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Why do people use MN for this?...
handmadeclottedcreamfudge · 19/03/2023 12:33
Ok almost certainly going to ruffle some feathers here but asking anyway..
Been using MN for well over a decade now but lately noticing more and more people taking to MN to announce they're "child free by choice". Why be on MN then? It's Mumsnet, I can't get why you'd be child free by choice and intentionally go to a parenting forum. If I were child free by choice I wouldn't be going on parenting forums because well, I wouldn't be a parent or have any interest in being a parent.
BertieBotts · 19/03/2023 14:57
I do think the tone has shifted.
There have always been people without children on MN but the "look at how lovely my childfree life is, why would anyone want kids?" and the aggressive "why on earth would you assume everyone is a parent?!?!" responses were very few/nonexistant. Everyone was (and is) welcome but there was a kind of respect for the fact that it's meant to be a parenting site/parent support site, and nobody thought it was weird if the assumption that it was majority parents.
CoffeeBean5 · 19/03/2023 14:58
SquashPenguin · 19/03/2023 12:35
Because there are lots of threads on here that have nothing to do with parenting maybe? Property/ DIY/ travel/ pets/ exercise. Didn’t realise you had to me a mother to use the page? What about all the people going through IVF using the conception threads?
If you’re suffering with infertility and looking for ways to conceive (eg IVF) then you’re clearly not ‘child free by choice.’
PlateBilledDuckyPerson · 19/03/2023 14:58
Question, OP - imagine your workplace. Would you think it strange of your childfree colleagues didn't want to talk to you because you were a parent? If they assumed your only topics of conversation would be pregnancy, babies and children? If a group of childfree colleagues were chatting about a film, or the weather, or politics or someone's wedding and they excluded you because you are a parent?
You'd probably think that was a downright weird attitude.
TheChosenTwo · 19/03/2023 15:02
Haha my dad recently asked me if I had heard of mumsnet as he’d discovered the gardening board here 😂
I very rarely open any specific parenting threads; I’m here for all the other stuff.
I do have dc but I’m not especially interested in discussing nappies/teenage tantrums/what to put in a 7 year olds party bags.
Stuffin · 19/03/2023 15:05
I can only assume the OP only talks on line or in RL to people that are exactly like them. I mean god forbid chatting or being friends with non parents. And of course child free never ask opinions of parents. Never the two shall mix.
Or like the million other threads on this subject it's just another goady one 🤔
SquashPenguin · 19/03/2023 15:10
CoffeeBean5 · 19/03/2023 14:58
If you’re suffering with infertility and looking for ways to conceive (eg IVF) then you’re clearly not ‘child free by choice.’
SquashPenguin · 19/03/2023 12:35
Because there are lots of threads on here that have nothing to do with parenting maybe? Property/ DIY/ travel/ pets/ exercise. Didn’t realise you had to me a mother to use the page? What about all the people going through IVF using the conception threads?
I wasn’t on about the child free by choice- well aware of that- I was pointing out that’s there’s a lot else on here besides parenting, as the OP was implying that only parents should be using this forum. It’s just a bit harsh when infertility threads are quite common on here. Others have made the same observations. Should we leave because we can’t have children?
DojaPhat · 19/03/2023 15:26
I don't think people who start threads asking this are doing so earnestly. To have even started this thread the OP would have been in Chat and clicked to start a thread ostensibly ignoring all the current 'live' threads which are titled about all manner of things.
Even just a cursory glance at the layout of the website would indicate this. Even the 'trending topics' indicates as much. Why be so disingenuous 
coeurnoir · 19/03/2023 15:30
Maybe because until a scan picture or photo of a CS scar is needed to sign up, then this is a site that's open to everyone to join for whatever reason they choose.
I believe that around 20% of women are remaining childfree so it's, thankfully, becoming more mainstream and normal and like it or not, childfree women are allowed to hold opinions and express them.
takeawayandwine · 19/03/2023 15:43
I don't have children and to be honest don't really see it as a 'parenting forum' anyway. There's loads of threads on everything from Covid to gardening - to me it just feels predominantly like it's a forum for (mostly) women.
Maybe it's time for a rebrand? 😘
Stuffin · 19/03/2023 15:46
takeawayandwine · 19/03/2023 15:43
I don't have children and to be honest don't really see it as a 'parenting forum' anyway. There's loads of threads on everything from Covid to gardening - to me it just feels predominantly like it's a forum for (mostly) women.
Maybe it's time for a rebrand? 😘
A rebrand would be great.
But I suspect they get more marketing revenue to be a 'parenting site' rather than a predominantly women's site when I look at their q&a sessions or product reviews etc.
Feelingredhot · 19/03/2023 16:06
I’m childfree and came here years ago for support after being raped as I have a group of friends who I’ve had for decades through a hobby who told me to post here for support as they were members of mumsnet as they’re teachers, nannys and midwives, one rescues dogs and posts about that and one is a baker and posts about that, they’re childfree as well but found mumsnet through the jobs/hobbies I mentioned. I didn’t know that they were on mumsnet until I mentioned how difficult it was to find somewhere supportive to discuss the trauma of being raped online and they didn’t know each other was posting here too until that discussion so it must be pretty high up in Google searching relating to those jobs and hobbies.
Whyisitsososohard · 19/03/2023 17:14
PlateBilledDuckyPerson · 19/03/2023 12:47
"I am child free by choice and you parents can all eff off" type threads.
Hmm, because there are so many of those threads, aren't there?
Yep! I've never seen a thread like this. I've seen replies where it's relevant. But never a thread where people come to declare they are very happy being childfree. Which leads me to belive op has a bit of an issue with childfree people and is projecting.
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