Things Mumsnet really helped you with a gratitude thread

[pastypirate]

Last year when my mum died I had sone really stellar advice to appoint a solicitor to deal with the estate and to contact the local ones see if they had her will. I did appoint one and she has been amazing and really got me organised. I wouldn't have done this otherwise as it's not been advice I got anywhere else.

Just want to say a huge thank you and ask for your mn positive stories xx

The best help I ever got was, oddly, being torn a new one over my very unreasonable and clingy behaviour re my husband.

It was a total pile on but it actually changed my marriage for the better.

I didn't enjoy it at the time, being told I was a twat 😂 but I did need to be told and once I'd finished sulking, I took a good long look at myself and realised they were right. I was being a twat.

I am so much happier now.

I’m grateful that there’s a place where women can post and debate openly and freely, within reason, without censorship and to have a place where women’s issues are at the forefront of debate.

And where you can post or read about products without commercial pressures.

Both of the above are pretty rare nowadays.

grateful to Mumsnet for telling me to get:
Heated throw
dehumifier
hrt

Funnily enough I had a similar experience when I was young, we’d moved abroad to a military posting, and I was adjusting to motherhood. I complained on here that I suddenly didn’t have any time to do anything. Reader, I had one very easy baby, a very supportive dh, and no job at the time 🙈. I quite rightly got it in the neck from a few posters, and some others were less combative but pretty much said the same thing, and that made me sit up and smell the flowers and stop feeling sorry for myself and move on 😁.

Oh @Blahblah34 that is like a mini short story. And also, I understand how you feel!

This is very specific to me but when the Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng debacle happened in 2022 I was getting regularly accosted by colleagues (I teach Economics) to explain it all and students had many questions too. I quickly reached the edges of my knowledge, especially regarding the knock on effects to the pension markets. I saved a great thread on here so I could be fully informed.

There are some really brainy people on here!

When I had debilitating health anxiety several years ago now, I found a support thread on here . Just knowing others understood and empathised was a game changer as I couldn't talk to my friends or family really... I will always be grateful as it motivated me to get CBT and manage the anxiety.

Similar to PPs, it was partly through mumsnet that I realised my marriage was abusive. Previously, I thought only physical violence counted as abuse.

Although I don’t post often, I have found validation in reading posters’ responses to threads started by women in the same situation I was in. It’s really helped me to identify manipulation, darvo, and other tactics abusers use.

Also, the book recommendation for “Why does he do that” by Lundy Bancroft was particularly helpful.

I found my birth father and (massive!) extended family in the US thanks to a post on MN. Forever grateful.

Mumsnet pointed me in the direction of a dog rehoming charity in Portugal where I found my best pal Pip. It was love at first sight for both of us and he is the best dog I've ever owned.
Thank you Mumsnet!

I agree so much with the above. Mumsnet feels like my people.

A thread about cannabis use put me onto where I can buy some and that has been incredible. Both for period pain but the occasional recreational use too.

I also find it fascinating to read posts from such a mix of ages and types here. Grandmothers, newly weds, different relationship types and social styles. We're all just women living our lives, chatting and helping each other out.

I learned the phrase; 'Not my circus not my monkeys' on MN which has been literally lifechanging for me. My mother is a total drama lama who has drawn me in over the years into her drama and grudges against people and all that. That phrase mentally freed me to realise that I don't have to agree with her or help her manage her relationships or otherwise get involved with her crap.

Also the incredibly intelligent women and discussions on the FWR board has served to both inform and cement my feminism.

There was an AMA done by someone who assesses DLA applications. I have a profoundly autistic child but was afraid to even apply for anything because of many reasons- denial, a fear of stigma, the idea of 'taking from the taxpayer' etc. That thread made me feel more confident and I applied last year and received Highest rate of care as his needs were deemed to deserve that. It's made a huge difference to our quality of life- i can access a range of therapies that we could not afford before and also we have started a programme of enrichment activities such as specialised swimming classes etc that we could not do before.

My antenatal thread ladies were amazing. Wish I'd had them for DS1 (now 16) rather than just DD (10). Met up with 2 of them for dinner last week.
When I was diagnosed with cancer when DD was 8 weeks old, the cancer thread was incredibly supportive.
And FWR has educated me so much!

Oh, and everyone in my life is grateful for the Xmas bargain threads!

I've been thinking about this some more and remembering the awful ppd I had and how mumsnet helped...

Another thing that helped my MH hugely was feeling like I could contribute (like, a bit) to threads helping other mums. For example with breastfeeding tips after I'd been doing it a couple of years.

I was literally about to post a comment on a thread from the other day. To say thanks for the recommendation of Dettol soap bars for the awful BO that seems to have appeared in my 40s. It's been (lightheartedly) game changing!

Christmas bargain threads help me with fantastic ideas every year. It’s honestly made so many Christmases better and affordable.

ideas on how to encourage children to grow and navigate parenting. I didn’t have the greatest childhood so the support and guidance you’d have from your family I’ve found in mumsnet.

when mine were born the harsh advice did make me hate mumsnet though! For about the first 3/4 years of babies I thought it was full of wealthy judgemental out of touch people who judged anyone giving their child a fruit shoot. 😳

There’s also been some great support with my mental health issues. Things I wouldn’t or couldn’t discuss in real life. I’ve not really got proper friends, let alone anyone I’d burden with it so i do genuinely appreciate it.

In the early days with twin babies the ladies on the multiples board were absolutely amazing. I got ideas and support and understanding that helped me - particularly to keep breastfeeding (which was what I wanted) when people IRL were encouraging me to stop. M I had lots of support at home too but I wouldn't have. Got through it without MN.

Me too. Twice. The wonderful @LucindaE was a godsend with those threads.

Met one of my best friends on here many, many years ago.

The whole transgender debate - before it was mainstream - helped me realise that I wasn't going mad, I wasn't bigoted, and that women's rights were (and are) in danger of being eroded.

Sensible advice also for some specific personal situations that I asked about.

I loved following the pregnancy development chart when I was having my first. It was so exciting logging on!

I love how there is such a broad width of wisdom among posters that you can ask quite a niche question and someone will know the answer!

I am grateful for advice from Piglet John. And for his Brexit posts.

And latterly I have been grateful for very patient and wise advice on the teenage threads.

<Yes I have been on Mumsnet forever 😂>

Makes note 😀

Great support on an employment issue, lovely helpful styling advice for my wedding!

There's such interesting and intelligent debate here about current affairs and social issues, with a diverse range of opinions being expressed.

The FWR boards have helped me to translate my feelings into thoughts and ideas about feminist issues, particularly the trans debate.

I started a thread when my husband had an affair and walked out. This was 10 years ago. It turned into a blockbuster of epic proportions due to the utter fuckwittery of my ex and OW. 3000 posts later and I'd made a bunch of fabulous friends. All of whom I am still in touch with today, some on a daily basis. One utterly fabulous MNer actually came to court with me. I couldn't have got through it without every single person who kept me going through what was an horrific ordeal ❤️