When I First Joined Mumsnet

I got my ass handed to me on a plate on my first thread - happened to encounter one of those utterly horrible people who lurk online just looking to kick people when they're down. I was asking for advice on breast feeding. Got told I should have done an advance search because my question had been asked loads of times! (At the time I was a single parent without a computer of my own, stuck with 20 minutes at a time in the public library, which had to be carefully timed to coincide with DS's nap...)

Fortunately I found nicer people later.

Doghouse is absolutely lovely and supportive when someone has a sick pet, or is facing up to having them PTS, or when they've died. It's fearsome for people who buy or breed dogs casually or treat them as accessories rather than sentient beings.

I haven't looked at S&B in ages as I've been on a no spending on clothes for the last course of years.

I tend to go to housekeeping and home decoration to get away from the intensity of this forum. Very calming.

AIBU - I only read if feeling robust.

Doghouse - I'm scared to venture in after what you all have said.

My first threads on here were probably innocuous parenting issues, but I certainly had my arse handed to me after my first post on FWR (a naive piece of whataboutery, iirc).

I am a bit sad by the massive increase in trans related threads - we used to have some great non-trans feminist discussions and they aren't as visible now. As a result I post a lot less than I used to
OTOH at least there is less mra trolling

There is nothing like the feeling of appreciation you get when you post on here to tell everyone what they want to hear.

I like S&B too and find it very soothing. Particularly after reading a thread about stimulated still births and abortions which really mess, and women being harassed in communal showers being told to be nice. It can all be a bit too much, a discussion about the best foundation for menopausal skin is like a balm for the soul. 😊

For those of you with cats or who just love cats the Litter Tray is the best. I came for FWR but probably post more in TLT.

From what I've seen of s&b (I sometimes read an active thread in the small hours) there's often lots of nice tactful posts about outfits which look pretty dire, followed by helpful suggestions of good alternatives, and few 'are you mad? It's a frumpy sack with frills in a weird colour'.

you could be immaculate, and then someone would observe that your carpet hadn’t been hoovered in a fortnight, and that you seem a bit needy

I can imagine rejigging that for FWR - a genuine request for, say, help getting HR on board with some initiative to help women in the workplace, but OP makes the mistake of opening it with the phrase "Help needed, ladies..."

S&B always seems very honest...i think id ask for advice but I wouldn’t start a ‘what do you think about this outfit‘ thread

God, no, that would be serving yourself up for a roasting 😱 you could be immaculate, and then someone would observe that your carpet hadn’t been hoovered in a fortnight, and that you seem a bit needy 😂 but generally, it’s interesting and mostly benign.

AIBU was the gateway drug for me as it is for so many. Now I mostly come to Mumsnet for WTF FWR: specifially, trans issues. I doubt I would’ve realised what a problem women have been having if it wasn’t for this board. I’ve been seriously impressed by some of the intellectual firepower brought to the ‘debates’ (in tongs because a proper debate needs good opponents, who are thin on the ground). It’s a good jumping off point to explore things further.

Im afraid to look 🙂

S&B always seems very honest...i think id ask for advice but I wouldn’t start a ‘what do you think about this outfit‘ thread

CaraDuneRedux, I had to laugh at your lovely description! May I join you in the “paper bag in the footwell” school of fashion? It fits me perfectly!

btw for almost a year I never even peeped into other forums. In the meantime I've followed a few AIBU and Relationships posts. Never Style and Beauty as that's not my thing.

I was directed here by a poster on another forum, where I had stuck my neck out by saying I didn't want men in my toilets. I was immediately jumped on by just about everyone in the forum (where I had previously been a well-respected and popular poster).

One man sent me a pm to say he agreed with me, that his wife was on Mumsnet, and that I should go there. That was the place to be.
I still don't know which of you is his wife but I'm waving to French Bean's wife, hello there! (waves) Show yourself, if you want to.

I came in early 2018 and never looked back. I don't post on that other forum any more.

@SophocIestheFox

You’ve not had the full experience until you’ve had your arse handed to you

It’s not scary here, and S&B isn’t either, but I still tend to bodyswerve both AIBU and the doghouse as they are both a bit...full on for me.

I too have been around FWR for many years now and seen excellent posters come and go and I really have stayed on MN because of FWR, otherwise I wouldn't bother now (although I do lurk on the book section a fair bit). I have been ravaged on AIBU and deleted myself - I have more chill these days.

Never been to the Doghouse though as I have cats but now I'm curious ...

I find S&B quite soothing, personally. Which is strange given that I am "put together" in much the manner of a crumpled paper bag that's been in the passenger footwell of the car for several weeks. The doghouse is a bit full-on, though.

Doghouse could at times legitimately be called a bitchfest, of course. Though usually it's equally a dogfest. (And now we could analyse the language, why 'dog' is both the generic and the male canine descriptor etc etc ....)

AIBU is my fave. I'm literally addicted to mumsnet. Yes there are a few bunfights and unpleasant characters, but generally the level of support, knowledge and humour is amazing.

What happened to Dittany et al?