negative ratings?
i would like to know why people hand out negative ratings like cavities on halloween. I am a proud mother of a 10 month old and get on yahoo answers to see other parents’ opionons and questions. I kwow how scarey and uncerain it can be when you have a new baby or even a toddler so i honestly try to give thoughtfull responses and people seam to give tons of neagtive ratings especially in newborn and baby topics. Not just to me either, to lots of honest anwsers. Im just wondering what you use to determine a rating.
Thanks.
Well, so far I agree with everyone who has posted, I only give negative anwsers if someone is rude, or has obviously not even looked at the entire question. Or of couse when I ask a question about getting shoes for my 10 month old who does not want to be held and really needs shoes but has fat and thick feet and I get people telling me about how other cultures are fine without shoes. That was obviouly not my question to begin with! 
Anyways, thanks for everyone who posted and since there are a few good people left, I will continue giving my opionions and personal experiences!
~Thanks~
By the way, I am giving everyone a thumbs up who anwsers for taking out your time to make me feel better even though I asked a question titled negative ratings in the newborn and baby category!!!
Thanks again!
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I think alot of people give rating weather they care or not. I have had negative comments too. I am a proud mother of a 11 month old girl so I also get on here to see if anyone needs help with anything, or if I myself have a question.
People give negative ratings because they disagree. Some people have just has f*** up lives and like to bring others down. Don’t take anything personally on Y!A.
Usually I determine a rating based on if the person is just flat out rude or not.
So a thumbs up for a thoughtful informative answer, even if it might not be what the person asking the question might want to hear.
And a thumbs down for an obviously fake, inappropriate, or terribly rude answer.
I only give thumbs down when I see something obviously factually incorrect (like if someone says that you should put a newborn on her tummy to sleep) or if an answer is obviously just rude. I agree that it is rude to give thumbs down when you just disagree with an opinion. If you have a different opinion, post your own answer and make your argument.
I only give a negative rating when someone gives a rude comment, which seems to happen a lot on here.
They may not agree with your opinion on a certain topic. Just as you might not agree with everybody on everything. I wouldn’t take a negative rating personally, it is perfectly normal and good for people to have different opinions about things. If we all thought the same that would be scary.
But I agree that the tone of conversation in this particular section sometimes is very harsh. My theory is, that most people on here have young babies tht they love very much. Therefore they are very concerned to do everything perfect in order to keep that loved baby healthy and happy. That’s maybe why they are very passionate about the way to take care of a baby, and they sometimes go overboard with their criticism of other parents that have different aproaches of doing things, than themselves.
But I wouldn’t take it too serious. The good thing here is that you can get all different kinds of opinions. But in the end you have to decide for yourself what you will do.
I don’t usually answer questions in newborn and baby ~ i tend to hang around Alternative Health section and Polls and Surveys♥but i can tell you one thing’s for sure ~ people give out thumbs down like lollies in both those sections as well !! When you get upset about your thoughtfull response being thumbs downed (which is sometimes hard not to do) ~ you need to try and remember that there are an awful lot of angry, spitefull people out there with nothing better to do than be mean and also a lot of them are more than likey pre~pubscent teenage boys and girls who are just on a mission to ruin as many people’s days as poss♥don’t take it to heart sweet pea♥
me personally, i never thumbs down people ~ if i don’t agree with an answer i jus ignore it♥
CHEERS
♥
o.k…
i think they do it in hopes the asker will pick best answer according to that. thumbs down don’t count against you. so just ignore it.