Feedback please!

Nevyn

It's been an intresting year for the parenting forum, unregistered posting was enabled and there as been the addition of the two subforums and of a new mod. The forum seems to get busier each month with more people contributing then before.

So at this stage after consultation with the other parenting mods I am going to open a thread for feedback on the forum.

This thread will hopeful be helpful to us all, suggestions and ideas are welcome as is constructive criticism, but specific issues with moderation are not included, as there is a process for dealing with that, but general discussions are.

So lets have your feedback please!

Grawns

Well I think you're all doing a great job. Keep it up

hairyfairy00

I'm so grateful for the parenting forum, it helped me get through a tough pregnancy and when i didn't know who to turn to about having a preemie baby it was good to come on here and read about other parents in the same situation.

Deliverance

Very good forum for any parent to visit for advice. The nature of the posters and their issues or entertaining input for me has been great. I imagine that is because parents that want to ask for advice are the type that are concerned and experienced parents.

I have struggled to find anything bad to say about this forum but for the life of me I cannot find anything bad to say in that sense.

The moderation has been mostly excellent by keeping things on track and offering advice as well. Ok the mod said that we cannot discuss this: but I think a positive note would do no harm... the mods rare intervention on this forum has been efficient and thought out. When issues did arise... The issues were dealt with eloquently and nicely via PM in my experience.

One thing that I would like to see on this forum as a sticky in the hard economic times is a kind of parenting bargain alerts. It worked well at xmas and got lots of feedback at that time.

As a suggestion...A more specific bargain alert specifically aimed at parents, single parents, single dads etc? I think this would benifit parents and the forum. I find lots of activities and bargains generally and feel that lots of other parents would benefit as such.

metrovelvet

Great idea deliverance!

Khannie

Deliverance wrote: »

One thing that I would like to see on this forum as a sticky in the hard economic times is a kind of parenting bargain alerts.

I had actually considered this and I think it's a really good idea. Definitely worth a lash anyway. I thought a freecycle thread might be good too. Maybe the two could be combined (maybe not).

Another idea I had was a ladies only section for ladies to talk about lady specific things. I'd be happy to stay out of such a section (even as a mod, unless some of the female mods weren't responding). Sometimes I'll dip into threads that I'm not intersted in to make sure there's no medical advice being dished out etc. but people might talk more freely about things knowing there weren't any men about. It's just an idea.

Nevyn

Khannie wrote: »

I had actually considered this and I think it's a really good idea. Definitely worth a lash anyway. I thought a freecycle thread might be good too. Maybe the two could be combined (maybe not).

It's certainly something to consider.

Khannie wrote: »

Another idea I had was a ladies only section for ladies to talk about lady specific things. I'd be happy to stay out of such a section (even as a mod, unless some of the female mods weren't responding). Sometimes I'll dip into threads that I'm not intersted in to make sure there's no medical advice being dished out etc. but people might talk more freely about things knowing there weren't any men about. It's just an idea.

In terms of what the pregnancy subforum?
The pregnancy chat chat has plenty of women sharing as it is.

Khannie

Thaedydal wrote: »

In terms of what the pregnancy subforum?
The pregnancy chat chat has plenty of women sharing as it is.

Fair enough. I tend to keep out of it.

Nevyn

I don't, it's nice to ready how people are doing an offer advice if I can same as the Dad's thread in that forum.

Khannie

Slightly different (as I've discovered ). Women have more bodily function issues during pregnancy and parenthood than men do. I would rather the ladies feel they can discuss these things in comfort.

Nevyn

Do you know people who have been put of posting but would do so if a thread was marked ladies only? I've seen a lot of fairly graphic enough posts in there and there is the option of unregstered posting.

Sleepy

+1 for the Freecycle / Bargain Alerts sticky...

and well done on the modding guys, it's hardly noticeable which is always the best indication of good modding to me.

silja

I like the idea of a bargain alert too, not that it would do me personally any good (not living in Ireland right now). Probably best as a sub forum than a stick thread, asstickies get long and laborious to get through.

I don't think a "ladies only" thread is needed, couldn't be policed anyways.

It may be worth having more sub forums (such as babies toddlers school questions and issues teenagers), as for example I have no interest in the questions about how to get into good schools and school policies etc. But then again, that may fracture the cohesiveness of the forum too much.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Sleepy wrote: »

+1 for the Freecycle / Bargain Alerts sticky...

and well done on the modding guys, it's hardly noticeable which is always the best indication of good modding to me.

Careful, we are not allowed to discuss the modding issues, of this forum... lol I wonder why? :rolleyes:

Thaedydal wrote: »

but specific issues with moderation are not included

Sleepy

A general compliment != a specific issue Iamxavier.

A specific issue would be 'I shouldn't be banned for telling people to read posts before commenting on them'...

Nevyn

We asked for constructive feedback and general comments on moderation are allowed but picking over certain specifics won't be permitted, if you have an issue or a complaint with the moderation of the forum then here is a link to how raise it.

Anyone who can't play nice will be told they can't post in the forum any more.

littlebug

I can't think of anything negative

I do like the bargain idea but maybe with a caution about people advertising their own bargains/ businesses? Not that that's necessarily a bad thing but maybe there would need to be some limits and rules?

Great to have an equal measure of female/ male mods. I imagine it encourages the daddys to contribute and post more.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Thaedydal wrote: »

We asked for constructive feedback and general comments on moderation are allowed but picking over certain specifics won't be permitted, if you have an issue or a complaint with the moderation of the forum then here is a link to how raise it.

Anyone who can't play nice will be told they can't post in the forum any more.

I apologise. I do find the forum to be very informative. Good job all.

pickarooney

I think it's a great forum and am surprised there's not more traffic, to be honest. I can't think of any suggested improvements off-hand, which is more than likely a good thing.

Nevyn

Well a certain professional parenting site with initials RC advertises in all health clinics and gps offices all over the country, and there are some other specific yummy mummy sites as well which are more like socail networking sites then parenting sites with locked forums.

The RC one does tend to get my goat when posters don't contribute to a thread other then to point people to there, if a person wanted to they could read and post there but they chose here to post and ask thier question.

Both www.boards.ie/parenting and parenting.boards.ie redirect to here, I asked for that to happen cos it makes it easier to tell people about the forum, it's a lot easier to remember and brings people directly here.

parsi

I think this forum is quite good.

It veers well away from the "other" forum style which seems to be very (or so I'm told by herself) "there, there love - of course you're right and the big bad X is wrong". These also seem to be predominantly female based.

In some ways boards is perceived as a male place or a nerdy place so it may not always be the first port of call for these topics but surely there will be crossover as the males / nerds grow up and become parents

Nevyn

I have seen people sign up just for this forum and find it, well, refreshing compared to some of the other sites out there, hopefully it will stay that way.

simu

Just one thing that annoys me a bit - why is the pregnancy forum called "pregnant"? "Pregnancy" would make more sense tbh.

Overall though, I would have to say that my name is simu and I approve of this forum (and its subforum).

Nevyn

I think it was labels that way due to the TTC forum, so that people move from being
trying to conceive to being pregnant to parenting.

stovelid

No complaints here.

caprilicious

silja wrote: »

It may be worth having more sub forums (such as babies toddlers school questions and issues teenagers), as for example I have no interest in the questions about how to get into good schools and school policies etc. But then again, that may fracture the cohesiveness of the forum too much.

I would +1 the above suggestion, I loved the pregnancy forum and the support was fantastic.
Plus I suppose because we were all on our little 9 month journey, there was always a reason to dip in and out of the forum, whereas I find in parenting there's such a large expanse of topics relative to older children that I don't always find threads relative to my current situation.

It is a fantastic resource though regardless and I found it brilliant even in these early days to get advice.
The format is also a lot more user friendly than any of the other pregnancy/parenting specific websites.

Modding excellent also as ye both are very active in the forum and offer excellent advice. Its supportive moderating rather than dictatorial.
Plus you can't really get more qualified for the job than a mod that's delivered his own lil one

Thumbs up from me

Khannie

Not sure about more sub-forums...just as a user rather than as a mod. It's not that it's a bad idea, I'm just not sure that there's enough traffic for it.

I had another idea the other day: What about a "little questions" thread? I have little questions all the time that I wouldn't mind getting feedback on but wouldn't be arsed starting a new thread about (too dramatic for such trivial things). Are other people like this too?

My own feedback: I think the place has come on in leaps and bounds over the last while. There's a real sense of community here that has grown a lot over the last while. It's nice to hear that people don't have a problem with my modding, but I wouldn't want people to hold back if they did.

Nevyn

Well maybe a tag system can be put in place on threads like in some of the other forums.
Have a 0-2 years, 3-7 years, 8-12years and teens ?

silja

Thaedydal wrote: »

Well maybe a tag system can be put in place on threads like in some of the other forums. Have a 0-2 years, 3-7 years, 8-12years and teens ?

Not really familiar with the tag system, but sounds like an idea. I'd suggest 0-1 year (=baby), 1-4 years (=toddler), 5-12 years (kids) and teens.

we'llallhavetea_old

just another +1 on the bargain thread, think its a great idea

Ludo

Khannie wrote: »

Not sure about more sub-forums...just as a user rather than as a mod. It's not that it's a bad idea, I'm just not sure that there's enough traffic for it.

Sorry for bringing up this thread again, but I agree with Khannie here regarding forum traffic.

Personally, I feel the sub-forum for newborns/toddlers idea is/was not a good idea. I know it is early days yet but it seems to have fractured the flow of the forum. If you want to have a quick scan for threads relating to young children you now have to read 2 forums as they are all over the place.
Also parents of toddlers will be parents of slightly older children soon so those threads may be of interest to them soon. The split seems artificial and unnecessary and has lessened the usefulness of the forum IMHO.

Sleepy

I'd agree with Ludo. As a dad of a 1 1/2 year old and step-dad to a 4 year old, I'm interested in the toddler areas but it's great to read the threads on older kids and teens to get a 'heads up' as to what I've in front of me and perhaps see potential results of certain parenting styles.

One other point - could we append the txtspk part of the charter to include the silly acronyms that sometimes pop up in here from the more frivolous parenting sites? E.g. DD, DS, DH etc.? Maybe it's just me but such vapid language depreciates the points being made.

Nevyn

It is in included as text speak if you see it report, I often warn people about it and edit posts.

The new born threads were happening in the pregnancy forum which is why there is a new subforum for those and who have created a community in the pregnancy forum to
move into that forum.

The forum keeps growning and new threads were getting knocked off the front page very quickly even at 40 a page. You can you know subscribe to the subforums the same way as you do the main forum.

Khannie

On the sub-forum. I'm not married to it. I think we should give it a bit longer though.

Ludo

Thaedydal wrote: »

The new born threads were happening in the pregnancy forum which is why there is a new subforum for those and who have created a community in the pregnancy forum to
move into that forum.

And now newborn threads are happening in both main and newborn sub-forum.
Look at the main forum...loads of threads there which should not be anymore.
If they were taken away and moved to correct new forum you would see the tumbleweeds rolling through it.

Thaedydal wrote: »

The forum keeps growning and new threads were getting knocked off the front page very quickly even at 40 a page. You can you know subscribe to the subforums the same way as you do the main forum.

Again, look at the main forum...20 threads (including stickies) going back 6 days...not exactly manic is it?
Yes, I know you can subscribe to subforums ( although there is a nice bug in that which I must mention in the site dev forum ). I just cannot understand the logic behind the split. It make more work for users and moderators. The reason given here almost makes the forum sound like it is a "born in Q1 2010" forum from RC or something.

Anyway, just having my say now as I didn't realise it was being seriously considered until it happened given there was no mention of it happening in this thread.

caprilicious

Thaedydal wrote: »

I am vehemently opposed to them.
They exclude newcomers, they have never been allowed here even if they are the standard else where.
The point of this forum was that it was not like those other sites.

I agree, its the one thing I find a major turn off in other parenting forums. Nothing worse than having to decipher abbreviations & text speak!

I have to say I love the new forum (Newborns/toddlers), maybe its just me - I found that I loved the pregnancy forum, but once I had baby there wasn't a similar forum here with the same banter.
The Parenting forum had multiple threads relevant to much older children so not relevant to me (yet!).

The Newborn & toddler thread allows the continuation of the banter from the pregnancy forum & a way to keep in touch with the mums & dads from there which would otherwise be diluted I think in the larger parenting forum

Ludo

But what about the next batch of pregnancy forum people over the next few months...will they get a new one of their own also as the old one is too large or will they have to join the now diluted the newborn/toddler forum which, to be honest, is beginning to sound a little cliquey from what I am reading here.
I'm sure it is not cliquey by they way but the reasoning behind its creation makes it sound like it is.

caprilicious

I would imagine it being a case that the people that have just had babies/moved to the newborn & toddlers forum would use that as per title til their little one's are toddlers then move to the next forum?

It possibly is 'cliquey' but not in a negative way, its not a case that anyone is excluded. In fact I loved how friendly the atmosphere was in the forum throughout my pregnancy, everyone was very forthcoming with advice and support.
I haven't found anything similar on other pregnancy/parenting website, possibly because they're so big?
There is something a bit more personal and friendly about the forums here.

Thats just my humble opinion anyhoo but each to their own

cbyrd

Ludo wrote: »

But what about the next batch of pregnancy forum people over the next few months...will they get a new one of their own also as the old one is too large or will they have to join the now diluted the newborn/toddler forum which, to be honest, is beginning to sound a little cliquey from what I am reading here.
I'm sure it is not cliquey by they way but the reasoning behind its creation makes it sound like it is.

i know i still keep an eye in the pregnancy forum and i'd love the new mums there to feel like they could jump in anytime into the newborn/toddler forum.. i like to hop around them all as i think we all have something to offer each other even if it's only a listening ear.. it's very important site i think especially once the baby's born and you can't or don't feel like getting out much... and before you tear your hair out you can get experienced info fairly quickly..;)
i'm loving the new forum

Ludo

cbyrd wrote: »

i know i still keep an eye in the pregnancy forum and i'd love the new mums there to feel like they could jump in anytime into the newborn/toddler forum..

Did people feel they couldn't jump anytime into the original parenting forum??? That is what is confusing me. Everything you say about the new forum applies to the original one so what exactly was the problem with it?

Taking the posts in the main forum today:
10 threads posted to (9 if you exclude this one as it doesn't really count)
Not exactly hopping is it.
Of those 9 threads, 6 at least should be in the newborn/toddler forum by rights.
That leaves 3 active threads today. Yesterday was the same. It reflects very badly to be honest and makes the place look dead.
Now people have to visit 2 forums to see all threads which a lot of new people wont may bother doing or may not even notice the forum.

Nevyn

Ludo opinion noted, if you wish to report the threads you think should be in the newborns section then do so.

cbyrd

Ludo wrote: »

Did people feel they couldn't jump anytime into the original parenting forum??? That is what is confusing me. Everything you say about the new forum applies to the original one so what exactly was the problem with it?

sorry you mis-understood what i was quoting.. i was refering to the new batch of mums that weren't there when i was or das kitty or crazy cat lady.. we were pregnant at the same time.. just as there were ladies there before us.. now we've moved out to the new forum.. when the current ladies that are pregnant move on to being new mums i hope they won't feel like there's a 'clique'

i felt too that the parenting forum was too expansive and the new one is, like the pregnancy one, more specific to the group we're in..as in being a new mum and not being in a clique.. i felt that in the pregnant forum there was no specific thread for one of us that had just had a baby and the threads were getting lost on the parenting one it just makes sense to have them together to save time looking for them..

Khannie

cbyrd wrote: »

sorry you mis-understood what i was quoting.. i was refering to the new batch of mums that weren't there when i was or das kitty or crazy cat lady.. we were pregnant at the same time.. just as there were ladies there before us.. now we've moved out to the new forum.. when the current ladies that are pregnant move on to being new mums i hope they won't feel like there's a 'clique'

i felt too that the parenting forum was too expansive and the new one is, like the pregnancy one, more specific to the group we're in..as in being a new mum and not being in a clique.. i felt that in the pregnant forum there was no specific thread for one of us that had just had a baby and the threads were getting lost on the parenting one it just makes sense to have them together to save time looking for them..

That more or less sums up what I felt about it. I felt like I was part of a little community in the pregnancy forum, then after baby came it was like "well....there's no pregnancy going on so I suppose I should move to the main forum" but it felt a bit....well...broad.

An example of this kind of half-way feeling that I'm talking about is that I posted the "baby arrived" thread in the pregnancy forum though I felt it was probably more appropriate in the main forum it didn't feel right.

I appreciate your point though Ludo. And I appreciate that you care. My suggestion would be that we leave it run for a while, then if there are a few people unhappy about it we maybe consider a vote or similar.

Sleepy

Ludo wrote: »

This balance of male/female input is also another reason why I feel the newborn/toddler subforum is not helpful. The pregnancy forum is female oriented by its very nature (just a guess there as I have never read it to be honest). The new sub-forum seems to have been created for active posters there to have a place to keep their group together instead of integrating with the existing forum and it will therefore become a lot more female oriented than the main forum. Sorry about continuing this topic here but I do feel it is relevant to the discussion.

I can't remember the last time I looked at RC it has been so long. But I visit here multiple times a day and I would prefer not to see it lose its nice balance. There is a strong risk of this happening now however.

I do think this will discourage me, and other men, from posting here tbh.

While it's great to see a community has sprung up from the Trying to conceive and Pregnancy forums, I don't think the parenting forum should be split in two in order to isolate that community rather than having it's members 'graduate' (horrible term but I can't think of one better) to the main parenting forum when they become parents.

A quick look at the new babies and toddlers sub-forum shows me very little that doesn't fit within the paramaters of the main parenting forum. If some of the posters coming from the pregnancy and trying to conceive forums feel that they'd like an area for discussion of female post-pregnancy personal issues (like the recent 'post pregnancy body bits and complaints' ) maybe a sub-forum for dealing with this, rather than the age of their children would be better? Even at that, I think there may be a fair bit of work for mods initially in moving threads out of that 'safe zone' into the main forum when they're to do with parenting rather than mammys issues (posibly a good name for such a forum?).

As it stands, I just see the men being pushed out of discussion of their newborns and toddlers.

Nevyn

This forum was set up to be inclusive of all types of parents and those invovled with rearing kids.

Dads to be post in the pregnancy forum and Dads are more then welcome to post in the newborn and toddlers forum as well.

I am aware of the blanance and that certain parts of the site as a whole are now having more female posters but I do not want the parenting forum to be seen as a 'female preserve'.

The pregnancy forum seems to have been a good sucess and now we are having a lot of posts about new borns which is good but those threads will push a lot of the other htreads off the main forums page and so they have been put in a subforum of it's own.
It will either work or not, I haven't see any of the regulars who post in pregnany or newborns be exclusionary to new posters or male posters and if it was to happen it would be stamped out.

littlebug

I thought the subforums was a good idea but I'll admit that I don't really look in either of them very much. I nearly posted something on the breastfeeding thread and then backed away as I felt that since I don't have a newborn or toddler I didn't really have a place in there. The thread seemed like more of a support for and by other new mothers as opposed to looking for advice from parents of older children who've been through it. Actually I think I've apologised in a few posts I made in the pregnancy forum. That's probably just a me thing though (excuse my existence )... there's nothing about the subforum or any individual threads that is blatently exclusive or anything. I just feel like I'm being a bit nosy when I go in there when I don't really belong there. Does that make sense?

I suppose my point is that parents who aren't pregnant or have newborns and toddlers might not even look into those subforums so by default there could an automatic split between parents of very small children and parents of older children.

Nevyn

littlebug my youngest is nearly 10 but that is not going to put me off posting in the new borns section if I think it will be helpful. Not currently having a newborn shouldn't stop you the more help, advice and encouragement we can give new parents the better, we've all been in those trenches.