Why use a pseudonym?

I've been looking at quite a few Christian home education blogs over this past week, and enjoying the refreshment and encouragement that comes from seeing how others are seeking to honour God in every aspect of their lives. I noticed that there is a difference between this blog and some of the others, and wondered whether you had asked the question:

1) Why do I write under a pseudonym?
2) Why don't I post lots of photos?

There are probably quite a few readers who know exactly who I am, and it is not difficult to work out some key details from what I write. It is not so much that my identity be a secret, but rather I feel that being anonymous gives a certain freedom to write on topics which may be controversial, express strong opinions and at times to discuss challenging personal issues that arise. Many bloggers write under their own name, and that certain benefits too. For me, the pseudonym simply allows my writing greater freedom.

The second relates in part to the first. Would you read my writings differently if you knew I was a tall, slender blonde? Or a petite Irish redhead? Or a 'traditionally built' African woman? Would you consider the issues and points I seek to raise differently if my children appeared like models out of a catalogue, always perfect and pristine? Would you see things differently if they had obvious physical challenges? If we followed fashion, or if we wore strict home-school uniforms? I think these things can have a subtle influence (at least I can be swayed by such superficial things when looking at others' blogs - you know, the ones with the perfect looking mother with 12 adorable children lined up in order of height!) and I don't want our physical appearances to distract. They simply are not relevant to the aims of what I hope to do here.

There is also a practical consideration: blogs which contain multiple photos and images are very challenging to access in areas where internet is poor, and you will know from some of my posts that we move back and forward between low-resource settings. I want to have a blog that remains accessible even with limited internet.

When I started blogging, I was not entirely sure how things would evolve. But I lean towards reflective writing, considering what others have written, what the Bible teaches, how things are best worked out in practice. I tend to consider the bigger picture, rather than the very specific nitty gritty of tasks that we do day to day. In contrast, some of the other sites which I enjoy are the precise opposite, and categorise activities subject by subject and then provide intricate detail often with an accompanying photo-journal. This is quite a different objective, and although I may describe activities from time to time, my outlook in writing tends to be more holistic.

I continue to pray that the blog brings challenges and encouragement, whatever stage in child-rearing or education you may be at. I pray that through the collection of articles posted here, that you find something which spurs you on towards love and good deeds today.