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Many families in Jakarta can afford nannies to take care of the grunt work that comes with raising a child. But what about
in Singapore?

For Indonesian Leonny Atmadja, who lives in the island-state, raising her children without a nanny led her to start a blog —not to complain about changing diapers, but to rave about the joys of being a mother. Now her blog has been recognized in an Asia-wide competition.

How did you start blogging?

I first started writing really short entries and posting photos in 2004, because I wanted to update family and friends overseas about my first born, Anya, who was only a few months old at the time. Then I decided to get the domain name oureverydaythings.com and launched my first blog, designed by myself, in January 2005. It was all a new experience because I had never given the idea of writing much thought. I didn’t know about Photoshop or Web site-related tasks. So I sort of picked things up myself. Wilson, my husband, is a designer and he knows Web site stuff, but most of it was done by me in the early stages because I usually work at home while he is at work.

How has blogging changed for you over the years?

It all started out with an intention to share more about my kids’ growth and development, interesting things that happened, things we did. But after a while, I wanted the blog to have a different approach. I didn’t want it to just be a blog about my kids. I wanted Our Everyday Things to be a site where other parents could benefit from reading what I shared. I wanted my blog to inspire others, not just parents, but anyone who read it. I write mostly about parenting-related topics: activity ideas for kids, places to visit, crafting ideas, parenting tips, inspirational thoughts, et cetera.

How would you describe Jakarta?

I associate Jakarta with family because that’s where our families live. I always look forward to its food and dessert! I’m a big fan of es campur, jus alpokat and all sorts of desserts! And Jakarta is where I get to eat all this, and without paying much! But if I were to associate Jakarta with things other than family and food, then it’d be: traffic jams, lizards and mosquitoes.

Can you tell us briefly about the Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards?

It was held in Singapore on October 23. Thousands of bloggers were nominated and the judges short-listed five blogs for each category. The other four blogs [in my category] were from other countries in the Asia Pacific: the Philippines, Malaysia and two from Australia.

How did you feel about being nominated?

It really was a big surprise when I first got the news from the organizer because I know there are thousands of parenting blogs out there, in Singapore alone even. And to have been selected as the one parenting blog based in Singapore, it was such a huge honor.

Would motherhood be any different for you if, say, you lived in Jakarta?

One major difference I think would be I wouldn’t be able to get out and about that much if I were in Jakarta . Here, it’s easy to go everywhere with my two kids using public transportation. That’s something I couldn’t do if I lived in Jakarta. I would probably have a live-in maid, too, to help with the housework, even though this is something I personally am not keen on . If I were to have a helper in Jakarta, the best arrangement would be to have a part-time helper who came in the morning and left in the afternoon.

How often do you come back to Jakarta?

I left Jakarta when I was 14. I visit the city once or twice a year.

Are there any fun places that you bring your kids to when you’re in Jakarta?

We rely on cars and drivers to help us get from one place to another, and even then we almost always end up indoors, even though we are quite into outdoor activities. Last year, I took the kids to Monas [National Monument] to let them check out what a bajaj was like. Oh, one thing my kids like about our visits to Jakarta is that we always go to Carrefour supermarket [giggling]. Because they get to ride the ‘car’ trolleys and it’s free!

Are there any moments that stick out for you as a mother?

There have been quite a lot of memorable moments, but if I were to relate just one of the many, I guess it’d be when I was feeling really tired and my kid came up to me and said, ‘Love you mommy, thanks for cooking for us.’ Simple words of appreciation uttered by our little ones are the best.

Do you see yourself blogging when your kids are grown up, even when you have grandchildren?

Granny blogger [laughs]. On a different topic other than raising kids, obviously. I believe we need to always pursue what we are passionate about. And my blog is a medium to share with the world. Right now, I am at the stage of being a mom of two young kids.The content will evolve most likely as the kids grow up. It will most likely still be related to parenting, family, photography and life in general.

In a few words, what would you say to mothers in Indonesia?

I hope the blog can somehow inspire others, particularly women and mothers, to always try to do the most they can with their lives and their time. To pursue their passion, to do more in life and to spend more time with their kids.