Community Guidelines

The Village is a space where mothers show up for each other. These are the agreements that keep it warm, useful, and safe. By joining, you agree to live by them.

Read them once. Re-read when something feels off. If you're ever unsure, err on the side of kindness.

1. No judgment

Every mom is doing her best with what she has. We don't shame people for how they feed, sleep, school, work, parent, or live. You can disagree with a choice without attacking the person who made it. If a conversation stops feeling supportive, step back.

2. What's shared here stays here

Members share honestly because they trust the room. Screenshots, forwarded messages, names, photos, or stories from inside the community do not leave it. Not to partners, not to other chats, not to public social. If you want to share something beyond the community, ask the person who posted it first.

3. No defamation or unverified accusations

Personal experiences are welcome. Naming people, doctors, schools, brands, or businesses is welcome when it's your own experience. What is not welcome: stating things about others as fact when they are opinion or hearsay, or spreading allegations you can't substantiate. Share what happened to you. Leave out what you heard happened to a friend of a friend.

4. Kindness over correctness

A mom in a hard moment doesn't need a lecture. She needs a hand. When you reply, ask yourself whether what you're about to say is helpful, kind, and wanted. All three matter. If she asked for advice, give it gently. If she didn't, hold it.

5. No spam, self-promotion, or recruiting

Don't drop links to your business, MLM, class, or service in general chat. If you have something members might genuinely want, message the mods first and we'll figure out the right place and cadence. The Buy, Sell, Swap, Giveaway group is for listing items, not launching funnels.

6. Disclose when you have a stake

Recommending a school your partner works at, a pediatrician who's your cousin, a product you sell? Say so in the same message. Transparency protects everyone.

7. Safety, legality, and medical advice

Don't share content that's illegal, promotes self-harm or harm to others, or is sexual or violent. If you're sharing medical or mental health information, remember it's your experience, not professional advice. Crisis situations belong with professionals first. We can hold your hand while you call one.

8. Respect everyone's story

We're moms from many countries, cultures, religions, family shapes, income levels, and parenting philosophies. That's a feature, not a bug. No racist, xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic, or ableist content. No jokes at someone's expense.

9. Keep names and numbers safe

Do not share another member's phone number, WhatsApp, address, workplace, or children's details outside the community without permission. If a member asks a question that identifies their child, use care in your reply.

10. Stay on topic per group

Each room has a focus. Recipes go in Recipe Exchange. Pediatrician recs go in Health & Doctors. Mama Chat is the living room where anything goes within reason. A quick check of which room you're in before posting keeps things findable for everyone.

11. How moderation works

If something feels off, tell a moderator in the Help & Advice group or email info@thevillage.mom. We read every message. Our response tends to look like this:

• First time: a private note from a mod, context, and a reset.
• Repeat or serious: a timeout from the affected groups.
• Harmful, repeated, or egregious: removal from the community without refund.

We try to be human about this. We also don't tolerate behavior that makes other moms unsafe. Those two things go together.

12. Leaving

You can cancel your membership any time from your dashboard. When your billing period ends you'll be removed from paid groups. If you'd like us to delete your data, email info@thevillage.mom and we'll handle it within 30 days.

13. Changes to these guidelines

We may revise these as the community grows. Meaningful updates will be posted in the It Takes A Village announcement channel and the "Last updated" date above will change.

14. Questions

Reach us any time at info@thevillage.mom. We'd rather have a conversation than issue a warning.