LLL Meeting Chats Using AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)

Chatting on AOL Instant Messenger is very easy. Follow these instructions and you will be chatting with us in no time!

Already Have AIM?

To participate in a chat, first add the name LLLModerator to your Buddy List (click "set up" at the bottom of your AIM window and you will get the screen for adding buddies, click "add buddy" at the bottom of that screen, and type in LLLModerator. Click "return to buddy list" to go back to your normal view).

When the scheduled time for the chat approaches, you will see LLLModerator sign on. Double click on that name to open a chat window. Tell the moderator you would like to join the chat. She will issue a chat invitation, which will appear on your computer screen. Click "yes" to join the chat! You'll be in. See below for chat protocol instructions.

New Chatter?

1) If you are a new chatter, follow this link to get AIM and a "buddy name" http://www.aim.com/index.adp

2) Follow the easy instructions you see.

3) We ask that you do not create a user name with LLL_ in front of your name. Only chat Leaders who have had their accreditation verified in order to host the online chats are permitted to use the LLL_nick.

Coming in through AOL?

Your AOL screen name is your AIM buddy name.

How to Chat

We use a modified protocol in La Leche League chats. This means that the room is not open for general chit-chat. If you have a question for the leaders, please type a "?" (a question mark without quotes around it) to the chat and you will be called on in turn by the chat Moderator.

We invite participants to share their opinions and experiences just as they do in real life meetings. Please remember that only accredited LLL Leaders (who have LLL in front of their screen names) are authorized to speak for La Leche League. This is similar to a real life La Leche League chat, in that input from other mothers often gives the mother with the question much information and support in addition to the Leaders' responses. We ask that each visitor follow the lead of the Moderator and LLL Leaders in moving on to subsequent questions. This enables us to keep the chat moving at a comfortable pace so that all questions can be heard and answered in the time allotted.

We have two slightly different "flavors" of chats--the differences will be explained to you in chat. You will notice that the Moderator and other LLL Leaders in our Round Robin Q&A chats use a blue font to help the chatters more easily distinguish the responses from the questions or extraneous chat. Thank you for choosing a different colored font. For the Informal Discussion chats, any color is fine.

Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:32:52 UTC 2007.