American-based forum like Mumsnet. US mumsnetters or anyone else?

[KeepTwirling]

Does anyone know of any? Would really like to join one.

I have a lot of family in the US but we've never talked about forums, let alone mumsnet. So I want to ask those who're already here and know what I'm talking about.

Thanks.

I'm an American. I found MN four or five years ago by reading a brief article about it in The Economist.

I don't think that there is really a MN equivalent here. Reddit possibly, but it's nowhere near as actively moderated as MN and the subreddits tend to be very specific.

Yes thank you. I kinda figured because I've looked. So I thought to ask those in the US. It's a shame though, would've been nice.

Yes I know Reddit doesn't quite do the same, like you said. Was actively on it some years ago, though it was just a specific subreddit that's closed now or perhaps it's still open but not active anymore. Haven't been in a long long time.

There are also forums on Craigslist, but they tend to be overrun by trolls.

I wish there was an American equivalent too. Most people here are lovely, but anti-Americanism surfaces fairly regularly and no one bats an eye at it. There's also a tendency to pile on in those threads with people trying to one-up each other telling horror stories about life in the US.

Oh goodness! Craigslist. Never been but have heard all sorts of stories about it. Afraid to even type the url. Lol

I agree with you re: anti-Americanism. I've tried to stop one or two before but that failed obviously. I don't like to see it either.

Another thing is the sense of humour here. I seem to hit it off better with Americans in that regard. A lot more straightforward and relaxed for me, which I like. (Of course I know it isn't everyone. Just the ones I've met).

MissConductUS, Is Craigslist really as bad as it's made out to be? You mentioned trolls and that's what I've heard, plus more.

Sort of reminds me of our Gumtree here, although I'm not sure which is better.

Craigslist has lots of different content. Most of it is classified advertising for jobs, flats, used items to sell, etc. Those are pretty straightforward. They used to have personal ads but got rid of those several years ago.

The forums are a mixed bag:

forums.craigslist.org/?

Some are okay, others are cesspools or overrun with crazy people.

Another issue I see on MN is a lot of misinformation about the US. For example, the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) completely overhauled how medical insurance is provided and regulated and it corrected a lot of problems. This happened in 2011. People on MN keep repeating "facts" about the way the system used to work as if the ACA had never happened.

On the sense of humor issue, it is different here than in the UK. We also have very different notions about social class.

Have you spent much time in the US visiting your family?

Okay, yes it's like Gumtree. I know about the ads, etc. I think what reinforced that reputation is that a lot of Americans themselves, whenever someone mentioned how they were scammed or any horror story about a product or service or date from Craigslist, would eyeroll or laugh or say something like "Of course you did. You had it coming if you went to/got it from Craigslist". So it sealed the 'Craigslist = bad' idea for me. But I've not had to think of it in a while till now.

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out, out of curiosity.

I can imagine how offensive/upsetting/annoying it is to read incorrect information about America peddled as fact. Thanks for mentioning the Obamacare - I'm aware of it but don't know much else about it. I didn't realise it solved a lot of problems in the medical insurance field.

I've only been twice and that was a long time ago. We keep in touch but everyone's sort of doing their own thing now with families, grown up children, etc.

@MissConductUS

There are also forums on Craigslist, but they tend to be overrun by trolls.

I wish there was an American equivalent too. Most people here are lovely, but anti-Americanism surfaces fairly regularly and no one bats an eye at it. There's also a tendency to pile on in those threads with people trying to one-up each other telling horror stories about life in the US.

I agree. However, that is a tiresome feature of British culture and not specific to MN.

And, oh, the ignorance about the US.

Craigslist does have a reputation for scammers, but they go where the people are. Now that lots of old tat is getting sold on Facebook marketplace, people are being scammed there. I found a fabulous maths tutor for my son on CL. You have to be careful no matter where you transact.

I work in healthcare here. Obamacare prohibited a lot of dodgy practices in the medical insurance industry, like lifetime caps on benefits and being able to refuse coverage due to preexisting medical conditions. It's not perfect, but it's much better than it was before. And there are good things about healthcare here. I've never had to wait more than a week or so for a doctor's appointment, MRI scan, etc. And there's a lot of medical innovation here. People come from all over the world for treatments that simply aren't available elsewhere. There were so many Brits being treated at my hospital in NYC at one point that catering put fish and chips on the menu.

Apologies if I'm ranting. I love MN and have made some lovely friends here. I've never been to the UK but my husband lived and worked in London for a year and has promised to take me when the kids are done with uni and we have a bit more money available for holidays. We're both anglophiles and I can't wait to visit.

You need DC Urban Moms
Hours of fun. Like mumsnet, but crosser (especially the university entrance section)

www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/list.page

Can you guys not Just ask MN to do a special US board? I’m sure they’d do one!

Also...it cuts both ways.... Americans have really wild misconceptions about the UK - probably more so actually. I lived there for years and was constantly like this: 😳😱😳😱

[quote Delphigirl]You need DC Urban Moms
Hours of fun. Like mumsnet, but crosser (especially the university entrance section)

www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/list.page[/quote]
Thanks! I’m so investigating!

Put your hard hat on @lnsufficientFuns

That forum looks like a bit of an adventure. People certainly don't hold back about how they feel, do they?

Apparently, there was once a huge flame war over whether you could participate if you lived in the Washington DC suburbs. I can't imagine how they'd react to a NYer or a Brit.

They now have a sep section called NY but actually I think a lot of participants are from all over, particularly on the uni boards.
I have spent some time on there researching DS’ options for his year abroad but I keep getting distracted by punch ups over universities I have never heard of

There are also a lot of VERY definite and bossy opinions being expressed about St Andrew’s based mostly on incorrect preconceptions by people who have never left Maryland let alone travelled to the East Coast of Scotland …!

@Delphigirl, having two in uni now I am something of an expert on the US university system, particularly the ones in New England. Both of mine are attending uni's in Massachusetts. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

I’m signing up!

Relationships a bit tame ....although I was pleased to see a rather puritanical post from somebody appalled at people using “date night” to go out boozing... 😂 she was totally slapped down 🎉

Apologies if I'm ranting.
Oh no, not at all. I've enjoyed your posts. I did laugh out loud at the fish and chips bit. That's really interesting. Really, thank you for the information.

@Delphigirl Thanks for that. Will take a look as soon as my connection stops acting up. It just freezes each time I click on it and says the site took too long to respond.

Will definitely keep my head down so I don't attract the 'vipers'. Lol

Another favorite MN truism is that all Americans get only two weeks vacation time per year. It's about as true as saying that all workers in the UK are on zero hour contracts.

I don’t know if it’s still running as I’ve not been in years, but there was a kind of spin-off from the indiebride forums (long before it was sold off) called alt dot life.

Ooh thanks @MissConductUS!

So are these in the right order for a politics student who wants something totally different than his large city centre uni in the UK, but academically rigorous? Pitzer, UVA, Northeastern, Maryland College Hill, George Washington?

@choli

Another favorite MN truism is that all Americans get only two weeks vacation time per year. It's about as true as saying that all workers in the UK are on zero hour contracts.

Good point. I've refuted this many times and even posted links to prove it's not true, but it's become legendary and irrefutable. Also, very few Americans have bank accounts. That one came up because on Judy Judy, there are often people with no bank accounts. And they must be a scientifically vetted random sample of all Americans. I've also heard that we tend to be thick and poorly educated. And that schools and universities here are vastly inferior to British schools universities. I've pointed out that of the twenty largest technology companies in the world, fifteen are American, four are in Asia and one is in Europe (Spotify, if you're wondering). That was considered irrelevant. Oh, and my personal favorite - all Americans of Irish ancestry gave money to the IRA. I am of Irish ancestry and we were ashamed of the IRA.

@KeepTwirling, what was so funny about the fish and chips? The patients were demanding it.