if you answer questions anononymously...why do you?

I don't... I think it's cowardly and petty of people to post comments that they won't put their name to.

because i dont like you shay1130.

i ask anon sometimes if the question is really personal but i need advice, but i dont answer anon.

i think so to...especially when they leave nasty comments

Sometimes I answer anonymously if it is an embarrassing topic of conversation. I've never used it to be rude. There are also times when I use it to protect my identity IRL. You never know how many friends and family members are watching you on Cafemom, lol.

I can tell you why I don't I feel it's cowardly I only answer seriously controversial questions that I feel strongly about and will back it up in facts. I try to remain professionally behaved, and give respect were it is do. All other questions if some one attacks me for no reason I do so right back. Most but not all anons I have seen or very rude and do it to protect there mail box from hate mail. I don't think they realize they aren't important enough for us to attack them for a yr. The few that aren't rude don't want the rude people to attack them I am sorry to those few that people or so rude to make you have to hide. Some people are just jerks.

I do, and often, because I don't wanna get harassed by people, and I've heard that some folks have been personally harassed on here and sent hate mail because of something they said and I don't wanna deal with that. Often if I have an embarassing or controversial question/comment, I post it anonymously. When I first joined I didn't get why so many people posted anonymously but overtime I understood. True, some people just wanna do it so they can be mean but a lot of people are either embarrased or scared, I think.

I usually don't. Unless it's an answer to a contraversial question, and I don't want the hate mail. The only example I can think of is there was a mom once who wanted help with a breastfeeding issue, and the first eight replies were to go to formula. I responded that she shoudln't give up if she didn't want to, and I answered her question about what was normal. However, of course, I got flamed for telling her not to give up, because I was insinuating, allegedly, that everyone who gives formula is a failure. Obviously, 99% of ff mom do not feel that way, but these two particular moms took things way too personally, and I'd seen them do it before. To avoid the influx on my chatterbox, I just posted anon and pm'd the op.

I don't like when people leave nasty messages anon. Or, I see some moms who clearly post anon and then respond to themselves, right down to misspelled words. That makes me laugh.

Let me also add that I used to disagree with the anonymous option.....that is....until I had a super personal question to ask and some of the anons gave the best advice.

I am a extremely shy/private person and even have a hard time posting anonymously. Not saying it is right but it is why I do it. I do not post bashing/mean comments, I believe people ask questions for advice not for a debate.