Any oldtimer MNetters out there feel like they are outgrowing Mumsnet?

[WelliesAndPyjamas]

I might be feeling maudlin and incoherent (chesty cold, stomach bug, and exhausted after several months of 50 hour working weeks) but having put myself to bed this morning and allowing myself the treat of browsing Mumsnet properly for the first in ages...I feel like I have outgrown Mumsnet 😱😱 I can’t seem to find that many threads of interest to read any more. I think I joined MN about 13 or 14 years ago and I used to love it, finding it a constant source of laughter, advice, and kindness between people in similar siutaions or just seeking advice. These days the threads seem a bit samey, people very quickly and easily turn against each other, and you rarely if ever come across anyone you ‘know’ for a laugh and a catch up.

Any oldtimers out there - am I rosetinting the old days or have I actually outgrown MN?

Fair chance I am just too ill and should just shut up and put away the ipad though 😂

I also find that I call people twats in my head a lot every time I leave the house so maybe MN really is representative of RL! Althouh in RL people have usually got better self control and don’t rant at you for being slightly different in opinion. To your face anyway 😂

Ah, I only dip in and out of the Archers, Georgethebleeder, but there is a lot to be said for sticking to the old threads.

A sort of MN Dementia, where we have clearer recollection and understanding of what was written in the past.

There. It’s official. I have set the Mumsnet Classics page as my bookmarked MN page.

Plus ca change.. you're probably a bit world weary if you've been on here so long, OP. And yes, Gransnet awaits ... talking about estranged adult DS's and dd's, aches and pains, either being expected to do too much childcare or not enough, snarky ddils...

Sounds fab, can’t wait

I agree with you OP. I've been here 16 years (that's the first time I've actually added that up) and you grow out of the baby, TTC, little children threads. Back then the site was smaller so you actually got to know people; most people in RL didn't know what MN was; the newspapers didn't lift whole threads and publish them so you could ask something personal or controversial; and there were a lot of very funny, educated people posting.

With having to NC regularly you don't get chance to recognise anyone, and the posters joining since some of the more controversial threads tend to be of the internet generation who think SPAG and punctuation are unnecessary. I actually think it's more necessary than ever since you can't convey tone in writing.

OTOH even oldtime MN had it's nasty moments so there may be some rose-tinting going on as well.

I've been here a long time and find myself getting more and more irritated by all the posters who seem incapable of living a normal life due to a variety of reasons I won't list or will be accused of being heartless and uncaring.

Included is being incapable of opening the front door if they aren't expecting a visitor to not answering phones unless they recognise the number. I'm surprised some still have the power of speech. Honourable mention must go to having the vapours if someone dares to park in front of their house and lots more besides. I also don't get why some are incapable of knowing what medical care they need, eg my eyeball is hanging out of its socket, should I go to A&E or call 101 or make a GP appt for Tuesday week.

I need to shut up before I really let rip

It doesn't seem to be as funny, warm and intelligent as it used to be. I used to feel a bit too stupid to post as everyone seemed so eloquent. Nowadays people can't even be bothered to read the OP properly.

I also miss seeing the old names. People NC a lot now the internet isn't so naïve with all the hacks and outings. You can't get to know people so easily.

I feel the same, sadly. It just isn’t that much fun anymore.

"my eyeball is hanging out of its socket, should I go to A&E or call 101 or make a GP appt for Tuesday week"
Love it. In fairness you'd still get a load of replies outraged at any suggestion of wasting valuable nhs resources as a and e is for serious injuries.
I've been here twelve years. Definitely feel I've outgrown the potty train ing and breastfeeding threads I used to love but there's still plenty to keep me entertained. And the Brexit threads have been very valuable, I'm sure there are people on there who have more of a clue than the current government.

And the Brexit threads have been very valuable, I'm sure there are people on there who have more of a clue than the current government.

To be fair that wouldn't take much.

I joined in 2006. Used to be on here a LOT. Never missed a bunfight or a troll thread. Now I haven't a clue what's going on, or who's the new Cunt about town, and I always miss the troll stuff.

I think now my DC are older I cant bare another breastfeeding, or P&C etc thread.

It's not that there's fewer threads that are funny or interesting it's just that the number of fighting/drama/boring (to me) stuff is greater than before so I cant find it!

I’ve been here since 2008 and I used to spend all day reading and laughing. I really enjoyed the intelligent wit that was so obvious throughout the site. Now you really have to hunt for it and I can’t be bothered sometimes. Plus my DC are older so I’m not interested in feeding, sleeping, nappies, teething.

2006 here. I think it’s changed in the same way the world has. People are less kind, more self-centred and centred on their children: what they want, what they need, never able to see the bigger picture. I’ve noticed this with parents at school. They complain about what doesn’t suit them, regardless of what works on a larger scale.

It’s much more impersonal now, and lots more cuntyness.

It certainly does Wellies.

O4FS lots more cuntyness 😂😂 perfectly summed up

I do think there are more trolls and GFs than there used to be. The funny threads of old seem to have died a death. I agree with PP that some people can't seem to function in normal daily life any more, which is either a scary thing or they are posting for effect. Sad times.

Yes, I getchya.
I am a newbie really compared to some, I’ve been around since 2010.
The site has changed so much since it got bigger, it’s harder to spit the witty comments in between the permanently outraged comments of snark. The fun threads just seem contrived and formalic and the Hun fights definitely aren’t what they used to.
I especially miss HQ popping in and out as well, especially Olivia and her eyebrows and the Helens.

I've been here since 2006. I don't come on here as much as I used to. Partly as ds is now 18, so no need for any advice etc regarding schools/young children. Also I do feel it's harder to get to "know" people on here now as there are so many more users.

I rarely post, and when I do it's usually when I have some sort of Playmobil event going on.

Bun fights, not Hun fights. I suppose that’s what goes down on the other site.

I'm struggling to find threads to post on at the moment.

I think it's a sad indictment of society that so many threads are from women who are mostly unable and/or too scared to stand up for themselves and fight for more equality in relationships. It's easy to say "it's the man's fault" but it's more than that... It's very sad.

Then we get the full page FB scenarios of "well she said this and then I got pissed off and then she was horrible and...."

There's not much kindness around and too much taking offence over stupid things.. My DSis had arranged to come round but rang to say she would be late and to say she hoped it wouldn't interfere with me cooking dinner. I said "Well yes, it will but never mind.." Her response was a shocked "Are you alright?" I was supposed to say "Oh no, don't worry about it, it doesn't matter all..."

I have been on MN since 2005 and I don't even have kids! It's the only website I ever go on for leisure and I still really enjoy it.

I think I probably outgrew it years ago - my DCs are older, I work FT now (when I joined I was a SAHM), and I don't feel I have the head-space anymore to care enough about the stuff that used to get me invested years ago.
But I still dip in and out - it can still make me laugh, and it can still be though-provoking. It's just maybe harder to find those threads.

I've been here since 2008 too. And yy I felt not intelligent or witty enough to post in old days. Erm, I don't feel like that anymore but I avoid a lot because I cba with bun fights, advice to people who don't want listen to any opinion that doesn't agree with their own etc. There are still some funny ones, and kind ones in there somewhere though.

I lurk in chat, S&B and classics. S&B I enjoy the royal fashion & gossip thread but never post.

I do think the "nest of vipers" was about the unvarnished honesty and robust but sensible advice dished out, not meanness for the sake of meanness like it seems it is these days (or is this rose tinted glasses?!)

I've just seen so many threads recently where someone's thread is either being derailed by someone who just wants to give the OP a good kicking or start a general bunfight, or where the tone of the replies is set by the first couple (needlessly cunty).

I'm not talking about threads where OP sounds like they need a good kicking (eg AIBU to stamp on kittens, or how am I going to feed my 15 children, 9 of which are twins) just people who are clearly either new to MN or didn't realise just how horrific the cost of childcare was or inadvertently queue jumped in Sainsbury's and foolishly posted about it.

It's as though some posters are just desperate to get the chance to belittle someone or prove their superiority, or (rose tinted again!) they just forget how difficult life can be for people especially new parents or people on low budgets for eg.

Does anyone remember the MNer who always used to flag up unanswered threads (Puzzlerocks?). I feel like being the Stop Being A Cunt equivalent of ?Puzzlerocks and posting simply to call out people being needlessly dickish. There was one the other day, someone said they had PND, they sounded so down and yet there were one or two posters who just kept on and on with snarky comments - and we know when someone feels like shit they'll only recall the snark and forget the kindness.

I just think people should be more kind, in RL as well. Maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy