What's your ideal Blogging Baby?

My preferences

-less celebrity news, especially drives me batty when it has nothing to do with children or parents

- I like the studies that are posted but I do think more knowledge around research design could be an asset to the writers covering the studies. It would be nice to see critiquing of the studies, which I consider essential to anyone who is reporting study results.

- less blogging about cases of parents abusing their children. If you are going to blog about it, at least link to charities/organizations where people can donate/volunteer/send needed items to to try to help prevent child abuse or to help children who have been abused. Otherwise I think too many stories like that just upset people with no purpose.

- on that note I think a nice new regular feature could be blogging about charities and non-profit groups that work on the behalf of children and parents.

- another cool features could be city profiles. For example I could say that here in Edmonton cool things to do with kids include the Royal Alberta Museum, Fort Edmonton Park and the Telus World of Science. Just a paragraph featuring a major city with fun things to do with kids when traveling there. I think travel blogs probably have enough focus on restaurants that you should try, etc I would be specifically interested in unique places to take kids to for some fun.

- this one might be controversial and I don't really know how to put it gently, but I do feel like some topics are writers grasping at straws for a topic to blog on. Maybe other people love these posts but I get irritated when they are too many posts that aren't really informative or useful, posts like "my baby likes yogurt, does yours?" Obviously none are that silly and I don't mind some random observation threads but sometimes that is the majority of the recent posts.

- I also liked the blogs that were activities to do with kids, or recipies to try, things I could do with my kids at home or outside.

Good luck with sorting through all the feedback, I'm looking forward to what comes from it.

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oh and I forgot to add yes, yes, yes, more diversity, please! And I too miss Karen Walrond.

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These are all great comments - I like this thread!!

Another slight pet peeve of mine is that, IMO, altogether too much credibility is given at times to fringe opinions in blog posts here - the anti-science, pro-alternative medicine, anti-vax, anti-pharmaceutical, pro-atttachment, anti-Big Food, etc., themes get a bit heavy-handed. If these viewpoints are presented by "official" posts they need to be fully substantiated with lots of valid, authoritative references supplied in the post. Readers are often far too gullible and take these opinion pieces as factual evidence, which they're definitely not.

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Oops. I missed Will O'Brien when I was talking about the writers. Didn't realize he was still writing until I saw his post today.

Back to the comments. Maybe reverse order wouldn't be such a great idea but there should be a way to just click through to the last page for those of us who have already read the first 100 or so. If I use "control and end" it takes me down past the bottom ads which isn't much help.

I loved Dutch's comment. Have a great time sorting through all this.

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I agree that the site isn't real puurty to look at. I get a lot of pop-ups, etc. and it seems like I have to look past a lot of junk to read the articles. I also agree that the number of posts are great because you can pick and choose and see fresh, new posts all the time.

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I like multifacted topics and discussion best. Those are the tips I give most often as well.

I'm not big on the personal blog entries unless they raise a larger issue or are used as example. If I find a BB writer whose writing I like, I check out his/her personal site and read more there. When I get it here in my feed, unless it catches my eye as something relevant to my own experience (or serving a separate purpose), I skip it. I have about 20 entries or more per check of my feed & I try to keep moving.

I also bookmark a lot of the product reviews and "cool stuff/ideas" type entries.

Celebrity news... meh. I could give or take. I depends on the tidbit. Madonna adopting a baby? I can read that anywhere. A celebrity mom/dad simply talking about being a mom/dad? I'll read.

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I enjoy hearing about Nolan stories. Reminds me that we are all the same and regardless of money, race, status, parenting is the same for everyone. (except the rich and famous who have teams of nannies and cleaning crews and security....but maybe the employees of the rich and famous are bloggin about their charges lol) We all encounter the same issues. I like Kristin's approach. Telling of her experiences, then asking for comments suggestions etc. The personal posts are great. Thanks Kristin.

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Spring's idea about profiling cities is awesome. I second that one! :)

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I'm a busy, working mom. I spend between 11 and 12 hours out of the house a day and when I come home, my time is important to me.

The main reason I don't post much anymore is because of the email confirmation. It just takes too long for me to log into my email inbox, check it, wait, and hit the link. I think it'd be nice to have a system where you have a set user name and password, like typepad or something.

I do agree that a lot of the content here becomes way too political and too much of it doesn't relate to parenting. I'd like to see more personal stories from the bloggers themselves, and a little less plugola. I'm sick and tired of hearing about some new product, unless it's revolutionary or it's made the news for a recall or lawsuit. Also, as much as I, personally, find medical studies fascinating, I don't think it works for this site unless, of course, it's big news or there's some great real life story that relates to medical study XYZ.

The biggest strength the writers have here is their ability to write. Please don't lose sight of that. I can go to a half a dozen news aggregators and find 98% of the stories posted here but what keeps me coming back is the personal bent and the lyrical nature of the writing.

As for the GUI and readability aspects of the site, I never, ever read far enough down to even look at the footer, which is way too long. The menus along the right side of the page could easily become drop down menus. It takes to f-ing long to scroll through that stuff. A redesignThe star-reward concept is ridiculous...yes, it worked for a short while, but only for those who've been coming here forever...it does nothing to draw in new blood.

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I have to agree with Dutch.

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love the news updates, especially the medical/research type findings, as well as new articles on social issues in parenting as well. thanks!

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I would agree that I have enjoyed many of the news-related (not necessarily sensational) posts as well as the personal posts that can be categorized by age (I like to read what other people who have kids my age have to say about their experiences). I don't really care about the celebrity-stuff, but if other people enjoy it, who am I to care? I do like the amount of variety I find here with regard to topics and opinions and authors, keep up the good work!

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If this were a perfect world, there'd be a Republican/Conservative blogger, preferably from the East Coast/South. Okay, that describes me, but I would really love to read stuff from people who think similarly to me. Or maybe a military wife/husband who can talk about deployments, or other military-related topics (without the leftist slant). Personally, I'd also like to see a mom who gave up working to be a SAHM, but realizes it wasn't the best decision after all. I know I'm not the only one like that out there!

I also agree with the whole confirmation email arguement.

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I truly *heart* Blogging Baby, and read the posts every day. I'm a fan: I love you; I need you!!
I could live without, however, the nasty, dark news reports. They just make me sad, and anxious, and I could read them anywhere else, if I wanted. They just don't seem right for BB somehow....Just my two cents worth :)

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How about letting people with experience in that particular parenting area write on those topics? That would be more valuable readers than someone who has not encountered the situation's opinion.
For example, people with with babies spouting off on the silliness of school fundraisers or waiting to starting kids in kindergarten.

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I am really enjoying this site. I agree with the typo comments; but I love, love, love reading about the blogger's families. I have been drawn to several contributers' personal blogs (Kristin, I can't access yours anymore - very sad...) and I am eating up all the parenting advice since I am busy growing my first little one now.
Lately I have been having troubles with the site freezing up on me and I have to refresh to navigate - it may just be me...

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I actually like the wide variety of posts: parents in the news, celebrity, new products, medical studies, etc. Even if the bloggers do seem to lean a certain way, having an open forum for discussion levels the opinion field a bit and makes thing much more interesting.

I'd agree that the most recent comments should be at the top to make it easier to see the new posts. And maybe a character limit on comments wouldn't be too bad, for those who feel the need to write an essay. Please don't change the email confirmation - it probably keeps the crazies away from commenting without responsibility.

New bloggers are always fun to read. Thanks for adding Nadine to the group!

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These are great comments!

I would just add: I would really like it if the bloggers would make sure someone has NOT already blogged that subject. It seems like every time there is a new blogger there is a group of duplicate posts.

I also would like more kid recipes and activities, fewer celebrities, spell check and posts to have *something* to do with children.

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I think more personal voice would be good. This is especially helpful to new moms. What better way to learn that from experience. Doesn't have to be your own experience. You can learn from the experiences of others as well. Product reviews are good too. Feebacks on those can help moms pick out the best products to buy for baby.

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