Frequently Asked Questions

About ShanghaiMamas.org

 

What is ShanghaiMamas?
ShanghaiMamas.org is a non-profit community website intended to give information and support to international families living in Shanghai. Our mission statement:
“ShanghaiMamas.org is a diverse online community of international families living in Shanghai, China. This is a friendly place. We are here to support each other and we respect each other’s views and feelings. Our discussions concern the real world of family life in Shanghai and we are primarily here for support, encouragement, helpful information, and community. All Users deserve respect and support regardless of their choices, parenting or otherwise. Shanghai Mamas hopes you will read and participate in the discussions. In doing so, we ask that you abide by the member Code of Conduct to maintain the comfortable and respectful atmosphere we have worked hard to build over the years.”

How long has ShanghaiMamas been around?
Shanghai Mamas was founded in April 2006 by an American mama, named Lynda Quintana, as a yahoo group. By 2010, ShanghaiMamas had outgrown the Yahoo platform with over 1600 members and ShanghaiMamas.org was born. Click here to read the history of Shanghai Mamas.

Who runs ShanghaiMamas?
ShanghaiMamas is run by a committee of members led by two of the original founding partners Rose Zhang and Melanie Ham. All committee members are volunteers and give their time and efforts for the good of the ShanghaiMamas community

Does ShanghaiMamas make a profit?
ShanghaiMamas is non-profit making. Any revenue or donations is put back into ShanghaiMamas for the development and benefit of the community.

How does ShanghaiMamas work?
Upon being approved as a new Shanghai Mamas member, the first step is to begin building a member profile. You can include as much information on your profile as you choose. Once you have built your profile, you can begin connecting with other members by joining and creating groups based on mutual interests, and connecting with other members in the forums.

What should I do if I have a problem with another member on the site?
If you have a problem with another member in a forum, please first contact the moderator of that forum (the moderator’s name can be found on the top of the forum topic) If you are still not satisfied, please use contact us form to report the issue.

What is a Entrepreneur Moms (SMRB) and how can my business be added?
Many ShanghaiMamas also run small (and not so small!) businesses. ShanghaiMamas.org supports these entrepreneurial mamas in the form of deeply discounted advertising and free directory listing of these small home-run businesses. We also encourage our members to support and shop from these moms’ businesses. To be qualified, a member must be an active contributor to the community and be the independent owner of the business.

What do I do if I have a problem with an Entrepreneur Mom’s business?
We offer support to entrepreneur moms but we are not affiliated with them in any way. If you have a problem with an entrepreneur mom business, please contact them directly. Please do not have this discussion on the ShanghaiMamas site.

Do you charge for advertising on the site?
Currently we ask for donations from community businesses in return for advertising space. We do not currently take paid advertisements. We operate this way in order to maintain the easy to use and non-biased nature of the site. We would like to keep it this way but rely on donations from our members, community businesses and other interested parties. If, at some point in the future, we do not have sufficient funding from donations, the committee will decide if paid advertising is necessary.

How do I donate?
ShanghaiMamas.org is supported through donations of our members and community businesses. If you would like to support the group, please click the “support us” tab. You can donate via Pay Pal, wire transfer, or via cash at a designated location in Shanghai. Please contact us for more information.

What do you do with my information?
We take the privacy of our users very seriously and will NEVER sell or share your personal information with any third-party. Please read our privacy policy here.

What should I do if I have feedback or a problem or complaint with ShanghaiMamas?
We appreciate all feedback and take all problems and complaints very seriously. Please feel free to contact us.

 

New to ShanghaiMamas

 

Why do I have to answer such a long questionnaire?
Since the early days of the yahoo group, ShanghaiMamas has asked new members to complete a detailed questionnaire to determine who are legitimate international families in search of support, and those who might be preying on our members for marketing, spamming, or worse. We highly value the privacy of our members and seek to screen new applicants carefully to prevent predation and exploitation within our community. The questionnaire is also helpful in determining the needs of our group and how we can improve our functions to enhance the community website.

Who is ShanghaiMamas for?
ShanghaiMamas exists to support international families living in Shanghai- mamas and papas. We are a welcoming place and are happy to consider applications from people who are planning a move to China, who are pregnant in Shanghai or who are planning a family.

How do I join ShanghaiMamas?
To apply for membership, please email us to request a free member application. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire about yourself. Once your questionnaire has been received and reviewed, then you will receive an approval email. Since all the moderators are volunteers (and busy mamas), please wait seven days before following-up on your pending application.

Can I join if I’m not a Mama – and I don’t live in Shanghai?
The intended audience of ShanghaiMamas.org is international families residing in Shanghai with all content geared towards this group. If you would still be interested in joining, you can explain how you would be a contributing and helpful member in your application materials.

I haven’t yet moved to Shanghai but we might be moving there – where can I find information?
If you are considering a move to Shanghai, explore our public forums and Newbie/Relocation section of the site. We encourage members to apply once they are more certain that they will relocate to Shanghai.

 

New to Shanghai

 

I’m pregnant in Shanghai – where can I find information?
Our group has parenting forums dedicated to supporting pregnant mothers and is the best way to connect with the thriving mama community in Shanghai. We encourage pregnant mamas to follow the steps to join ShanghaiMamas.org.

 

Existing Yahoo Group Members

 

I’ve been a member for a while but can you remind me of the rules?
All ShanghaiMamas agree to abide by the ShanghaiMamas Code of Conduct. If you are unsure of the rules, please have read our Code of Conduct. If you still have any questions, please contact us.

I have been a member of the Shanghai Mamas Yahoo Group for years. Am I automatically approved as a member of ShanghaiMamas.org?
We are requesting that all members complete the new member questionnaire to join ShanghaiMamas.org. Through this questionnaire, we will be able to know more about our own group’s composition in order to provide better direction based on the needs of the members. If you were previously a member of the yahoo group, you will automatically be approved upon submission of the questionnaire.