Posting Guidelines and Rules

[flowermama]

"No linking whatsoever to Christian discussion boards where punitive mothers go for support" was removed from 18 and is now is part of a new rule -- number 19.

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18. No posting live links to sites that violate our statement of parenting beliefs (example: sites that promote CIO or punitive parenting). You can easily break such links by adding a space after www. -- example http://www. gentlechristianmothers.com/mb. Please Note: Posting live links to all other sites (that are appropriate to be linked-to on GCM), including those that violate our statement of faith, is acceptable.

19. Out of respect for other online communities and to stay true to the purpose of GCM, no linking to other message boards or encouraging GCM members to participate in debates or controversial discussions elsewhere online.

[flowermama]

Okay, let's make it an even 20. This is one we've meant to add for a little while now. We had something similar regarding PM's on the old board, but we never had a rule posted here on this board, so without future ado, here is rule number 20...

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20. Discussions outside of the GCM Statement of Beliefs should not be carried out via GCM's PM system, and please do not solicit emails on topics that contradict the Statement of Beliefs.

[flowermama]

Number nine changed from this:

9. If you announce on the board that you are leaving (or if you ask to have your account removed), your account will be deactivated within 24 hours, at which time your "good-bye" thread (if you have one) will be locked. If your account is deactivated, you may ask to have it reactivated again, but please note that when an account is deactivated, membership to MBA forums will be removed and your post count reset to 0 (though your posts will still be there).

to this:

9. If you announce on the board that you are leaving (or if you ask to have your account removed), your "good-bye" thread (if you have one) will be locked, and your account will be deactivated within 24 hours. If your account is deactivated, you may ask to have it reactivated, but please note that when an account is deactivated membership to MBA forums will be removed, and access will be restored at the discrection of the administration.

[flowermama]

Changed siggy line rule number seven from this:

You may put a link (text only -- not using a graphic) to your website in your signature line, but we reserve the right to ask you to remove it if it is a link to a site that promotes things which are against our statement of beliefs.

to this:

You may put a link (text only -- not using a graphic) to your website, including personal WAHM websites, in your signature line, but we ask that you not put partnered revenue-linked sites in your signature line.  We reserve the right to remove or ask you to remove it if it is a link to a site that promotes things which are against our statement of beliefs.

[flowermama]

21. No sharing Personal Messages (PM's) with another person without the author's permission unless there is a need to report it for violating board guidelines.

[flowermama]

Added this to signature line guidelines:
6. You may add a graphic of your name -- no bigger than 150 pixels wide x 45 pixels high -- in your signature line.

[flowermama]

7. Post your messages in the proper forums, and only post them once. Do the best you can at choosing the proper forum, and an admin or mod will move it if we feel that it might fit better in another forum.

That rule was split into two rules as follows:

7. Post posts only once. No cross-posting (x-posting) the same post in mulitiple forums. Also, no making posts directing others to a thread you started in another forum -- that is considered to be a x-post. When a post is x-posted, one of the x-posts will be removed and x-posted threads will be combined if approriate.

8. Start threads in the proper forum. For example, posts about breastfeeding go in the Breastfeeding forum, posts about food prep go in the Cookbook forum, posts about your toddler go in the Little Explorers forum, etc. Which forum is the best fit can be subjective, so do the best you can, and an admin or mod will move it if we feel that it might fit better in another foum.

[flowermama]

Removed this rule:
17. Should you wish to post photographs of your children to the board, please do so only in non-public forums. (Public forums are those which can be seen by non-members and are labeled "*public*"; all the others are considered "non-public.")

It was removed because a modification was added to the board that makes it so that one has to be logged in in order to view images posted in threads.

[flowermama]

edited signature line rules to say that "'Ticker pictures' (images attached to tickers) are allowed."

[flowermama]

Today I added this:

To those who are reading this prior to filling out your application to join the GCM community: Please note that lying on your application will be grounds for immediate banning.

[flowermama]

I just added number 22:

No posts harshly dissecting parenting moments of others since we desire to humbly cultivate a heart attitude of grace and not judgment towards other mamas. We all struggle at times as parents and have much to learn, and GCM's focus is to provide tools and information for each of us to parent more effectively. Posts voicing some frustration regarding choices made by others can be okay, but it needs to be within the overall context of seeking understanding or ideas for better responses in the future.

[flowermama]

Today number six was changed from this. . .

6. No trolling, spamming, or flaming. SPAM and commercial postings will be deleted. A text link to your website in your signature line is fine.

to this. . .

6. No trolling, spamming, or flaming. SPAM and commercial postings will be deleted including links to websites that pay you for directing people to their site. A text link to your website in your signature line is fine.

[flowermama]

I added to number 11 and 19 for clarification purposes. Please note that to help show what was changed, I've put the changes in blue.

Changed this:
11. No posting copyrighted materials to the board -- brief excerpts allowed, except do not post posts from other message boards or from mailing lists (see copyright policy below).

to this:
11. No posting copyrighted materials to the board -- brief excerpts allowed, except do not post posts from other message boards, from mailing lists, or from blogs (see copyright policy below).

Changed this:
19. Out of respect for other online communities and to stay true to the purpose of GCM, no linking to other message boards or encouraging GCM members to participate in debates or controversial discussions elsewhere online.

to this:
19. Out of respect for other online communities and to stay true to the purpose of GCM, no linking to other message boards or encouraging GCM members to participate in debates or controversial discussions elsewhere online, including blogs.

[flowermama]

Small update in sigline rule for blinky size. Changed sigline rule two from this:

2. You may put up to three small blinkies in your signature line (choose blinkies no bigger than 150 width and 24 height).

back to this (re-added the word "approximately"):

2. You may put up to three small blinkies in your signature line (choose blinkies no bigger than approximately 150 width and 24 height).

Initially when the rule was made back in the summer of 2005 it didn't say "approxiately," but sometime toward the end of 2005 or so the word "approximately" was added. Somehow, sometime that word got removed (and I can't figure out how or why it got removed). I guess I must have accidentally removed it or something? Anyway, so I've added it back. Please do try to choose blinkies which are no bigger than 150 width and 24 height, but if your favorite blinky is a few pixels bigger, we'll understand.

[flowermama]

This was added today:

To help other members feel welcome to respond in threads, avoid putting a member's name in your subject line when seeking feedback from a specific member. Instead consider either PMing her with your question or (if you also want input from others) posting and then PMing her letting her know about your post and that you would value her response.