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Community guidelines

Community Guidelines

Since 2004 our message boards have been a place where members come together to share advice, resources, and support. These guidelines keep the community safe, welcoming, and useful.

We reserve the right to moderate, suspend, or end participation in our message boards for violations of these policies, and to update these policies at any time.

Rules of conduct

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What we ask of every member.

01Be kindTreat all members with kindness, humanity, and respect, both on our message boards and when connecting offline.
02Be civilRefrain from rude, insulting, or aggressive posts. Ask yourself whether you would say this in person.
03Debate ideas, not peopleDifferences of opinion are welcome. Express disagreement respectfully and direct it at ideas, never at individuals.
04We are not anonymousPost as if you are speaking face to face. HRP Mamas is, by design, a known and trusted group.
05When in doubt, step backIf you cannot be courteous in a given moment, wait before posting.
06Respect privacyDo not forward message board posts to third parties or reproduce them in any way. Do not include private emails from others in your posts.
07Embrace our diversityBe mindful and respectful of the diversity of race, age, ethnicity, income, and sexual orientation reflected in our group.
08Keep recommendations honestAll recommendations and reviews should be based on first-hand experience and free of any personal or business conflict of interest.
09Exercise good judgmentThese guidelines are not exhaustive. Members are expected to act with good judgment and respect for the HRP Mamas mission at all times.

Posting guidelines

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01Sign your postsInclude your first name. Many members also include their children's names and ages, which is useful context for anyone offering advice.
02No business or promotional signaturesRemove business signatures, social media handles, and auto-generated footers such as “Sent from my iPhone” before posting.
03Reply by threadRespond within existing threads rather than starting new ones on the same topic.
04Use clear subject linesWhen starting a topic, use a subject line that describes what you are asking or sharing.
05Reply privately when appropriateIf your response is meant for one person, reply directly to them rather than to the whole group.
06No chain letters, spam, or advertisementsThese are not permitted on any board.
07No capital letters throughoutWriting in all capitals reads as shouting.
08No political messagingPlease do not use the message boards for political purposes.
09Respect copyrightWhen sharing written material from outside sources, share a link and a brief description, not a full reproduction.
10Health disclaimerInformation shared on our boards is not a substitute for professional medical advice. For any health concern, yours or your child's, consult a qualified healthcare provider.
11Protect member informationDo not use email addresses acquired through our platform for commercial, marketing, or self-promotional purposes.

Sharing a negative experience

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We encourage members to share honest experiences, positive and negative. When the experience is negative, please keep the following in mind.

01Try the business firstMany local businesses are run by fellow neighborhood parents. A private conversation often leads to a faster resolution.
02Use a neutral subject lineSomething like “My experience at [business name]” leaves room for others to share their own.
03Keep it constructiveReviews should be courteous and free of derogatory language toward individuals.
04Post onceDo not post more than one review about the same experience.
05Do not use the boards as leveragePosts intended to threaten or deliberately damage a business are not permitted.
06Legal matters cannot be postedPosts involving legal matters, criminal allegations, or allegations of negligence or fraud cannot be accepted.
07You are responsible for your own postsEach member is solely responsible for the content of what they post.

Where to post

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Not every group is open to every member. Access depends on where you are, so a group you cannot see is not missing, it is simply not yours.

DowntownHRP Mamas Advice and Discussion

Motherhood, parenting, child development, health, neighborhood life, school questions, and anything else on your mind as a parent.

Downtown has a separate Classifieds board, so please keep classified-type posts off this one.

DowntownHRP Papas

Fatherhood, parenting, child development, health, neighborhood life, school questions, and anything else on your mind as a dad.

Also carries links to the HRP Papas Signal meet-up chats.

UptownCentral Park Mamas

Motherhood, parenting, child development, health, neighborhood life, school questions, and anything else on your mind as a mama.

This board also carries classifieds: buying, selling, or trading items, household and childcare help, real estate and sublets, and giveaways. There is no separate uptown classifieds board.

DowntownClassifieds

Buying, selling, or trading items. Household and childcare help. Real estate, including sublets, but not for brokers or on behalf of friends.

Giveaways and similar offers belong here too.

All membersChildcare

Recommending or seeking recommendations for caregivers, nannies, night nannies, and household help.

Open to all members.

Commercial posts

Not Permitted

HRP Mamas does not allow commercial posts or solicitations of any kind on any of our groups. This is a peer-to-peer support community, not a professional networking or advertising platform. The following are not permitted anywhere.

Self-promotion of any kind, including in response to a thread
Promotion of or links to books, blogs, websites, social media pages, or product launches
Market research, including polls intended to inform a business venture
Press releases
Group discounts, coupons, freebies, or sample sales
Giveaways or raffles
Referral or promo codes
Marketing or launch emails forwarded to the group
Crowdfunding campaigns
Requests for subjects or participants by journalists, writers, researchers, or artists
Business or promotional display names or signatures
Multi-level marketing recruiting or sales events

Common questions

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Why do you have a commercial post policy

Our community has worked since 2004 because it is free of commercial motivation. Members come for unbiased, first-hand advice, and that is only possible when the boards are kept free of commercial interest.

Can I recommend my own business in response to a thread

No. This also applies to businesses owned by your partner, spouse, or family members.

Can I recommend a friend's business

Yes, if your recommendation is based on first-hand experience and posted in response to a recent relevant thread. Please disclose your connection.

Can I respond to a post that mentions my business

No. The message boards are not the place to promote or defend a business. Members should feel free to share their experiences openly.

Can I pass along a discount or group deal

No. This counts as a commercial post.

Can I poll the group for a business idea

No. This is considered using the boards for commercial purposes.

Can I organize a group event with an outside instructor

Yes. Member-organized educational events such as yoga, baby massage, cooking, or language classes with shared costs are welcome. Email us before posting to confirm your event meets our criteria. Events centered on product sales are not permitted.

Can I post about a local community event or fundraiser

Yes. Send details to our events team and we will review it. We also co-sponsor selected charity events, awareness campaigns, and educational initiatives.

How can a local business reach the community

We offer a subscriber email program for qualified local businesses. We do not offer advertising to web-based platforms, apps, online media, blogs, subscription services, social networks, or agencies acting for third-party providers. Businesses can write to us for details.

Do you share my contact information with businesses

Never. HRP Mamas will never share your email address or contact information with third parties, and will never sell our mailing list. If you believe you have received unwanted commercial email from a fellow member, tell us and we will look into it.

I am a journalist, researcher, or artist looking for participants

Please write to us with your query rather than posting it to the boards.

For journalists, researchers and artists

HRP Mamas is a space where members share openly with one another. Forwarding or reproducing message board posts, or private exchanges that follow from them, to any outside media without the author's express approval violates our terms of service and may end membership.

Members post to connect with each other, not to provide material for articles, blogs, or research. Please be mindful of that when reading our boards.

Thank you

A community is only as good as the way we treat each other.

Thank you for helping keep this the warm, trusted space it has been since 2004. Questions about these guidelines can go to our membership team.