Guidelines for Newbies (if you don't know what a newbie is...you are one!)

[Leslie]

WELCOME TO LONDONMOMS.CA!!!

Since we have a large number of relatively “new” members right now (some who might not be familiar with online forums and/or Londonmoms.ca directly), we thought it might be helpful to create a quick fact sheet on online forums.

!

*!* Read the forum rules. --Even if you're excited to be a member of a new forum and can't wait to join in, take the time to find the group policy page and read it thoroughly. This will help introduce you to the forum and their goals and expectations of posters in more depth.


!*!*Lurk a little to get comfortable.--
Some might find it helpful to read a number of posts, or check out the group's archives. Get a feel for the tone of the forum so you can participate accordingly Common short forms and acronyms

!*!*We Can’t See You. -- Words alone can only tell so much. Without the benefit of tone, body language or facial expression, they can often be misconstrued. Remember to use descriptive wording, emoticons or examples to ensure your meaning is clear. By the same token, don't jump to conclusions about another poster’s intent. When in doubt, ask for clarification.
!*!*Would you say that IRL (In Real Life)? -- Say online exactly what you would say in person. In other words, if you wouldn't say it to the person's face, you shouldn't type it into a forum. Be respectful and appreciate that your opinion is one of many. Expect disagreements (we are over 3000 women with differing views) but remember you can disagree with another person without being disrespectful or making personal attacks. .

!*!*Once it is out there, it is out there! -- Remember before making your post that you are ‘speaking’ to everyone on the forum. Unlike IRL where you may only be speaking to 1-2 ppl at a time, we have over 3000 members and all can view your post at any time. Be careful not to post any personal information that you do not want to share. Even if you later go back and delete the post, it does not erase it for those that have already read the information.

!*!*We are all at different stages in our parenting. -- Londonmoms.ca is a great place to come and post for suggestions, ideas and/or just general chit chat. As it is an open forum, members come and go throughout the day. With this being said, you may not always get a response to your post. You may only get a few responses. If you find you are not getting the responses you were looking for and/or want to ensure more people see your post, you can always ‘bump’ it up (by writing in your thread again). Do not take it personally! Even the most seasoned posters have threads that do not get tons of responses. It all depends on the topics that day.

!*! Get your screen name out there! -- The only true way to get comfortable and meet other members is to take a chance and get yourself out there. Let people get to know you (by your posts, your comments to them etc...), actively participate in threads/outings, give reps for posts you agree with, ask questions if you don’t understand something/and or feel uncomfortable and PM (private message) individuals you want to know more about! Take ownership of your comfort but don’t be afraid to ask questions. Remember even the most senior of member was new here once too!

Hope this helps and that you learn to love Londonmoms.ca as much as we do!


Thanks to Happily Ever After and Mamabear for putting this together!

[MrsSunshine]

ooh I couldn't resist

[ChinUp]

[MrsSunshine]

I LUV that. thats so cool . nice one!

[AuntPetunia]

Hey Noobs!

Just wanted to add since this comes up pretty often

There are some topics on LondonMoms that will create a lot more discussion than you possibly intend. What you thought was a small question is really a land mine just waiting to happen. It's still okay to ask questions! But if you are about to post about a controversial topic and just want your question answered and nothing else, SPECIFY IN YOUR POST.

For example:

I am looking for places that perform abortions. No debate, locations only please.

I want a doctor to circ my son. No debate, just names please.

I am thinking about getting a mesh feeder for my 7 month old. Experience only, no debate.

Some of the topics that you may want to consider doing this with are the following (this is not a finite list, but top contenders):

circumcision
abortion
vaccination
spanking
any mommy wars (e.g. bottle vs breast, SAHM vs WOHM, homeschool vs public school, etc.)
CIO
Whether people should be allowed to _______
Public assistance, panhandling, people using charities
politics
religion
ear piercing


FYI: posting "I think everyone should have an alligator for a pet and those who don't are dumb people. No debates, just a thread for alligator lovers," is not going to cut it. If, in your request for no debate you state something debatable or insulting, then you've opened the can and the 'no debate' will likely be ignored.

Lastly, though you will post NO DEBATE in your thread, do not take offense to an old debate thread on the topic being bumped or a new one beginning. Do not read it if you will be offended. It is not a dig at you, instead it is a show of respect by keeping it out of your thread.

Feel free to use the SEARCH feature at the top to find information or examples of the above controversial topics.

[pumpkinpie]

I'm so curious about the mesh feeder things now but afraid to ask. I would never have guessed that was controversial!

[sweetsteps]

I'm so curious about the mesh feeder things now but afraid to ask. I would never have guessed that was controversial!

Your ahead of me..I've never even heard of it....off to google!