Just a thought: It is so much less busy now than it used to be here.

[BusynMember]

And I'm talking about over ten, maybe even eight years ago when General Conduct Disorders was the busiest forum...maybe now struggling mothers don't think this is a hellpful place to post about their younger kids? And PE was busy, but not the busiest. And we had a forum for children under five, although it wasn't that busy.

Just seems like it is slow now with very few regular posters.

I am sad about that. This was a kick arse forum for General (younger kids) as well as adult kids at one time. I wonder why it isn't anymore. The focus seems to be solely on adult kids and people don't stay like they once did. Very few of us left...Insane Candian is one. Nancy and Kathy. May be the ONLY ones. What happened to ALL the many young mothers with young kids who posted on General????

Just my thoughts and wondering why. But not answers necessary. but if you're an oldster check in. And if you are a lurking parent of a 2-17, I'd love to hear why you don't post.

Thanks to all.

 

[InsaneCdn]

I've often wondered the same thing. I haven't been here as long as you, but when I first got here, this was a 24/7 place - it didn't matter what time someone posted, there were others around. Now... we can go all day and have no activity, sometimes.

We may not be hitting the search engines the same way we used to. Beyond that, I'm not sure... it would be nice to get back to "busy" around here again. There just HAS to be more of us out there somewhere, with difficult, challenging, or impossible kids.

 

[GoingNorth]

Social media may have played a role. Another factor is the increasingly religious/social work sort of tone of newer posters which I think has driven away a lot of the older posters.

That's a shame as we've lost a lot of posters who had a lot to offer.

 

[SuZir]

I feel that tone of the forum has changed from practical and world weary to more philosophical and spiritual. That may not feel so relevant to parents of younger kids who are middle of very hands on parenting.

And lack of parents middle of it all and giving very practical answers and sharing the same situation of course does not attract other parents middle of it.

I guess it is normal for boards to evolve. But while I have been registered only few years I was a long time lurker and I too find it a shame that the aspect I originally found here and for which I stayed seems to be gone now. That feel of getting help to solve your kids issues instead of just finding peace of mind with having a kid with issues.

 

[BusynMember]

GN, I disagree on the religious part. Weve always had religious folks, mosily on PE. In fact we used to call our difficult kids Gifts From God. And the board was hopping with new posts many times a dai, mostly in General.

I do think you hit on a good point with social media as they have groups like this too. Perhaps a forum like this is no longer in style. BUT we do have so many liukers. They just dont post.

 

[GoingNorth]

Well, we'll agree to disagree on that one, SWOT. What also seems to be happening is that as people "out grow" the board, we are not getting new people to replace them.

We need to ask ourselves why the swing towards FOO as well. Obviously, it fulfills a desperate need, but could that be turning off potential users?

 

[BusynMember]

Suzir, you were not here back then, but the younger childrens forum was NOT spiritual or philosophical at all ever. It was good old fashion common sense advice. pE is a different animal...we cant help our kids anymore. Young children can and are still legally able to get help for us.

 

[GoingNorth]

No, the board for the fiver and younger set was loaded with common sense advise, and so was the general board. I date back to around 04,IIRC

 

[SuZir]

SWOT: I was, but lurking. And I did indeed mean, that this used to be very practical and world weary forum and now it feels more philosophical and spiritual. I apologise if my English betrayed me and I didn't get that right.

 

[BusynMember]

Gn. I agree that some have outgrown the board. Many of the kids got better. The oldsters with young children are not being replaced. I spent my early days in General, and, really, I didn't look at any other forums because they didnt pertain to my situation. Like I never posted or read Natural Remedies and barely knew it was there.

I think the social media and groups on Facebook is a very possible reason it is also more anonymous. On open sites, anyone can read. On FB you can decide who reads the post or even if the group is visible at all to anybody else. I dont like how anyone at all can read this and that there is no way to block out even ourvery old posts.

Maybe that is another reason. Facebook and privacy settings did not exist back in the day.

 

[BusynMember]

Suzir, you may well be very right and that would be a good reason. And, yes, maybe it is too spiritual now rather than practical.

GN, perhaps I am wrong and you are right after all. Too much non practical and more spiritual just does not help everyone. I tried to delete the post above this one, but I couldnt. I think my above post was wrong.

 

[GoingNorth]

I think I used "religious" when in fact, I should've used "spiritual". In fact, the spiritual aspect could actually turn off a lot of followers of more conservative faiths (NOT politically conservative, religiously conservative, such as Conservative Jews, for example).

I was here and watched that develop and was glad to see it evolve into a seperate board as for a while it seemed like a few people were taking over the direction of the board. That period coincided with the loss of a lot of members, though I do not have enough data to say that it was cause of that loss or jjust coincidentally happened around the same time.

 

[BusynMember]

I think the board was better when the focus was on younger kids. Jmo

 

[GoingNorth]

I felt like i could contribute more when it was younger kids as I'd been through so much of what parents were dealing with, myself.

At the same time, I can contribute my drugs expertise and my pet expertise,but this is really about the kids and their parents.

 

[BusynMember]

Well, im past the small kid age too. But many lurkers must have youg kids.

 

[GoingNorth]

From what I see in the outside world, there are still plenty of autistic and behaviorally disordered children out there who could benefit from their parents seeking help here..if only so their parents didn't feel so horribly alone and like failures at parenting.

 

[Calamity Jane]

I sure miss old timers like Star and Buddy, and many others that don't seem to post anymore.

 

[BusynMember]

Very few post regularly anymore.

 

[GoingNorth]

Star has, to all extents and purposes, disappeared. Buddy is doing well.

 

[BusynMember]

Yep. many stay in touch in other ways ithink this is just how its going to be from now on. I dont think well get the high volume we once had for many reasons. Sad about that, but things change.