Top Mommy Blogger Separates From Husband
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(Image Credit: Heather and Jon Armstrong/Dooce.com)
Heather Armstrong, the mommy blogger who gained millions of followers for her irreverent observations on parenthood, announced in her blog she is separating from her husband.
“The only way out of my unhappiness was to take myself out of it,” Armstrong wrote on Dooce.com. It was a post many of her readers didn’t see coming.
Armstrong did not share a reason for the split, but her husband Jon shed some light on it in a post on his own blog, Blurbomat.
“Living with someone with depression and anxiety means some gymnastics for any partner,” Jon wrote, but he pointed out that his wife’s battle with depression, which she has frequently chronicled, was not the sole source of their split.
“I am plenty to blame for this state of things,” he wrote.
Heather Armstrong did not return a message from ABCNews.com. Jon Armstrong said he would prefer to not say anymore publicly and would defer to his wife.
Armstrong did, however post a note of thanks today on her blog.
“I’m so incredibly touched by your words of encouragement and sympathy. Yes, I am a stranger. I don’t know you, but that’s the amazing thing about this medium,” she wrote.
The couple has two children, Leta,7, and Marlo, 2.
Armstrong created Dooce.com in 2001 and was famously fired from her design job in 2002 for mocking her manager’s post-Botox lips.
“She would return from her Botox appointments unable to move her lips, and it just begged to be written about,” Armstrong told “Nightline” in 2008.
The site began to take off after Heather and Jon eloped and had their first child, Leta.
Since then, Dooce has turned the Armstrongs into a mini-media empire, earning approximately $40,000 in advertising revenue each month.
“I have gotten so much feedback from people. Because of you, I finally admitted I can’t get through this myself and I sought help,” Armstrong told “Nightline” of how sharing with her readers helped her get through her postpartum depression. “That’s why I do this, and I can die happy.”
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I’m not sure about her position in the grand scheme of things…I’ve never heard of her, but I just went to dooce.com anyway to check out her blog. My guess is she spends too much time blogging and not enough time working on her relationship with her husband. Furthermore, 5 minutes of blog-reading told me something: if I need this kind of sarcasm, I’ll just go talk to my coworkers. At least I get paid to listen to THEM.
Posted by: paisleychic | January 20, 2012, 4:38 pm 4:38 pm
This is news, why? Does Disney, the owners of ABC News, have a financial stake in dooce.com?
Posted by: Tyrone | January 20, 2012, 5:56 pm 5:56 pm
Two self-centered people who are giving up and hurting their children.
There is no reason they can not work on and comprimise- change the things that are pushing the other away- including parts of your negative personality- to keep this marriage and give their children a stable home. They loved each other enough to have children- they need to love their children enough to change!
I am so liberal on eveything- except divorce when there are children- it really effects them negativly.So many people do this to their children instead of changing their personality some, comprimise, and/or being content and decent to each other .
Posted by: marriage therapy | January 20, 2012, 6:31 pm 6:31 pm
Boy do you live in a dream world…
Posted by: RalphF | January 20, 2012, 6:57 pm 6:57 pm
People who have not followed her blog should take a compassionate step back and realize that they’re people. People who have jobs and kids. It’s as simple as that. Don’t think blogging is a real job? Fine, don’t read it. But it has supported that family. And that family is having a hard time. There are communities outside your own that are pretty big and when something disrupts it, it might make it into a news story. Don’t like it? Don’t read it, move on. And try not to judge strangers’ way of fixing things on the way out.
Posted by: Have a little compassion | January 20, 2012, 7:23 pm 7:23 pm
They don’t spend “too much time blogging” The blog/website and the brand that surround it is their JOB. A job they have done together for years. They spend a lot of time working together, at home with their kids. Probably more than people who have other types of full time jobs.People get divorced. two unhappy people staying in a marriage that isn’t working doesn’t do the kids any favors. Jon and Heather have done hard work in therapy working on their marriage. They didn’t just throw in the towel without thinking about it.
Posted by: compassionate | January 20, 2012, 8:20 pm 8:20 pm
There;’s a fair amount of narcissism involved in extensive blogging. Narcissists aren’t easy to live with. But they make sure they always get the last word. Look at Julia Powell.
Posted by: Floretta | January 20, 2012, 8:40 pm 8:40 pm
poor guy, was told he was to blame, and he believed it.
it’s time to stop apportioning 100% of the blame to one gender – it’s completely unrealistic.
Posted by: RoboBobo | January 20, 2012, 10:07 pm 10:07 pm
I applaud the husband for having the nerve to leave this situation. I believe he remained in the marriage because of his upbringing. But, it’s hell, living with a pathological narcissist. Jon – you’re a free man now. Enjoy!
Posted by: theseeker | January 21, 2012, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
I would kill myself if I had to live with that woman. Just read some of that garbage she writes. She talks about killing herself with a dog collar……the next day says she is not thinking about suicide….???? Sounds like Child protective services needs to pay her a visit. Not a safe stable home for those girls. Anyone who would take the time to take pictures of themselves, post them on line is clearly a narcissist…….She has borderline personality disorder……and a HUGE need for lots and lots and lots of attention. Run Jon Run!!!!!!!!
Posted by: heidifan | January 22, 2012, 1:21 am 1:21 am
She is a narcissist whose behaviour at BlogHer 2008 made it glaringly obvious it was the “Heather” show and she would take down anyone who didn’t want to support her antics. I always wondered how Jon stayed with her as long as he did.
Posted by: Ashley | January 23, 2012, 4:33 pm 4:33 pm
This is just hearsay and has never been verified but word is that heather was a child prodigy of sorts but very troubled. Apparently jon came around and saved her from herself. One of them has a brother Bryon whos supposedly secretly spilling the beans. Truth? Who knows? Jon did mention something about co-dependancy on his blog so its very possible he’s been enabling her poor behavior and is sick and tired of it. Heather must feel awful losing the only person whos allowed her to act anyway she chooses. But yeah, as written above, if this is the true scenario, Jon has more than suffered along in that marriage and maybe therapy has helped him see that and given him the courage to move on. Hopefully there wont be huge fights about money because they really had no pot to piss in coming into their marriage and here they are millionaires! Jon should get more than 50/50 for the mental care he gave all those years, no?
Posted by: obamafied | January 25, 2012, 2:41 am 2:41 am
He helped create and maintain that little empire she is sitting on. Asking him to find work outside of Dooce.com? What gall! The site would not be what it is today without him. He should get custody of those girls, and half of the proceeds from the brand Dooce.
Posted by: Tom | April 29, 2012, 8:54 am 8:54 am