Site suggestion - member age ranges

[Pancho]

I recently found myself posting/responding to a user who ended up being fairly young...minor. young teen or even younger. I think an age or age range indication would be helpful. I see some of the users who have higher profiles with their pictures and it makes it easy to see what age they are. It would help us older guys understand the maturity of the members, and respond appropriately, if at all sometimes.

 

[Balu]

Pancho, we are supposed to "respond appropriately" all the time here .

 

[PHugger]

I usually just go by the spelling/grammar and content. It's not too hard to tell.
The forum username can also be a hint.
Even with the vast age/maturity differences, this is the most trouble-free forum I've ever been a part of.
I saw my first ever spam post today - sneakers.


Best regards,
PCH

 

[CrashRecovery]

Like phugger said for me it's pretty easy to tell when I'm dealing with a younger member. And like balu said just respond appropriately. There are federal laws that we have to follow about age and use of a forum. 13 is the cut off for the youngest a person can be on a forum. If you feel there is an issue with a young member on here contact flyingmonkey about it and he can research the issue. I believe there is even a form or a "permission slip" a parent has to fill out for some ages. I might be wrong but I think it has been done once before on here.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Another thing to remember, is that Flite Test has created a very family friendly community. If you check out any of the footage from both Flite Fests, you'll notice that there is a huge age range represented. Many of the people that were there with kids, did not travel the distance because the adults were in the hobby, but because the children were. (Listen to last year's Fest podcast, particularly the segment with the farrier father from New York.)

But Crash is correct, there are protective regulations in place regarding the use of forums by children under 13. If you feel there is an issue with a member and age, please contact me with it.

 

[baronbernie]

I would like to say that I have learned some very interesting tricks and design from the younger folks. Their views are better than some older flyers.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Agreed Bernie. The kids are the future of our hobby. Something that has been forgotten by many and has hurt the AMA and killed many clubs. Flite Test has always been aimed at the beginner, both young and old.


That said, I don't think the OP was complaining that there are children, but that he wants an identifier so that an adult knows not to mispeak in front of someone too young for more grown up language. And I doubt he meant even swearing or other off color language. But just topics like politics and religion which can be freely discussed among adults but a parent might not approve of being expressed to their child.

 

[Pancho]

Agreed Bernie. The kids are the future of our hobby. Something that has been forgotten by many and has hurt the AMA and killed many clubs. Flite Test has always been aimed at the beginner, both young and old.


That said, I don't think the OP was complaining that there are children, but that he wants an identifier so that an adult knows not to mispeak in front of someone too young for more grown up language. And I doubt he meant even swearing or other off color language. But just topics like politics and religion which can be freely discussed among adults but a parent might not approve of being expressed to their child.

Thanks FM. You nailed it. I tried to keep my op short. And by grown up language, I'm not cussing or anything like that.

I often use humor, many times it is dry sarcasm. The younger people not only miss it, but can actually get offended by it not realizing it was meant in jest.

When you meet people in real life, people are not walking around in some costume with a screen name...at least not where I go. I haven't been to comic con. But in real life, you know the age range instantly. There are some exceptions, but generally you know the range at a minimum, which helps me to communicate appropriately and effectively.

I want to positively contribute to this forum. I have 5 kids, ranging in ages of 3 to 14, both boys and girls. My oldest kid is in that phase of "Dad, you aren't funny." Us older guys know the perspective curve. Now, I'm almost 50, so I only know to my age, but, I'm now more open to understand that my perspectives will continually change. When you are a young (pre teen) your parents are geniuses. When you are teenagers, your parents are smart but old fashioned. When you hit late teens and early 20's, your parents are flat out the dumbest people you know and you are going to do things very different from your parents. Late 20's and early 30's your parents are getting smarter, but you still want to do things differently. In your 40's, your parents are geniuses. Late 40's, early 50s, your parents now expose the cracks in their armor, they are still smart, but boy did they do some dumb things in their life, you realize you are turning into your parents. That's all I know at this point.