Dooce Mommy Blogger Heather Armstrong Separates From Husband

Award-winning mommy blogger Heather Armstrong of Dooce is separating from her husband Jon. The news came as a shock to legions of loyal followers, many of whom look up to Heather as the ultimate role model. (For those who don’t know, Heather was one of the original mommy bloggers to truly tell it like it is.)

The couple announced the news this week on their respective blogs. Heather wrote a post called “Lying Here With My Head On The Phone” in which she explains how one of her daughters asked, “Mom, why does Dad not sleep here any more?” (Ouch.) She then goes on to share her answer, mixed with memories of her own parents’ divorce and an exceptionally dark moment in which she considers suicide. (It’s heavy stuff.)

On his own blog, Blurbomat, Jon wrote an equally heartfelt (though way less dramatic) post called, “Yes, I’m Currently In A Trial Separation.” He talks about missing his kids and admits that Heather has asked him to find work outside of Armstrong Media. (Divorces are messy enough as is being business partners certainly can’t help matters.)

It’s sad news for this couple and their children, though not all that surprising. Just look at the latest statistic on divorce and you’ll see that no one is immune. But I must admit, what’s rather surprising to me is that Heather who has a cult-like following and who has written about everything from her sex life to postpartum depression since she launched Dooce back in 2001 is asking for some privacy.

Maybe it’s just me, but I think that if you’re going to make a living out of sharing every single aspect of your life for all the world to see, you can’t have it both ways. While I feel for Heather and am sorry that she’s going through such a rough time, she has chosen this very public life (even the way in which she chose to announce her separation is as public as you can get!).

This brings up a whole other issue, which is about the appropriateness of sharing your marital woes online. What are your thought on the matter? Take our poll or share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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(Photo: dooce.com)

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