participation way down? - Page 4

[lach]

Originally Posted by annettemarie 

Originally Posted by Latte Mama 

I used to be here all the time.  Once they "updated" the site, I found I really disliked the new format and still do to some extent.  It loads slower and the site just doesn't feel as friendly to me anymore.  I'll say that almost every site I've ever posted on that has updated ends up losing tons of members.  People like things to stay the way they are!

So, do members ever come back? Or do new members come in and replace the old? Or do the sites just eventually die out?

My experience is with Urban Baby, whose redesign was much more extreme.  It was a complete overhaul in every way that the board worked, and changed the whole tone of the site in a way that the redesign here just didn't.  Within a week, some people had set up a spinoff board, and the word got out really quickly.  And, no, I don't think that the users ever came back.  The exception is that there was a lot of easily searchable history about applying to NYC private schools, so people who were interested in that went back for that.

It's sad that people leave, but I don't think it's the end of the world.  Especially on a parenting board!  There are always new people having babies.  MDC has to really work at attracting new posters and keeping them here.  I like the reorganization mentioned above.  I feel like the forums are a huge mess and really confusing for new members.  I'm confused by the organization, and I've been here for years!  

I feel like the "Ask the Experts" thing is cute and gimmicky, but doesn't really add much except free advertising for those experts, and that should be in its own little sidebar box.  The experts should also not be allowed to refuse to answer questions and just say "buy my $200 a session conversations!" for everything.  This is free advertising for them, and they need to put out.  

I would really promote the things that would attract new members and pull them in.  I think the first thing people do is start to look for connections.  I know one of the first things I do on a new forum is to search the name of my town.  Just to see if someone mentions living there.  I'd have the local tribes, Pregnancy and Birth (with the DDCs emphasized), Parenting, Ages and Stages, and Life as a Parent right at the top.  

This is how I'd do my forum organization:

>Welcome to MDC

--->Pleased to Meet You

--->Finding your Tribe

--->Geographical Areas

>Ages and Stages

--->NICU&Preemie Parenting

--->Life with a Babe

--->Toddlers&Preschoolers

--->The Childhood Years

--->Preteens and Teens

--->Adult children

>Family Matters

--->Adoptive and Foster Parenting

--->Blended and Step Families

--->Special Needs Parenting

--->Parenting Multiples

--->Multicultural Families

--->Stay at Home Parents

--->Working and Student Parents

--->Single Parents

--->Queer Parents

--->Fathering.com

--->Parents as Partners

>Pregnancy and Birth

--->Fertility

--->Pregnancy

--->Due Date Clubs

--->Birth and Beyond

--->The Case against Circumcision

--->Postpartum Depression

--->Pregnancy and Birth Loss

>Education

--->The Preschool Years

--->Elementary School Years

--->Middle and High School and Beyond

--->Waldorf

--->Montessori

--->Other (Reggio Emilia, Sudbury, Democratic, etc)

--->Learning at Home

-->Structured Curricula

--->Unschooling

>Health and Safety

--->Family Safety

--->Doctor and Hospital Care

--->Chiropractic and Naturoprath Care

--->Dental

--->Mental Health

--->Fitness and Weight Management

>Nutrition and Good Eating

--->Breastfeeding Issues and Support

--->Meal Planning and Nutrition

--->Vegetarian and Vegan Living

--->Traditional Foods

--->Eating with Allergies

The Mindful Home

--->Country Living/Off the Grid

--->Suburban/Urban Homesteading

--->Cleaning and Organizing

--->Frugality and Finances

--->Pets

--->Natural Body Care

>The Water Cooler

--->Childbirth Educators, Doulas and Midwives

--->Handworkers (including diaper makers) of the world, unite!

--->Mother's Writing Group

--->WAHM Well

Personal Growth

--->Talk Amongst Ourselves

--->Spirituality

--->News and Current Events

Hobbies and Interests

--->Arts and Crafts

--->Television and Movies

--->Books

--->Diggin in the Earth

>AP&Natural Family Issues

--->Unassisted Pregnancy and Childbirth

--->Babywearing

--->Gentle Discipline

--->The Family Bed

--->Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy

--->I'm Not Vaccinating

--->Selective and Delayed Vaccinations 

--->TV free

--->Elimination Communication

>Activism

--->Lactivism

--->Intactivism

--->Food Activism

--->Getting Involved/Community Activism

>Support Forums

--->Healing Birth Trauma

--->Grief and Loss

--->Surviving Abuse

>About MDC

--->Questions and Suggestions

--->Contests, Giveaways

--->Mothering Magazine archives

--->The Commune Guidelines

--->Testing One, Two, Three

--->Natural Family Living Workshops

The Trading Post stuff is also moved someplace else.  I think this REALLY simplifies the forums, and makes it easier to find what you're looking for.  I collapsed a few forums and moved a few around a bit.  If you had two columns, you could even fit this entire list on 1-2 screens, so you're not scrolling around trying to figure out what it's all about.

Edited by lach - 6/13/11 at 8:08am

[Mosaic]

Originally Posted by Arduinna 

The user agreement does express a specific world and political view beyond the scope of the natural parenting purpose of the board, and it's not to be challenged. 

Really? This UA has a specific world and political view? I don't quite understand... help please?

[Bena]

Can we vote?

I really like this organization!  I also think it would make things easier to find.

Good job!

Originally Posted by lach 

My experience is with Urban Baby, whose redesign was much more extreme.  It was a complete overhaul in every way that the board worked, and changed the whole tone of the site in a way that the redesign here just didn't.  Within a week, some people had set up a spinoff board, and the word got out really quickly.  And, no, I don't think that the users ever came back.  The exception is that there was a lot of easily searchable history about applying to NYC private schools, so people who were interested in that went back for that.

It's sad that people leave, but I don't think it's the end of the world.  Especially on a parenting board!  There are always new people having babies.  MDC has to really work at attracting new posters and keeping them here.  I like the reorganization mentioned above.  I feel like the forums are a huge mess and really confusing for new members.  I'm confused by the organization, and I've been here for years!  

I feel like the "Ask the Experts" thing is cute and gimmicky, but doesn't really add much except free advertising for those experts, and that should be in its own little sidebar box.  The experts should also not be allowed to refuse to answer questions and just say "buy my $200 a session conversations!" for everything.  This is free advertising for them, and they need to put out.  

I would really promote the things that would attract new members and pull them in.  I think the first thing people do is start to look for connections.  I know one of the first things I do on a new forum is to search the name of my town.  Just to see if someone mentions living there.  I'd have the local tribes, Pregnancy and Birth (with the DDCs emphasized), Parenting, Ages and Stages, and Life as a Parent right at the top.  

This is how I'd do my forum organization:

>Welcome to MDC

--->Pleased to Meet You

--->Finding your Tribe

--->Geographical Areas

>Ages and Stages

--->NICU&Preemie Parenting

--->Life with a Babe

--->Toddlers&Preschoolers

--->The Childhood Years

--->Preteens and Teens

--->Adult children

>Family Matters

--->Adoptive and Foster Parenting

--->Blended and Step Families

--->Special Needs Parenting

--->Parenting Multiples

--->Multicultural Families

--->Stay at Home Parents

--->Working and Student Parents

--->Single Parents

--->Queer Parents

--->Fathering.com

--->Parents as Partners

>Pregnancy and Birth

--->Fertility

--->Pregnancy

--->Due Date Clubs

--->Birth and Beyond

--->The Case against Circumcision

--->Postpartum Depression

--->Pregnancy and Birth Loss

>Education

--->The Preschool Years

--->Elementary School Years

--->Middle and High School and Beyond

--->Waldorf

--->Montessori

--->Other (Reggio Emilia, Sudbury, Democratic, etc)

--->Learning at Home

-->Structured Curricula

--->Unschooling

>Health and Safety

--->Family Safety

--->Doctor and Hospital Care

--->Chiropractic and Naturoprath Care

--->Dental

--->Mental Health

--->Fitness and Weight Management

>Nutrition and Good Eating

--->Breastfeeding Issues and Support

--->Meal Planning and Nutrition

--->Vegetarian and Vegan Living

--->Traditional Foods

--->Eating with Allergies

The Mindful Home

--->Country Living/Off the Grid

--->Suburban/Urban Homesteading

--->Cleaning and Organizing

--->Frugality and Finances

--->Pets

--->Natural Body Care

>The Water Cooler

--->Childbirth Educators, Doulas and Midwives

--->Handworkers (including diaper makers) of the world, unite!

--->Mother's Writing Group

--->WAHM Well

Personal Growth

--->Talk Amongst Ourselves

--->Spirituality

--->News and Current Events

Hobbies and Interests

--->Arts and Crafts

--->Television and Movies

--->Books

--->Diggin in the Earth

>AP&Natural Family Issues

--->Unassisted Pregnancy and Childbirth

--->Babywearing

--->Gentle Discipline

--->The Family Bed

--->Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy

--->I'm Not Vaccinating

--->Selective and Delayed Vaccinations 

--->TV free

--->Elimination Communication

>Activism

--->Lactivism

--->Intactivism

--->Food Activism

--->Getting Involved/Community Activism

>Support Forums

--->Healing Birth Trauma

--->Grief and Loss

--->Surviving Abuse

>About MDC

--->Questions and Suggestions

--->Contests, Giveaways

--->Mothering Magazine archives

--->The Commune Guidelines

--->Testing One, Two, Three

--->Natural Family Living Workshops

The Trading Post stuff is also moved someplace else.  I think this REALLY simplifies the forums, and makes it easier to find what you're looking for.  I collapsed a few forums and moved a few around a bit.  If you had two columns, you could even fit this entire list on 1-2 screens, so you're not scrolling around trying to figure out what it's all about.

[EviesMom]

I like it too, but I'd move Mindful Home Management above Education. Just because debates don't seem to happen in MHM as much as Ed, Health and Healing, or Nutrition.

[annettemarie]

Looks great! It's always driven me nuts that the parenting forums were above the conception/pregnancy/birth forums.

[lach]

Originally Posted by Bena 

Can we vote?

I really like this organization!  I also think it would make things easier to find.

Good job!

Thanks!  :D  I really took it seriously, lol.  i even went back this morning and made some additional changes!  I think right now there are too many boards and they're a disorganized mess and hard to find what you're looking for.  I think it worked when people just sorta filtered in, but I think MDC needs to grab a mass of new people, and being greeted with a better organized board is a good way to do that.

The one thing I'm unsure about is the Gentle Discipline subforum.  I'm not entirely sure if "Gentle Discipline" is something specific (like, from one particular book), or if it just means a general no hitting/try not to scream/respect your child's developmental stage strategy of discipline that I would hope everyone on MDC follows.  If it's just a general thing, I would probably get rid of that forum, and people can ask discipline questions in the Ages and Stages.  Maybe create a specific Unconditional Parenting (is that a trademarked term?  Maybe Consensual Living?  I know that's slightly different, but I'm actually surprised there isn't already a Consensual Living subforum) forum in its place.  Discipline comes up A LOT in parenting.
 

Originally Posted by EviesMom 

I like it too, but I'd move Mindful Home Management above Education. Just because debates don't seem to happen in MHM as much as Ed, Health and Healing, or Nutrition.

I kept Education up there because the list starts with issues relating to children, and then moves into issues relating to families (health, eating, home), and then to issues mainly about the grownups.

Making the education forums a central part of MDC is part of my rejuvenating-MDC-in-5-easy-steps plan, though ;)  I was trying to think about something very specific that we can offer that no other forums do, and I don't really know of any decent forums that talk about schools, PARTICULARLY things like Waldorf, Montessori, Reggio, etc.  Not that I've gone looking.  But I think some outreach to tell parents who might be interested in those subjects is in order... and hopefully those parents will stay on for the rest of the site.

Seriously, still waiting for MDC to hire me as a consultant.  I gotz plans, yo.  

[lach]

Originally Posted by annettemarie 

Looks great! It's always driven me nuts that the parenting forums were above the conception/pregnancy/birth forums.

Yeah, I originally had conception/pregnancy/birth first, but just in terms of catching people's attention, they'll (hopefully) be on the parenting boards more and for a longer time.  Hopefully it will take people less time to conceive than it took me, and then you're only pregnant less than a year... and then you have 18 years of talking about parenting.  So just from a sheer numbers-interested standpoint, it makes sense to have parenting first.

[annettemarie]

It's really great. You should send the link to one of the admins.

[Daffodil]

I think that organization is basically OK, but I don't really like having Gentle Discipline hidden way down in the "fringe" AP & Natural Family section.  Actually, I don't really like having that separate AP section at all.  Aren't most of us here because we're actually interested in things like gentle discipline, babywearing, or co-sleeping?  Why separate out all the AP stuff as if we're trying to minimize the AP/natural aspect of the site?

[lach]

Originally Posted by annettemarie 

It's really great. You should send the link to one of the admins.

Aw, thanks :)  What should I do, just PM Cynthia Mosher?  I don't even really know who runs this place, LOL.

[lach]

Originally Posted by Daffodil 

I think that organization is basically OK, but I don't really like having Gentle Discipline hidden way down in the "fringe" AP & Natural Family section.  Actually, I don't really like having that separate AP section at all.  Aren't most of us here because we're actually interested in things like gentle discipline, babywearing, or co-sleeping?  Why separate out all the AP stuff as if we're trying to minimize the AP/natural aspect of the site?

Well, you can see my post above that I'm not 100% sure what gentle discipline is.  And, no, I'm not really interested in a whole forum about babywearing or co-sleeping, and I'd actually bet that most MDC members aren't either, though these subjects are popular with some very active and vocal members.  But we need to draw out more than just very active and vocal members (some of whom are leaving, and others of whom shouldn't just take over the whole site if everyone else leaves).  And just from a practical standpoint, there's only so long you can babywear or stress about vaccines.  

But the forums are still there for people who are interested.  I just see no reason to emphasize those forums, and I don't think they're going to be drawing in the numbers I suspect MDC needs to stay afloat. 

[Daffodil]

Originally Posted by lach 

Well, you can see my post above that I'm not 100% sure what gentle discipline is.  And, no, I'm not really interested in a whole forum about babywearing or co-sleeping, and I'd actually bet that most MDC members aren't either, though these subjects are popular with some very active and vocal members.  But we need to draw out more than just very active and vocal members (some of whom are leaving, and others of whom shouldn't just take over the whole site if everyone else leaves).  And just from a practical standpoint, there's only so long you can babywear or stress about vaccines.  

But the forums are still there for people who are interested.  I just see no reason to emphasize those forums, and I don't think they're going to be drawing in the numbers I suspect MDC needs to stay afloat. 

Gentle discipline is just what you thought it might be: a "no hitting/try not to scream/respect your child's developmental stage strategy of discipline."  I think it makes sense to have a forum just for discipline, since a lot of the questions people want to ask aren't specific to a certain age, but are more about general philosophy or methods.  I could agree that there's probably no need for whole forums about babywearing or co-sleeping, but I wouldn't move them into a section that might as well be called "Weird Ideas That Are Too Far Out There for All But the Ultra-Crunchy."  I'd just get rid of them and let people ask questions about those things in the baby and toddler forums.  Though there's something to be said for having prominently displayed forums with titles like The Family Bed or Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy.  It makes it clear that those ideas are a big part of MDC.  If MDC attracts a lot of new people by pretending it's not an AP forum, pretty soon it won't be an AP forum anymore.

[lovingmommyhood]

Originally Posted by Daffodil 

Gentle discipline is just what you thought it might be: a "no hitting/try not to scream/respect your child's developmental stage strategy of discipline."  I think it makes sense to have a forum just for discipline, since a lot of the questions people want to ask aren't specific to a certain age, but are more about general philosophy or methods.  I could agree that there's probably no need for whole forums about babywearing or co-sleeping, but I wouldn't move them into a section that might as well be called "Weird Ideas That Are Too Far Out There for All But the Ultra-Crunchy."  I'd just get rid of them and let people ask questions about those things in the baby and toddler forums.  Though there's something to be said for having prominently displayed forums with titles like The Family Bed or Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy.  It makes it clear that those ideas are a big part of MDC.  If MDC attracts a lot of new people by pretending it's not an AP forum, pretty soon it won't be an AP forum anymore.

I don't frequent the co-sleeping or gentle discipline or the case against circumcision very often but when I have a question it's handy to know right where to go...

[lach]

Hmm, see I think discipline is hugely age dependent.  The way I discipline my 2 year old is very different from how I discipline my almost 4 year old, and way different from how I'd discipline an 8 year old or a 15 year old.  The causes are completely different, too: my 2 year old mainly needs to control his hitting/throwing/biting impulses, and my 4 year old's infractions are more purposeful and usually involve doing something that I specifically told her not to do.  I would hope that the UA agreement is still such that posters would not be allowed to give advice that is not "gentle."  That is something I definitely take very seriously.  So I think the gentle discipline forum should go, and people should just ask questions relating to the child's age.

Part of this solution is that we want forums to be fast moving, because that makes people stick around and read all the new posts.  It also adds an urgency and vibrancy to the site.  So having fewer forums should hopefully speed things up.

I think a mission statement at the top would get MDC's point across.  I think having a slow moving forum about toddlers who kick you in the head all night long and wake up every 2 hours is not the best advertisement for MDC. Honestly, some of the ideas therin are weird.  EC?  Weird to most people.  I think people who practice EC are cool with that, and happy to espouse its perks to anyone interested but still aware that it's a fringe practice in the US.  I think these forums are a valuable resource, which is why I kept them, but I also think that they're niche and slow moving.  I think that mothers who want to use those forums already know that MDC is their go-to message board, so that's another reason I think they're fine at the bottom.  

Part of the reason that list is so hodgepodge is because I didn't want any 2rd level forums.  I think it's distracting and confusing.  Just forums listed by type, no subforums of forums.  Which is why, for example, unassisted childbirth is there: I think people who are interested in UC will still get value in the pregnancy and birth forums, but I don't think that forum makes sense up in the pregnancy section because I think it would be confusing for people who are saying "but what about my hospital birth?  Where's the section for that?"  It also is about both pregnancy AND birth, which confuses matters.  I did get rid of the homebirth forum, because I'd really like the Birth and Beyond forum to be welcoming to both hospital and birth center and home births.  I think they're all valid choices, and anyone who picks one can learn valuable information from people who made other choices.

[lach]

Here's one way not to drive off members: don't post threads in the Adoptive and Foster Parenting board soliciting donations for Pat Robertson.

I've been in here, giving MDC another chance, sad to see what was once a thriving community fade away, but really I think this is the last straw.  Based on this "partnership" with such a vile man, the race baiting facebook posts, and allowing such disgusting homophobic remarks to stand, it's really obvious how MDC intends to resurrect itself, and that's not something I'm interested in being involved in, even in a jokey "this is what you should do!" way.

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by lach 

Here's one way not to drive off members: don't post threads in the Adoptive and Foster Parenting board soliciting donations for Pat Robertson.

I've been in here, giving MDC another chance, sad to see what was once a thriving community fade away, but really I think this is the last straw.  Based on this "partnership" with such a vile man, the race baiting facebook posts, and allowing such disgusting homophobic remarks to stand, it's really obvious how MDC intends to resurrect itself, and that's not something I'm interested in being involved in, even in a jokey "this is what you should do!" way.

Wait-- Mothering did that?

[Ornery]

Yes they did.  And now they are being disingenuous by stating that the ad is probably not one Mothering should host and shutting down my thread about their support of a known racist and homophobe.

And yet - here it still is:  http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1317445/he-calls-me-mama

I am appalled.

[AllyRae]

A little late to the party, but as for this...
 

Originally Posted by Cascadian 

I think a private, secure, paid site (like the one I used when I was pregnant) might alleviate privacy issues. I radically cut down on posting anything vaguely identifiable or personal.

Sorry, but it's not true.  I belong to a "private secure paid site" and know for a fact that there is an offshoot snark site about it that members who actually paid to be on the private site started and maintain.  People who spend so much time engaged in petty snark usually will pay to get their scoop, much like people who buy the National Enquirer.  What you post on the internet has the potential to be taken and misused, no matter where you posted it.  There are always jerks...and often times, jerks have money to spend to get their fix.  Please don't let your guard down just because you think paid = private.

[limabean]

Originally Posted by Ornery 

Yes they did.  And now they are being disingenuous by stating that the ad is probably not one Mothering should host and shutting down my thread about their support of a known racist and homophobe.

And yet - here it still is:  http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1317445/he-calls-me-mama

I am appalled.

Yes, they appear to have taken down the thread in Adoptive Parenting, but this one is still up. I'm disgusted. 

[cloe]

Apparantly so. Having being a member since 2004 I am too jumping ship. The direction that mothering has gone endorsing this type of crap has ensured that members like myself can no longer justify coming here. Enjoy your Pat Robertson biggoted swill.