In the blogging world, if you are a mom and you blog about being a mom, you are identified as a “Mommy Blogger” or a “Mom Blogger.” When I started blogging in 2006, my kids were 3, 5, and 6 years old. At that time they called me Mommy, and I referred to myself as Mommy. When others called me Mommy, it was okay, because in my mind, Mommy was synonymous to Toni — and that is definitely my name.

I really never gave it much thought until the oldest of the Three Amigos turned 13 and announced that he would no longer be using the term Mommy to refer to me since he was now a teenager. One year later, the second of my tribe turned 13, and she too expressed a desire to officially change her vocabulary to reflect Mom, rather than Mommy. Actually, here lately I have heard myself also being referred to as “The Birthgiver,” which can add a whole new dimension to the names I am called.

My youngest though, in her 11-year-old wisdom has said, “I will call you what I want, when I want. Sometimes it is Mom, sometimes it is Mommy, and sometimes it is Daughter of My Grandparents.”

Yes, folks, we can go from very informal to very informal in my house in a matter of seconds. And when I am with my kids, the truth is that I was answer to any of the above, because that’s who I am. If I am around others and the topic of parenting arises, I am still a mom, and I don’t mind being referred to as such.

Especially since I blog about being a mom — thereby making me a mom blogger.

As a blogger though,  the question arises if I want to be known as a mom blogger or a mommy blogger. And just recently, I read a very thorough discussion on Facebook by bloggers like myself and what we’d like to be called. For some of my counterparts, mommy is a term used for children and children only. They feel that being referred to as a mommy blogger gives others the rights to call you Mommy, and that can be awkward.

But for me though, when others have called me Mommy, especially if we are talking about me kids, it’s okay. Because that’s who I am.

And you know what, that’s who my mom is too. She is my Mommy and I am 42 years old. And frankly, I don’t hear it enough in my house and wish I heard it a little bit more.

So when it comes down to it for me, I’m whatever my kids want me to be, and Mommy is okay with me!

What do your kids call you? How will you feel if that changes?