[momie2b9-20-11]

I need help!!! I'm currently the only host and am trying my best to try and keep this board afloat. But, I want the members to also enjoy this board and want to come and participate. So, I'm asking for help. Please Please Please give me some thoughts ideas, tips, ect... that you would like to possibly see on this board. I've been trying to keep up with the photo contest but very few seem interested. I'd like to try and keep it going but I need the participation. But, I really don't mind shutting down the letter photo contest if you all think it's a bad idea. I want everyone here to enjoy our playroom and take part as much as possible because they enjoy it. So.... please give me your thoughts and ideas as to what you want to see or what you want done.

Don't be bashful - I'll try and take advice Criticize , whatever you may have for me. Just want and need your opinions as we're all here together

Thanks in advance!!

[Mom2twolittlemen]

Photo contests are fun!
I think doing one letter every other month and maybe on the off month do a theme. Like highchair photos. Or carseat photos. Or in the summer..... summer photos. Just keeping it basic makes it easier for people to participate. How long are you allowing for submission?

PS I think your doing a great job!

You're doing great!

[momie2b9-20-11]

Thanks ladies! For the letter G photo submissions it was open almost a month before I finally got the contest together and still very few submissions. I don't mind changing things up a bit with the contests. I can do that easily. I'll change the letter H into a different theme.

I'm just trying to keep the board rolling and doing things that everyone enjoys.

[Leogirl]

I think you are doing a great job! I'm just not big on photo contests because i'm not huge about putting photos online in a public forum.

[x.mary.x]

You're a great host! I really need to come out of lurkdom more often. I was checking out another PR earlier and they do a different photo theme everyday. Something simple like.. post a photo of baby in their cutest outfit. Or one of baby smiling, baby's sad face, baby showing their little teeth, baby eating, baby with their favorite toy, baby and mommy, baby and daddy, etc.. I LOVE posting pictures (who doesn't like showing off their little cutie!?) but with the letter ones, I have a hard time coming up with something. They're still awesome and I'll do them when I can, I'm just not very creative lol. I think the other board was doing the picture post thing for 30 days or something.. because obviously, it would be hard to come up with something new everyday for much longer than that. Also, a thread for something like monthly stats and pictures. Hmm... baby superlatives? You post the superlative like, say.. biggest smile, most hair, least hair, prettiest eyes, cutest nose, silliest expression, saddest sad face, etc.. then post them all together and make a poll and let people vote for who they think should win. I think all my suggestions involve pictures lol. Question of the day maybe? Hmm.. since there are new people here now, we could do a reintroduction of ourselves. That's all I've got lol.

[ashj_1218]

It's hard. I am a host of the oct 11 Pr and we are DEAD All of our members are on Facebook and so few come to the room to talk or participate.

So I think you are doing a great job keeping this room moving. I actually used to particpate in more photo stuff, but on my iPad it is harder to get pictures up. So I don't often play anymore. I'll try to get back on my laptop more often!

[green eyes]

I think you're doing a great job, but I wish people still gave advice like they did when we were pregnant. Being a first time mom, I have a lot of questions and it seems like 3/4 of the time I ask a question I only get maybe 2 responses. And I appreciate those 2 responses, I do, but I don't understand why more people don't chime in with their advice and experience.

Photo contests, polls, talk about our personal lives and other social stuff is fun, but it seems like that's all anybody responds to anymore. And I guess I'm looking for more information from everyone about parenting techniques and strategies, purchasing decisions, our babies' development.... you know? But that's just my .02, maybe I'm the odd duck.

[momie2b9-20-11]

I can try and start doing threads about more baby related things but I'm not always good at starting those as they seem to be geared more towards me and raising Kynsleer (like bfing, or a phase she's going through, or things like that) so it's sometimes easier to let each mom post a topic about what question they have in mind. I agree that things sometimes don't get many responses but not everyone can always relate either - KWIM? And, often some of the topics I post get very little or no response but I keep trying to keep the board moving. I agree because as a FTM myself I often have ?'s also. I try and keep things general but so hard. And, I think part of it is hard as I'm the only host currently and don't always think of questions as some PR's have up to 3 hosts to think up ?'s.

If you can think of some specific ?'s or specific ideas you'd like to see PM me with them and I'll try and see something similar is started.

I personally like personal and social things as a lot of my RL friends don't live close to me or the ones that are don't have kids around Kynslee's age and so I like coming on here and 'chatting' with other moms.

Thanks for the tip - I'll try and remember that

[green eyes]

I know what you mean- it is hard! Honestly, I don't have a lot of ideas for specific questions so it's certainly not a criticism of you, more just a general issue I've been having. And there are times that I think, "Oh I should post this on JM and see what other people think" but then by the time I can get to it, I'm like, "Wait- what was I going to ask?" Baby brain!

But I would just throw out there that I would encourage people to go ahead and respond to a post, even if you don't have directly related experience. I know there are some things that are specific to EBF moms, or boys/girls, but it's still perfectly fine to comment! Share something you read, or that your friend or sister experienced or something your doctor told you. Anything that stimulates a discussion and maybe a new perspective is certainly a positive!

[momie2b9-20-11]

I didn't take it as personal criticism as I agree with you. I'd like to see more baby related things also as that's what this is - a PR of mom's with babies. Yes, I sometimes will find things that can in a way apply to me though a topic of FF moms when I bf - it's just not directly related. I sometimes comment on things from what a friend or someone else as told me in hopes that it'll help someone else. I agree - all comments are nice and also helps us First Time Moms.

[applejacks]

I think you are doing a great job. There just don't seem to be as many moms around now as when we were expecting. I know some people are busy, that's why I don't get on more often. And I think a lot of moms spend time on other boards or on facebook. It would be nice if more people got on here more often, but I don't think it is anything that you are doing. There does seem to be a little more activity lately though. Sorry I'm no help.

[Babymakes8]

Originally Posted by green eyes

I think you're doing a great job, but I wish people still gave advice like they did when we were pregnant. Being a first time mom, I have a lot of questions and it seems like 3/4 of the time I ask a question I only get maybe 2 responses. And I appreciate those 2 responses, I do, but I don't understand why more people don't chime in with their advice and experience.

Photo contests, polls, talk about our personal lives and other social stuff is fun, but it seems like that's all anybody responds to anymore. And I guess I'm looking for more information from everyone about parenting techniques and strategies, purchasing decisions, our babies' development.... you know? But that's just my .02, maybe I'm the odd duck.

This! I'd like to see more posts from the other mom's regarding what their kids are doing now, how development is going, advice for those of us that have frustrations or concerns.



I wish it was more chatty in general I guess. lol

[momie2b9-20-11]

There has been several posts about milestones and what our LO's are doing right now and I've been trying to keep on top of that. If anyone has any questions/comments about frustrations, concerns, or developments, or anything baby - post them and so we all can hear them and hopefully get more moms involved.

I also wish too that others were more chatty but can't always when busy. I try and start a chat thread each month but this month has been pretty slow with just chatting in general about anything and everything. There hasn't been much chatting there this month.

[Hazel]

I must admit I tend not to respond to the daily question-type posts because it feels kinda like we all answer a list of questions and I prefer the more interactive threads where we chat or discuss something back and forth. Does that make sense? I am a little tired this morning so that may make sense only to me

Sometimes I don't respond to a thread because it is hard to type one-handed LOL

[momie2b9-20-11]

I know what you mean about typing one-handed - lol!! It seems like most of the time when I'm on here I'm bfing or holding Kynslee as I just got done feeding her and want to hold her.

I'm going to try a mixture of QOTD and regular posts right now and see how that does and what I may go with in the future. I'm just trying to keep things moving and possibly try and bring some mommy's back that are lurking or still on JM but not involved in our PR anymore.