world of online video gaming. Our 7 year old is the busiest of the bunch... learning to read, doing lots of projects (science and otherwise), playing basketball, and doing Cub Scouts. The three year old is just very busy being three. She loves Dora, princesses, and her gymnastics class."
In the meantime, Jennifer says she just wants to keep doing what she's doing.... "spreading the word about unschooling and living and learning in freedom, as well as parenting peacefully and with respect."
One of the ways she spreads the word is by doing give-aways on her blog. She noticed some of the blogs she follows doing them, and thought it would be a fun thing to do. And she says it was! "It's good publicity for the business AND for my blog," Jennifer says. "And a reader gets to win something cool. Win, win, win. My very first giveaway was for a good friend of mine, who makes crocheted baby hats and handmade tutus (among other things), and I've since gone on to do giveaways for both friends and strangers alike."
She makes sure she only does give-aways with products she would use herself and that she's comfortable endorsing. "I particularly love to highlight small businesses owned by fellow moms (especially homeschoolers! - hint, hint here for any homeschoolers who own businesses and who would be interested in partnering with Jennifer for a give-away, please contact her privately on her Facebook page or through her blog)," Jennifer admits.
"It would be cool if I could do it (writing and promoting causes and philosophies she's passionate about) on a larger scale some day, and if not, that's okay too," she reveals. Don't expect that larger scale any time soon, though. Like she said, Jennifer's primary focus will be with her children as they grow up. So until then, you'll have to enjoy her blog as the posts come.
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