When internet honesty rears its ugly head

sucrets4

My SIL is on another forum for children with diabetes.  Apparently something minor happened with my nephew (who is 7) today at the end of school and she was venting/getting some advice about it.

People wrote back and didn't attack her, but brought up good points and apparently that pissed her off.  I *really* wish I could respond and tell her honestly what I think, as I do to people on here, but I have no business being on that forum.  I wish I had balls in real life, but she's family and I don't like to make waves.  *sigh*

MyNameIsNot

I don't understand why people ask for advice on the internet if all they really want is the same "you're perfect and could never do anything wrong" BS that IRL friends give.

kikibaby

Just give us the forum URL, and tell us what to say- we'll do the dirty work for you

Nebb

She (and everyone else) needs to realize that internet strangers are not concerned with her feelings in regards to what they say. Rather than feel offended she needs to take a step back and take from their advice what she can and use it in the future. Silly SIL.

aMrsin09

can you register on the site without her knowing who it is?

MeaghanandMichael

GRRRRRRRRR the knot ate my post again. Ok here goes, retyped.

I think it is interesting you mention this because something very similar happened to me with my sister. She was very active on a board on family financial planning. She gave great advice and was always helpful in an honest way. Anyway, one day I noticed she got ripped apart for posting that she would only pay for a child's college education if they were getting good grades. I mean, they were horrible to her.

I know I am a creep for watching this all go down, but I was at a loss for what to say to her as well. I finally found a way to work in some random stories about knot internet honesty with her one day. I noticed her posting on the board again later that week. Call me a creep, but it worked. Maybe you could do something similar?

On the other hand, I am ABSOLUTELY with Nebb on this one. If anything, one of the main things that draws me to internet forums is the honest advice. Yeah sure, there are assholes just lurking behind computers to be miserable, but in the end you have to have the self esteem to know you are fallible, and so is every one else. Of course, it is worse on here as every one thinks weddings are a big nono to shiiit on. I seriously do NOT get it.

notquiteblushing

Anonymous screenname may be a good idea.  Is your nephew okay?

MeaghanandMichael

eff that was long. I am feeling type happy tonight apparently.

mocha beans

Brutal honestly is one thing I value about the internet.  I can ask a question, and if it's dumb I'll get answers along those lines, which makes you step back and think about it for a minute.  Too many people are sheepish about being honest in real life if you ask a question.  At least people I know.

thesuninherhead

Is their advice valid? What was the situation?

If what they're saying seems reasonable, I'd just let her learn her lesson with this one.

How do you know where she posts?

Mrs.B6302007

Well, now I'm just nosey, erm curious.

thesuninherhead

The humiliation aspect would probably upset me too, if I were a parent, but as you say- the teachers have to act in this situation. Even if he did tell the teacher he had it sorted, she still has a duty of care to ensure that's right. It does sound like she was a little inappropriate in the circumstances in terms of being very obvious, but at the same time ultimately she probably had little choice but to pull him off the bus and verify his story.