ATTN: Future of the Teen Forum?

[SusanwithaGoodBook]

ATTN Members! I need to make a decision on the future of our teen forum.

Today I approved one new Teen and moved three who turned 18 to the adult forum. This leaves us with a total of 26 Teens currently registered. Of those, only three (not including the newest member) have been active since the beginning of the year, and MOST have not been active through all of 2009.

I've been considering deleting that forum completely, but if there is enough interest I'll keep it alive a little longer.

Are there any of you who have kids turning 13 who would be interested? How about you guys whose kids are currently registered but aren't active... is there a possibility they'd like to return?

I think our main problem is just that there are so few kids there that there's not enough to keep them interested.

I'm going to give it a few more months, but I'm working toward a major upgrade and when that time comes I may decide to delete it if things don't pick up.

Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions you have will be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Bookwoman]

I have no idea whether this will be helpful to you in making your decision, Susan, but here it is anyway. :)

I do have teens within the age range to participate in the teen forum, and I've mentioned it to them several times because I thought it sounded like such a cool thing that I would have loved to have as teen had I been hs-ed. But none of my teens have ever really expressed any interest in any hs-ed teens forums (not just the one here at The Library).

One dc doesn't like on-line forums at all (prefers face-to-face interaction), and the others are involved in various on-line discussion forums, but ones that are related to specific interests as opposed to simply having being hs-ed in common. Not all of those forums are teens-only, either (which has its postives AND its negatives - sigh).

I'm involved here at The Library because hs-ing and various topics related to how to do it and the ways that it carries over into other aspects of my life are interests I hold in common with many others here. It isn't just that most of us are current or past hs-ers, but that we like to talk about the nuts and bolts of it - it's an area of specific interest to me, and The Library allows me to indulge that interest in a major way! :)

I think my enjoyment of The Library is kind of similar to my membership in professional organizations back when I was in the workplace. Coming here, for me, is getting together with people who share the same "career" field as me (but better, because we can talk about non-work-related stuff, too!). I work on and improve my performance of my "official duties" here in the same way that talking shop in my professional organizations helped me in my previous career.

My teens, though, aren't into discussing the nuts and bolts of hs-ing - yes, they are hs-ed, but they aren't "into" hs-ing as a specific topic or area of interest in the same way that I am. For them, that "itch" to talk endlessly and all about their specific areas of interest gets satisfied in topic-specific forums much more so for them than would happen in a more generalized hs-ing forum. Simply being hs-ed isn't necessarily enough of a common bond for my teens to find a forum appealing - FTR, it's that way IRL, too. We know lots of hs-ers, but that one thing in common alone in no way guarantees that they will want to spend a lot of time together. They seek out that common interest or activity instead, and while that sometimes means most of their common-interest buddies will also be hs-ers, that's certainly not always or even often the case.

I don't think I explained myself very well :blush:, Susan, but maybe you can make some sense of what I was trying to say.

[ccmmum]

I have 2 that would like to join.

[SusanwithaGoodBook]

My teens, though, aren't into discussing the nuts and bolts of hs-ing - yes, they are hs-ed, but they aren't "into" hs-ing as a specific topic or area of interest in the same way that I am.
I totally understand because my daughter is the same way. She's a member here, but never participates because of exactly those reasons.

I've tried to encourage her, but it just hasn't worked.

I'm happy to keep it on for those kids who ARE interested though, so if we get some more new ones maybe things will pick up.

[LittleWomen]

I didn't even know there was one. One of my dd's has asked about it, and my 9yo asked if there was a kids' forum, too (I think she mostly wants to be able to play the games! :) )

Do you have a younger forum, too, or just a teen one? And, how heavily is it moderated, and what do you do to help insure security?
Thanks!

[higginszoo]

Federal regulations on internet services for those younger than 13 are at a higher level of service than The Library is really able to offer, so there are only forums for dc ages 13-17 (sometimes 18 until they graduate).

Susan has a similar verification policy to what SL does -- she calls and talks to the parents and teens like Tracy does over there. The parents all have read-only access to the teen forums so that they can see what's going on there. The moderation team tries to keep up with reading all of the threads (they have some role playing narratives that make our eyes glaze over sometimes), and we can post if necessary but generally try to refrain from posting in their forums.

[LittleWomen]

That makes sense.

The role playing stuff is also huge on the SL teen forums--and my eyes glaze over when my kids talk about it! :)

[Migsy]

Ds is ready to sign up today. (Just trying to come up with a username :giggle:)

Can we both be regsitered here with the same email address? Will I have to log in every time I pop in now? (I'm so lazy, I know. :wink:)

[AmyPo]

I'd forgotten that dd will soon be eligible--I'll have to see if she's interested.

[Snowy_in_Vermont]

Can ex-homeschoolers join? I have 2 teens that are in ps but were homeschooled?

[higginszoo]

Can ex-homeschoolers join? I have 2 teens that are in ps but were homeschooled?
I don't see why not.

[LittleWomen]

I will talk to my teens. They will probably jump at the chance.

[Migsy]

I will talk to my teens. They will probably jump at the chance.
Mine still hasn't come up with a user name. :rolleyes:

[TuscanyTrace]

My son tried to set up an account last night from BarefootCityGirl's house, with the help of her daughter. We've not really been home since.

[higginszoo]

My son tried to set up an account last night from BarefootCityGirl's house, with the help of her daughter. We've not really been home since.
He might need to try again -- I don't see him in the queue. In any event, he'll have a few days at least until Susan gets to processing him. There are special things she has to do for any teens, and her grandfather passed away a week ago. I believe she and her parents are still out of town dealing with arrangements, his effects, etc.

ETA: It looks like she's home.


FOR ALL PARENTS OF TEENS WANTING TO JOIN -- make sure they fill out the section asking for your username and a phone number. This greatly expedites the process.

[TuscanyTrace]

He's in! "Smaug". Please have your teens go say hi! He's known about this forum for a couple of years and was just waiting to get old enough to join!

[Thea]

My dd is on here, but is much more active over on SL-I'm sure it has to do with traffic. She says no one posts over here. She is bummed about that and would participate here if more dc join.

My ds turns 13 in Dec and, if the forum is still around then, will join.

[MamaJo]

I have one that will be 13 in Sept. If it gives him access to the games, I am sure he would be interested.

[SusanwithaGoodBook]

I have one that will be 13 in Sept. If it gives him access to the games, I am sure he would be interested.Yes, it does give access to the games, so tell him to be sure and join in September. :)

[MamaJo]

Yes, it does give access to the games, so tell him to be sure and join in September. :)

Will do.

[cedarsleeping]

however he is only twelve. Perhaps in October :-). I just started coming back here recently ... life has been rather crazy. I know he would love to connect with some other homeschooled kids.

[PCM]

My 14 year old daughter would be interested, but since we live overseas, I don't think anyone will want to call us! LOL

[higginszoo]

My 14 year old daughter would be interested, but since we live overseas, I don't think anyone will want to call us! LOL
We just had a new teen from New Zealand join the forums . Susan doesn't mind calling. Have her sign up!

[PCM]

Please forgive me for being a bit dense here, but how and where would my DD sign up? I only joined a few days ago and I can't see where she should go to do this. :-)

[higginszoo]

Log out of your account and have her register as a new user. Make sure that she fills in an accurate date of birth, phone number, and your username, as Susan will need that in the verification process before she calls. (Also make sure that she fills in location and time zone -- either if there's a spot or in the comments -- just so Susan knows how to time her call appropriately.) She'll likely get back to you within a week or so.

[SusanwithaGoodBook]

Log out of your account and have her register as a new user. Make sure that she fills in an accurate date of birth, phone number, and your username, as Susan will need that in the verification process before she calls. (Also make sure that she fills in location and time zone -- either if there's a spot or in the comments -- just so Susan knows how to time her call appropriately.) She'll likely get back to you within a week or so.
Yes, this is exactly how it works...and the time zone is important. I accidentally called New Zealand at 6 am, so be careful or you'll have my strong Texas accent calling you in the middle of the night. :lol: