Milk and Cookies Moderating

Is Mom in the house?

[Marcia]

At times there are discussions that take place around about how different forums have different styles and emphasis, which can largely be due to the nature and composition of the core user base - and their needs. I started thinking about this in terms of forum moderation, and realized that there's such a thing that could be called "milk and cookies moderating."

The analogy is that kids are capable of coming home after school and getting their own milk and cookies for an afternoon snack, but there's something about Mom being there that somehow makes the house seem more like a home, warmer and more inviting.

Regardless of the primary user base and demographic, as in the case of webmasters, for example, who can be with agencies or in-house (where they've got built in OTJ co-workers to relate to) or individual practitioners working alone, whose needs are different, as it relates to forums, having a steady, visible moderator presence is something like finding Mom there when coming home, making the environment seem more inviting, comfortable and warm.

That isn't at all the same thing as a "wait 'til your father gets home" environment with sternly enforcing the rules in a punitive way, where the feeling would be like getting taken out to the woodshed with a switch, which would be the direct opposite of Mary Poppins Moderating [webmasterworld.com]. I've experienced that and seen that, and personally stay away from environments like that.

What I'm thinking about has nothing to do with bright posts or personal expertise; it's more like mods contributing toward creating a warm, inviting community environment that's kind of like a home with a friendly, familiar face waiting at the door. Regardless of other positive factors, I think it's borne out that this kind of attitude and participation was built in to the foundations of what we can see have developed into burgeoning online communities.

All that kind of moderating takes is a commitment to the growth of the community, an appreciation for its worth and that of its members, and showing respect for them and their needs. Just like Mom!

[rogerd]

There's little doubt that a nurturing environment will help new members feel comfortable posting and induce them to become regular participants. All too many forums will greet a newcomer with welcomes like, "Try searching past threads, noob!" A moderator can set the tone with a warm welcome and in general posting in a manner that's helpful and non-threatening.

Even we guys should aspire to be Mr. Moms... :)

[aj100]

Hi Im new here. Trying to learn the rules, spoken and unspoken.

Another forum I belong to, there is a nuturing of new members a welcoming from the forum moderator and other forum members to all that join. Give them a feeling of camaraderie, we're glad your here. As you say an appreciation of its members. Every post no matter how trivial or repeated gets a friendly response.

All they have to do to receive this kind of welcome is either register, you do not have to even make a post, there is a welcome forum just for this, but even if you just make a guest posting, you will get a warm welcome glad your here, tell us more response.

Some forums I have seen a post is made by a new member, like myself and is either ignored, a somewhat snide remark is made or as you said the person is told to research it on their own, we have discussed that topic to death and will not entertain you with a decent discussion of that topic anymore, or a sort of a dont bother us we have better things to discuss, or we have our own click your not allowed. Promoting the so called non-poster and then the big question of why cant we grow this forum, How do we get people to post and not just lurk.

If you don feel welcomed would you stay, would you post?

best wishes
aj