To go private or to not go private?

We interrupt the re-capping of Papa and Gaga's visit to discuss the following:

Do I make this little ol' blog "private", requiring an email address be entered and an "invite" from me in order to read it, or not?

Ok, so here's what is circling around in my head...

I started this blog for three reasons:
1) to keep our family and friends back home abreast to our life in Kuwait. Neither David nor I are on Instagram, or Twitter, or Snapchat, or anything other than Facebook...and many of our friends and family back home are not on Facebook.

2) to keep a record of our time here, and serve as a scrapbook of sorts for our family. I intend to turn the blog into a book after we've moved back home, and we'll have that as a photo album along with stories to remember our season here in Kuwait.

3) as a journal of sorts for me as I process and adjust to living life as an Expat in the Middle East.



I feel like all three have been/are being accomplished.

But.

Within the last few days, I've become aware of a handful of incidents around Kuwait of brazen stalking/harassing/attacking women. Generally I feel very safe here, and have had that feeling confirmed by several people who have lived here (including in our area) for much longer than we have. I know these things happen EVERYWHERE, but when you are learning about a batch of them happening around you, it causes you to take pause.

On the Facebook group I'm apart of for Expat Moms here, and on the small handful of Kuwait Blogs I read, they've all been discussing this recent rash in incidents.

(As an aside - a theory in the brazen nature of these attacks is the lack of laws against them here in Kuwait, as well as the lack of police reports made when they occur. Apparently, often the victim is questioned and made to feel like perhaps they brought on the attack somehow - or so says what I've been reading...)

So. Long story short,  reading about all these incidents - coupled with a random, creepy Facebook message I received from a stranger - made me go down a rabbit hole of double checking all my safety settings.

I'm generally pretty cautious when I'm out and about (anywhere in the World) and especially when our kids are with me. 
I worked for a Children's Hospital back home and rarely went a shift without coming across an abuse report. I also attended several training's for work regarding how to protect kids from abuse, and how to spot abuse.
These things have likely made me wiser, and absolutely made me jaded.
To me, you are a creeper until you prove me otherwise.

Also, as much as I prefer to be kind to everyone, I'll choose to offend before I'll put my kids at risk.
I'm sorry - not sorry.
I'd much rather offend someone than be sorry I didn't and have one of my kids traumatized.

Just the other day the kids and I were playing at the beach, and some young man swam up to my son and asked him to swim around with him.
Could have been totally innocent - children are revered here.
Could have been a creeper wanting to do inappropriate things to my kid - or have my kid do inappropriate things to him.
NOT TAKING THE RISK.
I had stood up and walked to within three feet of my son the minute I realized this person was swimming towards him. And when he outstretched his hand towards my son and extended the offer, I loudly said "no, I'm sorry, we don't swim with people we don't know!" VERY firmly. He looked hurt, but I just offered a tight smile in response.
Nope. Not happening.
I could be totally wrong, but I'd rather be wrong. 

As parents, it's our job to protect our children at all costs.



I digress.

So this evening, my safety-check-rabbit-hole brought me to the blog... I came to check my blog stats, and learned this little ol' blog had over 1,500 hits last month alone.

I mean, what!?!? Those can't all be my faithful reading sister in law!

I know I've shared the link on my Facebook page, but I keep my Facebook nice and tight.
Unless I know you, we're not "friends" on Facebook. 
(the small exception being if my husband knows you)
David has shared it as well on his page, but his Facebook is limited to real life friends as well.

I'm guessing it stems from people researching Life in Kuwait. I know when we were planning to move here, I googled like a mad woman trying to learn about how people (family's in particular) lived here, and came up very short. I could only find TWO blogs. 

I try and be fairly careful when posting on here...never use our children's names, or where we go to Church, what days we will be where in the future, where David works or much about precisely where we live...but is that enough? I can not handle the thought of doing ANYTHING that puts our children at risk!

But then I think, am I being overly paranoid? I read several blogs that share TONS of personal information very publicly...full names of everyone in the home, pictures of the front of their home, information about weekly meeting spots, etc...and these are smart women/men posting these blogs. 
And what about famous people, like Jen Hatmaker, whose blog I read all the time? Or Glennon?  I mean, if they can post their children's names - and tour dates (ie, when they'll be out of town) without fear, why would I be nervous to keep a semi-anonymous blog?!?

And it seems like every week someone is posting a new blog on the Expat Moms page here, and when I click on it, it offers up plenty of personal information without hesitation. 

Honestly, I just don't know. I like the idea of another momma looking to move here - or having newly relocated here - having the ability to learn about doing life here. I like the idea of encouraging people to broaden their horizons and live outside their comfort zones, and perhaps even try immersing themselves in a new culture. I like the idea of people in our life who do not know much about technology easily clicking on the link and keeping up with our family. I LOVE reading other expat blogs I find!! 

I've met some of the coolest women I know through blogging in the past...(I'm looking at you, Stephanie, Heather, and Monica!)...and would love to leave that door open.

I don't care one bit about gaining traffic and "followers" here. That has not been -and never will be- my goal in blogging.

I don't know...thoughts???

I'm not even sure what I'm looking for in writing this...it's not like I expect someone to comment "hey. I'm a predator that's been reading your blog for the purpose of gleaning info on your family so I can find you and attack you, so please leave it public..."  Guess I'm just thinking out loud (see above: Reasons I Started This Blog 3) a journal for me )

I guess I'll talk it over with David and we'll give it some good thought and conversation.