Why Do Only Family/kids Questions Get Answers?

***Looks around at website. Notices it's a mommy forum.*****

I guess I kinda presumed we were supposed to be talking about parenting stuff

For the most part, everyone on here has a family/kids. Not everyone is going to have a pimple on their butt so you're asking a much smaller audience.

I think because family/kids is something we all have history with.
I try to answer the questions when I feel I have something to add but I don't want to just answer to answer and not be helpful.

Probably because we have more experience with crazy family but not all of us get zits on our butts.

Ally, don't take this the wrong way but you really wonder? I will answer any of those questions that are from my little corner of St Louis but beyond that I haven't a clue where you might want to take ballet in Houston.

I'm sorry - I disagree with you. There have been PLENTY of times where answers have been given about "non-family" issues...

I personally haven't experienced a pimple on my butt...or are you upset because only ONE person answered your uterine cyst question? I'm sorry - I don't have experience with that either...

I only answer, if I have an answer.

I also do not answer, if my answer has already been given.. Of course sometimes by the time i type it.. 3 others may have answered it the same way.

Sorry, if you feel this website is not any help to you.

I haven't noticed that. People post and respond to non family/parenting related questions all the time.
Sorry you didn't get more answers re your cyst question, have you tried webmd, or the mayoclinic.com?

I always feel bad about the newbies looking for recommendations in a certain city or area like "looking for a good ballet studio for my 3 yr old" or "need the name of a good 4th grade tutor". As legit as their questions are, they hardly ever get responses. I've always wondered about that.

Jo, don't take this the wrong way but you didn't understand my statement. Read it again and you will soon see the light. Or maybe get off mamapedia for a while and give yourself a break.

Well ya! I'm not going to say I also have a pimple on my butt. That is to embarrassing. Not to mention I would then have to go into a description of how to place a mirror at an angle to be able to see it. Oh, then to twist and attempt to pop that puppy while balancing on one foot with the other leg in the air and a sharp object weaving between. It's making my head hurt just thinking about it. In-laws are much easier targets as are unfit parents.

I only answer bodily problem questions if I actually know something about it. Not having much experience with bodily problems, myself, I know very little on most of those topics.

I have never had a uterine cyst, and I don't know anyone who has (to my knowledge) had one. Wish I had something helpful to tell you, but I don't.

Family and kids are things which everyone experiences, and about which everyone has an opinion on, because anyone can. Its that easy.

If its about the thing on the other thing, or about cooking, or politics, or yellow-pages like questions, then its a much smaller audience. And plus there is no guarantee that small audience is checking that post this very day.

Happens! :)

Well...they do call it "MAMApedia!"

But I certainly will answer anything that I'm somewhat qualified to answer

Well, just as an offhanded thought. This website is marketed as a place for Mom's. I imagine that is why most people are here.

I have noticed that. Know what else I've noticed? That people's fingers fly faster for a troll than a real legit question. Just another observation.

It's the nature of the site.
Most will not answer if they have no experience with what ever the question is about.
Google's great for looking stuff up.

Well, mamapedia is a parenting site, so that's the primary focus here. People post medical questions that are not really suited to a parenting forum, and they're often posting about those at wierd hours (like when their doctor isn't here). Right now, I see posts about PCOS and mortgage credits that have answers. Also - certain things have a definite answer, like, "If a bone is sticking out of my foot, should I go to the ER?" but questions like, "What's a good birthday present for a 5 year old boy?" can have many good answers.

Because we're (mostly) all parents here and have been through whatever parenting issue that's being discussed. But, I have to disagree with you. Lots of other questions, that are unrelated to kids/family/parenting get a good amount of answers.

It's common sense, really - if some questions don't get answered, it's because the audience for that topic, such as butt pimples, or uterine cysts, is smaller.

It's fun to answer the Jerry Springer type questions along with the serious ones. And I agree it depends on the time, the day of the week, and the particular crowd at any given hour on what we end up with.

There are two kinds of answers - the fast and easy ones, and the hard, thought out ones.

Who knows which you'll get on a given day at a given time? Just depends on the audience and how much time or energy they have.

Dawn

Medical/body questions are more specific - we're not all doctors, and we don't all have experience with that stuff, so not as many answers.

General parenting questions get more answers because they are general.

I'm selective I'll admit it. If I don't think I can help I won't answer, if it pissed me off I will start to answer then "cancel"...or if it really gets me going I will put my opinion in.

If I read a question and don't feel I can help I usually just move on. It doesn't mean their question isn't valid...I just don't think it's for me to answer. I don't see many that go unanswered.

I disagree as well. I see a wide range of questions, most that have nothing at all to do with children or parenting, that get answered on here all the time. In fact, I don't usually answer the parenting questions....I usually go for the random questions...like this one :)

I only answer questions I have some kind of experience with, knowledge of or have an informed opinion on. Sometimes I will go reading answers to something I have no idea about just to learn what others have to say about it but don't post on those because I have nothing to offer.
I am not a doctor and I can not diagnose medical issues over the Internet for someone I have never seen or met. I will sometimes offer opinions on what you might want to look in to if it sounds like something I have heard of or seen before so when you go to see your doctor you can mention it in case the doctor overlooks something. I will offer suggestion if it's something like your child has a stuffy nose and can't sleep at night or something like that but I always indicate that if there is really a worry or it doesn't get any better that a trip to the doctor is needed and not rely on people on an online website.

Because for the most part, it's all relative. This is a "M." site and so most of us can relate to children, parenting, in-law and family issues. Not all of us can relate to random items. Now if you went to a related board, like dermatology or medical, I get a bazillion people would answer your pimple on the butt question. But these people may no nothing about parenting and may not answer a family question.

I asked a financial Q once and got two responses. I went to a "credit" message board and got a ton.

Unable to answer Disney World,places to go in your city state your vacationting at,crazy in-laws well fun to read but i'd rather hold my comments since they aren't crazy and I have no experience.But my crazy busy life as a sahm with 4 kids ya i'll take a shot and respond,also L&D's been ther done that so i'll post what I went throgh and go through some what if's.No biggie if I don't receive many posts for the ?'s I ask

I don't think that's accurate at all. But I don't have, say, pimples on my butt....or perhaps something doesn't interest me so I breeze over it. In general, we answer what we know answers to....or things that interest us. Being parents, family/kid stuff interests us, and we have some experience and knowledge we deem worth sharing. Pretty obvious and easy to understand, I'd think.

When you say family, that's a very broad term. I see a lot of relationship (boyfriend/girlfriend) questions answered. I guess if they are living in the same household, most would consider that family.

Also, some questions can relate to 90% of the M.'s on the site, but other questions like a particular illness only relate to 10%.

Sorry, I disagree too. When I look back at the questions I answer there are many that deal with family and kids, but that's the larger majority of the questions asked on here. I've answered lots of questions about random other things.

I also try to answer questions that I feel like I have experience to share or something constructive to say, so that would rule out some things like, "where can I find a good eye doctor in xyz city..."

And, you're always going to get more answers from questions that are asking an opinion rather than a specific fix, because though someone may or may not have experience with a situation, most people like to express their opinion anyway...

Ive noticed the same thing... but usually its only Mother/Family/Pareting related. Most post that get off track aren't usually answered much.

You are right!! I always look at the # of answers a question has when I'm scrolling down the questions list. Then you know what the hot topic of the hour is!!