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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for things that happen on MN that you’ve never seen happen IRL

433 replies

JandamiHash · 08/05/2025 23:35

I’ve never seen or heard a parent refer to their child as “sexy”

I’ve never seen anyone having a nap on a public bench.

I’ve never seen someone cajole their daughter into the aisle at a wedding so they can be a stealth bridesmaid

All the above is what I’ve read about on MN recently that people do and have seen before done, regularly.

OP posts:
TokyoKyoto · 09/05/2025 08:39

GarlicPile · 09/05/2025 01:53

I've never heard anyone say 'boak' but am pretty sure it used to crop up often in comics like Beano and Dandy. You've gotta find a way to write that disgusted noise! It's no dafter than 'bleugh', really.

Show quote history

It’s a Scots word and those comics are/were (?) made in Dundee. It’s used a lot in Scotland!

Newname71 · 09/05/2025 08:39

Butchyrestingface · 09/05/2025 05:44

People absolutely ripping their knitting over a youngish (or older) adult woman being referred to as a ‘girl’.

They may be feelin’ it, but they sure ain’t sayin’ it, in my experience.

I work in a dental practice and all the nurses are collectively referred to as “the girls”. At our last practice meeting one of the dentists asked if we were offended/bothered by it. He’d called us the girls to another dentist who told him it was offensive, we are women.
Some of us are in our 40’s and 50’s and are more than happy to be referred to as a girl! Not one member of staff was upset by it.

VictoriaEra2 · 09/05/2025 08:37

XelaM · 09/05/2025 00:47

My grandfather died of sepsis - went to hospital with a broken foot not looking very serious and died 24 hours later of sepsis. I don't know anyone in real life who had it and survived.

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My partner had sepsis several times. I bags in to recognise it coming on. He didn’t die if it but of an
underlying condition.

FedupofArsenalgame · 09/05/2025 08:35

XelaM · 09/05/2025 00:47

My grandfather died of sepsis - went to hospital with a broken foot not looking very serious and died 24 hours later of sepsis. I don't know anyone in real life who had it and survived.

Show quote history

I did have it after untreated burst appendix. Obv survived but was in hospital over a month

PuppyMonkey · 09/05/2025 08:35

I’ve never been blocked in by a CF parking on my drive, or been invited to an expensive wedding overseas that I can’t afford to attend or been asked to provide free lifts to work causing me to drive several miles in the wrong direction for years and years without mentioning the inconvenience.

Evaka · 09/05/2025 08:34

Age gap- my dad's second wife was 24 years his junior. Gross. Sister's exh is 15 years his junior.

Sepsis- dad died of it in 2021.

People calling kids sexy. What the utter fuck?

Child free weddings- had one, slightly ruffled one friend's feathers but no one else batted an eyelid. And we were an Irish couple where weddings are massive and often rammed with kids.

Adult kids paying rent- our mum hit us with market rates as soon as we were earning. Still complains decades later that she was shocked when my sister and I abruptly moved out and got our own place. Lol.

Newname71 · 09/05/2025 08:33

XelaM · 09/05/2025 00:47

My grandfather died of sepsis - went to hospital with a broken foot not looking very serious and died 24 hours later of sepsis. I don't know anyone in real life who had it and survived.

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👋. Over here. 😁
We must be very unlucky/lucky in our family. DM had sepsis in 2020 from a UTI. I had it the back end of last year from tonsillitis. We’re both still here to tell the tale but I honestly did feel like I was going to die!!
PS.. sorry about your grandfather x

dayslikethese1 · 09/05/2025 08:33

I don't know any SAHPs IRL, seems to be loads on here.

AubernFable · 09/05/2025 08:31

BadLad · 08/05/2025 23:43

I don’t know anybody too neurotic to answer their doorbell in the middle of the day, but that seems to be common on mumsnet.

Not neurotic, more antisocial, but I do this. I don’t answer the door unless I’m aware someone is coming like a guest or delivery. The ring doorbell makes this even easier. I also don’t answer personal phone calls unless I know who it is and/or I’m expecting it. I don’t really know why I just never have, if it’s important people have popped a letter through the door or text instead- I prefer to be undisturbed I guess.

Snailiewhalie · 09/05/2025 08:29

"Lake District is full of dogs, dog owners specifically go there to go on holiday as very dog friendly."

The last time I was in Keswick it looked like 50% of people had a dog with them and with that many dogs there are bound to be some badly behaved and poorly trained ones. I've noticed that the further you get away from the tourist places the better behaved the dogs seem to be.

Evaka · 09/05/2025 08:28

BeardofHagrid · 09/05/2025 07:53

When you give someone (even a baby or child) a present, putting the receipt in with the present and encouraging them to return it or sell it if they don’t want it.

As in, this is odd? I always give a gift receipt and always get them!

XelaM · 09/05/2025 08:28

FairPlayer274 · 09/05/2025 02:07

Every time age gap relationships are mentioned, a tonne of women suddenly appear to talk about their awful experiences with them… I’ve never met anyone else with a considerable AGR irl

My best friend's grandfather left his (cancer-stricken) wife of 40 years for a woman about 30 years younger causing a major bomb in his family.

Also, my mum's close school friend ended up marrying a very famous Russian celebrity 50 years older than her!

CautiousLurker01 · 09/05/2025 08:28

Snugglemonkey · 09/05/2025 08:26

I put in a gift receipt in case people want to exchange it.

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Me too. Have always done this. My PiL’s always gave me gift receipts for anything they bought my kids too. Means that if the gift is really hated, no-one needs to know…

aspidernamedfluffy · 09/05/2025 08:27

AffIt · 09/05/2025 00:23

I've never met anybody who's had sepsis (and I have a fairly broad and varied social circle), yet if half of the A&E threads on Mumsnet are to be believed, most people have had it at least four times.

My friend lost both legs due to sepsis. She was 4ft 11 and asked if her prosthetics could be longer as she always wanted to be around 5ft 6.

GloriousGoosebumps · 09/05/2025 08:26

AffIt · 09/05/2025 00:23

I've never met anybody who's had sepsis (and I have a fairly broad and varied social circle), yet if half of the A&E threads on Mumsnet are to be believed, most people have had it at least four times.

My elderly mother had a fall at home, didn't break anything but was taken to hospital, she subsequently died in hospital from sepsis. And prior to her death they were trying to get me to agree to a DNR but couldn't explain why when her only injury was a badly bruised arm. That was the Royal Free hospital in Hampstead. I subsequently discovered that they had had a really poor report in respect of their services for the elderly. I so wish I had complained about the suggestion of the DNR and sepsis.

Snugglemonkey · 09/05/2025 08:26

BeardofHagrid · 09/05/2025 07:53

When you give someone (even a baby or child) a present, putting the receipt in with the present and encouraging them to return it or sell it if they don’t want it.

I put in a gift receipt in case people want to exchange it.

MycatLarry · 09/05/2025 08:26

GarlicPile · 09/05/2025 01:53

I've never heard anyone say 'boak' but am pretty sure it used to crop up often in comics like Beano and Dandy. You've gotta find a way to write that disgusted noise! It's no dafter than 'bleugh', really.

Show quote history

Boak is a Scottish word and The Beano and Dandy are Scottish.

Sharptonguedwoman · 09/05/2025 08:25

XelaM · 09/05/2025 00:49

I must say I don't know anyone in real life who charges their young adult kids rent for living at home. This seems very common on MN, but I have never come across it in real life.

I have also never come across people who wouldn't invite their nieces/nephews to their weddings and insist on keeping them child-free at any cost. Again, a common occurrence on MN.

Edited

I charge my adult daughter (31) for living at home. I'm retired, she's earning and lives with me for a large part of the week for a simpler commute. She has a house share elsewhere. She pays me for food (below cost) and does jobs I find difficult. I help her by picking up her contact lenses or whatever. It suits us both.
Loads of fully grown adult, earning children are living with their parents because housing is so grim.
No one is making a profit from their children, they just want them to be able to save for something better,

DwayneTheRockJohnson · 09/05/2025 08:25

I’ve never met a Bridezilla who is willing to ditch her friendship group just because they don’t want to go on an overpriced abroad hen do.

I’m yet to buy a mythical mumsnet chicken where I can feed my family of 5 for a week, and still have some left over for stock 😂

Snugglemonkey · 09/05/2025 08:24

AffIt · 09/05/2025 00:23

I've never met anybody who's had sepsis (and I have a fairly broad and varied social circle), yet if half of the A&E threads on Mumsnet are to be believed, most people have had it at least four times.

My son had sepsis. When I lived in a city, I saw people sleeping on benches, in doorways etc, but I don't now. I have said "No" as a complete sentence, as well as "that doesn't work for me".

I was the child shoved in to a wedding after they decided not to have flower girls Blush

Rosscameasdoody · 09/05/2025 08:22

XenoBitch · 08/05/2025 23:44

I have also never heard anyone, in the comfort of their own garden, talk about all the benefits and PIP they get, and say how they lie about getting it... all in earshot of neighbours and anyone walking past their house.

This one pisses me off too. Usually employed as ‘proof’ that DWP hand out PIP awards like sweets without ever checking the medical evidence and to justify PIP either being stopped or means tested. I don’t know anyone IRL who knows every aspect of someone elses’ disability, and yet so many MNers seem to.

Sharptonguedwoman · 09/05/2025 08:16

JandamiHash · 08/05/2025 23:35

I’ve never seen or heard a parent refer to their child as “sexy”

I’ve never seen anyone having a nap on a public bench.

I’ve never seen someone cajole their daughter into the aisle at a wedding so they can be a stealth bridesmaid

All the above is what I’ve read about on MN recently that people do and have seen before done, regularly.

Had a snooze on a bench by the sea the other day (very quiet area).

CautiousLurker01 · 09/05/2025 08:14

BadLad · 08/05/2025 23:43

I don’t know anybody too neurotic to answer their doorbell in the middle of the day, but that seems to be common on mumsnet.

Yes, I don’t get this either. It does piss me off, though, that in a household of 4 adults aged 17-56, though I am apparently the only who understand how to open the front door and greet delivery guys. So maybe the other three are too neurotic and are posting on MN/Reddit while I stomp and whinge my way to the hall…

AngelinaFibres · 09/05/2025 08:13

ProseccoandPizza · 09/05/2025 07:48

My mum had sepsis in the early 90’s after an emergency c section with my brother.

a friend also had sepsis a few years ago after an appendectomy.

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My fil died of sepsis as did my husband's niece. The niece was ill during covid but it wasn't covid so she was repeatedly to go away She had a huge absess on her liver. It burst resulting in sepsis. She was admitted to hospital and pumped full of antibiotics but it was far too late. She was 42.

AngelinaFibres · 09/05/2025 08:07

I have had this one. Went to a wedding that was preceeded by the sendhng out of mood boards of acceptable colours for guests. Lots of cream, beige, sage green vibes. One female guest turned up in bright red and sat on an aisle seat about half way down. She would have been in all the walking down/ back up the aisle photos of bride and groom. The very mortified photographer was asked to get her to move to the back on the far left so she wouldn't be in any pictures. Tbf everyone else had abided by the colour request so you could see her red outfit from outer space.