What Do You Like Most About the WTM Forums?

[kalphs]

This week's question is "What do you like most about the WTM Forums?"

[mytwomonkeys]

i love the diverse topics & how active the forums are.

[LibraryLover]

That one can see a thread go from two posts to 23 'pages' in a matter of minutes. It's astounding how fast this board moves.

[KnitWit]

Diversity...on all topics

[Heather in WI]

The wisdom of homeschooling moms who have traveled this road ahead of us.

[Hedgehog]

The kindness and support I see extended and have received. :grouphug:

[Veritaserum]

Talking with and getting support from other homeachooling parents--especially as my kids get older! :)

[Whereneverever]

The wisdom and support.

[kalanamak]

Homeschool resources

Belly laughs

Gossip

 

In that order.

[Dawn in OH]

You can get an answer to almost ANY question here, whether it pertains to homeschooling or not, and fairly quickly. There's great advice and lot's of support. There's also less fighting and cattiness than I have seen at other forums and groups.

[PinkTulip]

I love this board because, although I am mostly a lurker, it makes me feel like I am not such a freak. That it's OK to make my children's education one of my highest priorities, to not allow video games, to want to eat mostly healthy / organic food, etc. That is all definitely not the norm where I live, and I feel so normal when I'm here.

 

Also, there are so many things I have learned from reading this board on a nearly daily basis for so many years that I have now incorporated into my life, too many for a definitive list, but they would include: Dyson vacuums, growing and canning a lot of my own food, Vitamin D supplements, info about dyslexia and help for my LD son, swine flu and vaccine info, Colonial Williamsburg, organic food, etc.

 

I don't post very often because I am pretty shy socially, but I have to say that I just love all of you!

[alpidarkomama]

I like that conversations RARELY devolve into name-calling and defensiveness. In a different forum I participate in you actually have to put a warning in your subject header if you're including the word "God" in your post, and threads often devolve into YUCK. (????!!!!) There is a great deal of respect on this board for the huge diversity of people that participate, and I have received so much inspiration and practical help. This board is AMAZING. :)

[DaffodilDreams]

the members

[MariannNOVA]

That one can see a thread go from two posts to 23 'pages' in a matter of minutes. It's astounding how fast this board moves.

 

Diversity...on all topics

 

The kindness and support I see extended and have received. :grouphug:

 

The wisdom and support.

 

Homeschool resources

Belly laughs

Gossip

 

In that order.

 

the members

 

All that I quoted above and EVERYTHING else that was shared.

 

I can come here (the general board) and pick and choose what I want to read -- I can come here feeling absolutely 'hsitty' and still find something that will make me smile. :)

 

And, I have met people here IRL and that is always such a huge thing!

[Tammyla]

Lots of traffic and so many voices.

[MBM]

I'm an afterschooler. What I like most:

 

Advice that trumps any I received from our schools.

Intelligent, thought-provoking and usually civil discussions.

The can-do attitude homeschoolers have.

[Mejane]

Lots of traffic and so many voices.

 

This. :001_smile:

[secular_mom]

The networking in general- we can come here to ask about ANYthing and will (usually) get at least one helpful response. Everyone is so willing to help others here, it's awesome.

[Mom in High Heels]

Everything! I love the support, the knowledge, the humor, the kindness and that we can chat about the craziest things.

It makes me feel more confident about my choices on hsing and I am crazy excited that someone has used the program I'm looking at it and give me their honest opinion.

I also LOVE that was can have differing opinions, but still be (mostly :D) civil to each other.

 

I'm really just in it for the gossip though. :lol:

[mytwomonkeys]

In a different forum I participate in you actually have to put a warning in your subject header if you're including the word "God" in your post, and threads often devolve into YUCK. (????!!!!)

 

i frequent a board like this. it's one of my absolute favorites, but in my 5,500 posts there i've probably only mentioned God a dozen times...it's is such a hot topic there!

[justamouse]

when I'm feeling contrary there's always someone else in the same mood and willing to play.

 

fer realz?

 

It's so huge that there's always someone with an opinion you've never heard before, or they've BTDT. That is *gold*.

[eternalknot]

I like the amount of traffic.

 

I belong to two other forums that get so much traffic that it's hard to keep up. That wasn't a problem before I went back to work LOL. I lurk at a third forum that moves so incredibly slowly it's hard to remember to keep up with it (even though it's got wonderful members with great information).

 

This board moves quickly enough to not stagnate, but not so fast that you have to check in every hour to keep up.

[Jenn in Mo]

I love the diversity of thought. I know many say that you can't change anyone's mind on here, but I have had my world expanded tremendously through the years and have definitely had to re-evaluate my stance on many topics. You gals (and guys) have changed my mind and helped me grow many times.

 

Maybe it will happen someday, but I can't yet imagine "hiding" a member I don't agree with. Yes, some annoy me. But I'm sure I annoy them, too. I still think I'm a better person for knowing you.

 

And, of course, I love the support, reassurance, and the laughs!

[TN Mama]

I love that before I started homeschooling and I had a million and one questions, people here gave me answers. Not only that, but they didn't call me an ignoramus!

 

I love that we are all different. We homeschool differently, have different political views, different religious views, different lives and yet we are still a community that works. And mostly gets along... :D

 

I love that I can come here and learn! Some of the best ideas come from you people. I've gotten great ideas for Christmas and how to handle any number of sticky situations. Oh, and it's nice to see how others think a math problem should be worked out.

 

I love the encouragement when there is a bad day or a difficult situation.

 

And I love that SWB listens to our cries. :lol: How fast did that logic stage sub-forum come about?

 

I love the humor of you people. I know I can count on getting a good laugh when I need it. I also love how we all look out for each other and offer our prayers and good thoughts to each other.

[Heather in AL]

Everything that has already been mentioned.

 

I spend way too much time here. :D I can't believe the things I've learned that have *nothing* to do with homeschooling, but that I find invaluable.

 

I just love coming here... it's like having conversations with friends; I check in when someone has problems to see if there have been updates, and I rejoice when someone has good news to share. I just wish I had the time to post on all the threads I want to.... I'd be way in the "thousands" of posts by now!! :lol::lol:

[KidsHappen]

The people, the support and the fact that you can get an answer to just about anything here.

[mamakori]

It's a wonderfully diverse group of intelligent, thoughtful homeschoolers. I've found some marvelous curriculum ideas here that I never would have encountered otherwise.

[littlebug42]

I have to say pretty much all of the above. I like being surrounded by people that have similar values to mine and I don't mean religiously. We all have similar reasons for doing what we do for our kids and that is good support to have. The members here can raise me up, talk me off a ledge and sometimes knock me down a peg, all of which I need from time to time. To me, that is the true spirit of friendship.

[pdalley]

1. The diversity. I can get opinions from people who think like me all day long. Sometimes that is NOT what I need at all.

 

2. The best reviews - bar none. I can - 9 times out of 10 - find someone who has used a product I'm interested in or a vendor and get a good feel for if that product will work for my family and how to tweak it.

 

3. Intelligent conversation about a wide variety of topics.

 

This is the best board on the web for schooling - IMO.

[wapiti]

As a wanna-be-homeschooler afterschooler, I greatly appreciate the breadth and depth of information here, on all topics, and the fact that y'all don't mind if I butt in :D

 

Seriously, if it weren't for this board, I highly doubt I'd have the courage to do what I'm doing (afterschooling and very seriously considering homeschooling one of them next year).

[Pretty in Pink]

It's so huge that there's always someone with an opinion you've never heard before

 

This. And everything else that was already mentioned. This place is all awesome and win in my book.

[kalphs]

What I like most about the WTM Forums is the "intelligent discussion" on the forums.

Members can use logic/reasoning to solve problems instead of emotions/feelings.

[idnib]

At one time I would have simply answered that I appreciated the amount of information regarding different programs the most.

 

Now, what I've come to like the most is the exposure to a more conservative way of thinking. Not that I've become more conservative, but I am quite liberal and am surrounded by people who are as well, plus I live in the most liberal area of the country. When I have attempted to educate myself about more conservative views in the past on other message boards it has always been a negative experience. Here, maybe because it's gently woven into homeschool-ish topics we have in common, or because people are just more reasonable and logical, I've really come to see where more conservative folks are coming from. And I appreciate that a lot.

 

But I'm not changing my mind! :tongue_smilie: (just kidding)

[Impish]

What do I like best? The people. :D

[Hunter's Moon]

Some other homeschooling forums I went on (I won't name names) they told me I shouldn't be on there because I wasn't a homeschooling parent. As far as I'm concerned, I'm still homeschooling, it's just that I'm homeschooling myself and not a child.

 

Anyways, the people on this forum have always been welcoming and supportive. That's what I like best about this forum :grouphug:

[idnib]

[=tigersgrowl1093;2196506]Some other homeschooling forums I went on (I won't name names) they told me I shouldn't be on there because I wasn't a homeschooling parent. As far as I'm concerned, I'm still homeschooling, it's just that I'm homeschooling myself and not a child.

 

 

Wow, that's crazy. :confused:

[mommaduck]

The diversity: of people, of opinion, of faith, of lifestyles, of where we live, etc. I like seeing different perspectives.

[mommaduck]

At one time I would have simply answered that I appreciated the amount of information regarding different programs the most.

 

Now, what I've come to like the most is the exposure to a more conservative way of thinking. Not that I've become more conservative, but I am quite liberal and am surrounded by people who are as well, plus I live in the most liberal area of the country. When I have attempted to educate myself about more conservative views in the past on other message boards it has always been a negative experience. Here, maybe because it's gently woven into homeschool-ish topics we have in common, or because people are just more reasonable and logical, I've really come to see where more conservative folks are coming from. And I appreciate that a lot.

 

But I'm not changing my mind! :tongue_smilie: (just kidding)

And see, I used to be in a very conservative area (since moved) and was very conservative...and this place has helped expose me to less conservative, and even downright liberal in some cases, views. Regardless of whether my view changes or not (usually something that has to happen over time anyhow), it gives me something to think about.

[Hikin' Mama]

from so many walks of life. I can come here and ask a question about anything and get it answered. Thanks!

[kalphs]

Some other homeschooling forums I went on (I won't name names) they told me I shouldn't be on there because I wasn't a homeschooling parent. As far as I'm concerned, I'm still homeschooling, it's just that I'm homeschooling myself and not a child.

 

Anyways, the people on this forum have always been welcoming and supportive. That's what I like best about this forum :grouphug:

Good for you Stephanie!

[bugs]

I love this board because, although I am mostly a lurker, it makes me feel like I am not such a freak. That it's OK to make my children's education one of my highest priorities, to not allow video games, to want to eat mostly healthy / organic food, etc. That is all definitely not the norm where I live, and I feel so normal when I'm here.

 

Also, there are so many things I have learned from reading this board on a nearly daily basis for so many years that I have now incorporated into my life, too many for a definitive list, but they would include: Dyson vacuums, growing and canning a lot of my own food, Vitamin D supplements, info about dyslexia and help for my LD son, swine flu and vaccine info, Colonial Williamsburg, organic food, etc.

 

I don't post very often because I am pretty shy socially, but I have to say that I just love all of you!

 

:iagree: What she said.

[Garga]

What do I like most?

 

That the board has totally changed me as a person.

 

I'm pretty logical and level headed. I used to think that my logic and level-headedness was steering me correctly. I figured (using my logic), that if I dispassionately considered something and came to a conclusion, that I was most likely correct.

 

Over the past 2 years of being on the board, I have learned that logic and level-headedness is great, but that it doesn't mean that my conclusion is the ONLY conclusion.

 

I just adore a thread that starts out with 2 pages of people agreeing with the OP, and I'm just SURE that there's no other point of view, (how could there possibly be another point of view--it all seems so clear :tongue_smilie:) and then someone comes on with a totally different point of view and SHE MAKES SENSE! She's logical and level-headed and completely different from me!

 

I love it when that happens.

 

I find myself being MUCH more compassionate in my dealings with other people, able to clearly see other people's points of view, more accepting of other people, and considering my words more carefully before I blurt out an opinion.

Edited November 20, 2010 by Garga

[Pretty in Pink]

I just adore a thread that starts out with 2 pages of people agreeing with the OP, and I'm just SURE that there's no other point of view, (how could there possibly be another point of view--it all seems so clear :tongue_smilie:) and then someone comes on with a totally different point of view and SHE MAKES SENSE! She's logical and level-headed and completely different from me!

 

I love it when that happens. Me, too (even when it happens in my own threads)!

 

I find myself being MUCH more compassionate in my dealings with other people, able to clearly see other people's points of view, more accepting of other people, and considering my words more carefully before I blurt out an opinion. Yes, this.

 

:001_smile:

[MSNative]

Have to add - I love the moderator. What a crazy job she has but she does it with grace - keeping the passionate posts, but deleting the truly insulting. Her sense of humor cracks me up. I love reading why she's deleted a thread - especially when you can tell she has had ENOUGH of our reindeer games. I get tickled imagining her and SWB sharing a bottle of wine and talking about some of our wilder posts. Truly, though, I think the job she does is a big part of what keeps these boards welcoming and an open place for diverse discussion. Thanks moderator!!!

[Mom0012]

I like the way it makes me feel connected to other moms even though many days I don't see or talk to anyone IRL except for my kids.

 

I also love all the information I can get so easily not only on curriculum, but health issues and parenting.

 

Lisa

[Word Nerd]

I enjoy the diversity of opinions and life experiences expressed, the high level of activity, the links to articles and stories I may not have come across otherwise, and the wit and intelligence of posters in general.