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 😂

No, you don’t sound old and grumpy. You sound like a decent person.
I agree that people just like to get a good kick in now, none of the snarky advice is helpful or constructive, it’s just shitty.
I didn’t understand the uproar about it at the time but penis beaker really has changed the site, it’s not been the same since.

Funnily enough was just thinking this the other day. Was trying to work out of it was because I'm a grouchy middle aged lady or if it is just too young by for me now. Or is just the same thing?

I can't stand all the sycophants "OOOOoo ABC poster says it how it is" yeah well let ABC poster go and say it to someone's face, fucking keyboard warrior!

And the whole I'm a better mum than you, never drink if I'm charge of dcs, god forgive me if I take my eyes off my 8year old.

Oh just fuck off you silly little girl.

All the fucking Brexit stuff, finding a thread that you actually enjoy and it gets deleted, I'm taking to you car sickness person!!

At least 2 get deleted a week.

And the "should I leave him threads" when posters keep on posting the same thing and you know they're not gonna leave them.

I used to wake up my dp with my laughing when I was pregnant with DD, who is now 15.

To be honest can't remember the last time I genuinely laughed out loud at any of the threads.

Sorry that was a bit of a rant!!

Passionately said, sisterhoodofkhan!

Yup @WelliesAndPyjamas I'm def old and grumpy!!!

I joined in 2010 when my DC had already left home. I wish I’d been around at least for the teenage years when I could have done with advice and support but I still really enjoy passing time on here. I’ve since become a GP so have found lots of tips and interesting stuff that has brought me up to date on the latest parenting stuff such as weaning, must have toys, equipment and book ideas. Also been vital in not pissing off DD and DSIL and how best to support them.

I enjoy the books, tv addicts, s&b, chat and AIBU. A while back I posted a thread on AIBU by accident (thought I was on Chat). It was really boring asking how to get somewhere by tube/foot as I have no sense of direction or ability to read maps. Couldn’t have got more helpful advice. No snarky comments about my inability to navigate etc. I got to where I wanted to go really easily thanks to the help I got.

It is sad about all the trolls (which I’m useless at spotting) and gfs as well as threads being poached by the gutter press. The latter has stopped me posting anything personal just in case it piques the interest of some desperate intern at the Mail. But nope, even though I’m pushing 60 I still find I can pass way too much time on here and am often impressed by the intelligent and well thought comments.

Agree btw. In many ways, I think the same about RL people too, all the better mum than you stuff and the my dh is a twat but I love him crap that goes on in school mums and friends.

But back to my original point, MN is not the same. No proper funny nonsense threads (or at least none hovering for long enough in active convos for me to catch them).

I’ve been managing to remember some of the old posters’ names and searched back but some of them have had all their posts deleted or haven’t posted for years (or changed their names of course).

@ sisterhoodofkhan

Oh yes, fair point about the press intrusion batmother, that really put a major downer on things and was a big turning point for MN. Shame.

Some of the threads on tv addicts are bloody funny though. I lurk on the Masterchef, Sewing Bee and Bake Off one’s as well as the occasional drama and they are really entertaining . But generally you’re right that there are rarely any classic worthy threads that would raise a laugh.

Can you imagine a mnetter extending an open invitation to everyone to come and camp inher field for a weekend nowadays? Extraordinary, really when you think about it.

I used to roll my eyes a bit at the ‘mn has changed’ posts but I agree.

I honestly think the main issue is that I just don’t see anybody I ‘know’.

The CF threads are ridiculous and so dull. I think they begin with a grain of truth - school mum asks MNetter if she can take her DC for a whole day - and the MNetter replies with what she wished happened rather than what did.

I think as far as brexit is concerned, the main issue is the extreme camps both tend to inhabit - I don’t think I have ever seen anybody state that there were good things about the EU and distinctly bad things, and they made a judgement call based on whether the bad outweighed the good. It is either the EU is a land of milk and honey or posts that border on smugness ‘ha ha we won.’

I do think, controversially, brexit cost us some good posters.

I am fed up of trolls. Yes, mn do what they can I am sure, but it is so very wearing and unpleasant when the posts are clearly for sexual purposes and involve teens and young children.

I like Reddit, but there are trolls there too! Can’t win!

I find the education threads helpful. You can't take the piss out of anyone like you once could though

Definitely not alone. Joined before dd was born and she's soon off to uni! Post more on Education, Property, Gardening, tv and general threads these days as much else seems irrelevant or overly involved.

pffftttttt.

The MN boards are huge. There have always been cliquey threads, twatty threads, groundhog day threads, and troll threads - Mohze waterskiiing a week post partum was my fave.

Maybe I see it differently because I wasn't ever one for hanging out with a particular group (not that there's anything wrong with using MN in that way). There's still lots I enjoy - FWR, the book threads, telly addicts, food. And the cancer support thread literally saved my sanity last year.

Yes, totally. I loved this place when I was pregnant with DS (now a teen) and had some wonderful support and advice but now... eh.

Is there an old fart emoticon for gimmers like me?

I still get a lot from MN. Don't really know about AIBU, but other boards, there are still people who are nice and helpful.
I don't know about any old timers, but this is a parenting site, so, we change as our children grow up. Natural, isn't it to out grow?

I’m sure but one of the things I’ve always liked about mn is that it isn’t just for parents.

Agree that the press lifting threads and the poor standard of trollery has not improved MN in the slightest. Sad, but true.

Have you been posting about me elsewhere, irvine?

Everyone's too neurotic and touchy now. I'm a tough old stoic and they're just making themselves unhappy being like this.

I've been on here about 14 years now. It definitely had a more community feel to it back then. I've been supported through a relationship breakdown and fertility problems. Both really difficult points in my life during which a core group of posters were there for me.

It's not just here that has changed though. The growth of social media has really changed the internet. I was a regular user of a couple of other forums, related to my interests, and they died as Facebook grew. A few people hanging on, but everyone has decamped to FB.

And the way so called 'journalists' just trawl the site for stories because they are too pathetic to actually do some journalism. (Fuck off Daily Mail you filthy scum)

'Have you been posting about me elsewhere, irvine'

Have you been posting about this thread elsewhere? Are you allowed to but no one else is?

The thread, not individuals, Dolce. Small difference

Threads from 2009 (and earlier) are still there in most topics. Take half an hour and go back to browse and you'll see all that's changed is more names and less cliqueyness. People weren't funnier or less nasty.

When it's great it's really great - the supportive threads (especially ones helping people with the logistics and practicalities of leaving abusive relationships) are really heartwarming.

But so many fake threads and I always feel stupid if I take the time to reply with thoughts and then it turns out to be a troll - totally my fault though!

I still have a massive MN crush on AnyFucker. I think I could live my life by WWAFD. What would AnyFucker do.

The people you'd have a laugh with versus sanctimonious cunts ratio is definitely shit now though.