Should Your Kids Kizzog? Of Course!

Many people assume that blogging is a "grown-up thing," but the truth is, blogging is a great idea for kids (usually 13 years old or older) as well! More and more options are popping up online for kids who want to blog or to start websites in a fun and safe online environment. Are you (or your kids) interested in starting a blog? Here are just a few reasons to give it a shot!

1. The best way to improve writing skills is to encourage your kids to write as often as they can. Blogging is a great way for your kids to express themselves and improve their writing skills at the same time!

2. When your son or daughter keeps a blog, they will probably start reading the blogs of other kids as well. You've probably spent at least some time wishing your kids would read more, right?

3. Blogging can give your kids a sense of validation. Thanks to blogging, your child will no longer have to feel like he/she has to wait to be "grown up" before becoming a writer. Blogging lets your child be a "real" writer with "real" readers!

4. When your child has a blog, he/she is given the opportunity to both be a part of and grow his or her own community! This sense of community and belonging can be a godsend for children who feel like they don't always fit in at school or at home.

5. The feedback your son or daughter's blog will receive will be a great way to teach about how to give and respond to praise and criticism. Reading the blogs of other kids and responding to the comments on their own sites can help them develop their writing voices. Identifying the things that do or don't work well in other kids' blogs can help them figure out what they should or shouldn't do on their own sites.

These are just five reasons to encouraging your kids to blog. The more they blog, the more reasons you will find to encourage them to keep at it!