Common assumptions some Mumsnetters jump to

[Darkdiamond]

I find that there are certain trigger words that seem to elicit a certain type of response on Mumsnet.

If someone asks about sleep training, many posters assume that the OP is referring to cry it out, with endless posts about sleep training is just 'teaching a baby that nobody will come when they cry'. This is in spite of the many different ways of sleep training, many of which involve the parent staying with the child or very close by.

I've also seen a few times that posters who take an interest in current trends are perceived as simpletons who take all of their existing clothes and burn them on a big pyre, then replace the lot with a massive haul from shien, every year. No concept of adding in new pieces here and there to adapt to your current wardrobe.

Finally I've also noticed the misconception that it takes half an hour to do your make up in the morning, and many posters would rather have that extra 30 minutes in bed. I've seen posters explain time and again that it takes them 5 minutes to put make up on, but the myth that the poster gets up at 5 am to do her make up because it's so time consuming persists.

Just a little musing I thought of recently. Anyone else notice common conclusions you see people jump to on mumsnet? I'm sure gentle parenting is another!

No matter what you post even if it’s common sense you’ll always be told you’re being unreasonable.

Some threads amuse me - when you’ve got £10k to spend on a luxury holiday everyone will be snooty and suggest places outside of your budget and tell you what you can’t afford or will suggest run if the mill places. And yet when you’ve got £3k to spend on a family holiday you’re told it’s you can get AI in Bahamas for £1.5k. It’s so contradictory. No matter what the Op is always in the wrong.

That everyone who lives in London is loaded. And that London begins and ends in Zone 1/Central London.

Halloween is American.

(gesticulating wildly with my turnip)

This! I was genuinely shocked at how prude MN is. I originally thought it might have been an age thing but pretty sure a lot of those beliefs also come from millenial women who grew up in the Noughties which were far from conservative. But the fact that some MNers want to forbid their partner from watching porn is mind bending.

Oh well, we’ve failed then. Eldest has just finished Uni and has come back home. He’s welcome to stay and we aren’t going to stiff him for money. It’s his home.

Are you not going to make him pay rent?? (Gasp)

(😉)

That any woman who chooses to have a relationship with an older man is on the wrong end of a power imbalance and needs protection and the man needs judgement.

That anyone who posts about something that's not a world news story or major concern "doesn't have enough to worry about". We really can think about more than one thing at once.

That if you work part time you must never aspire to have any sort of career ever again and therefore you will retire on a pension of only bread & gruel. You must always work full time regardless of the personal cost to you & your family.

That if you suspect your husband is cheating/want to leave him, get photocopies of all bank statements and pension statements, completely disregarding the fact most statements are now online and need a second log in verification by text message, which the husband will receive.

That anyone can simply move house if they have problem neighbours or an in-law who is threatening to move nearby.

The amount of times I have been called a Man on Mumsnet because there are certain sexual acts that I enjoy is unreal. Unless we only enjoy missionary or perhaps doggy if it’s a birthday/anniversary then apparently we’re men.

nobody should ever date after splitting with their children’s father. If they do they shouldn’t introduce the children for 15 years and heaven forbid, live with someone again especially if their 35 year old child still lives at home and objects. On a similar subject, no mother has ever prevented a perfectly good father from seeing their child out of bitterness. If that father has spent his life savings on trying to get access and is living on the street he still hasn’t done enough but yet an 8 year old is perfectly entitled to choose not to see said father

That everyone has a spare £100 to fix a problem

That dealing with serious clutter/untidiness/house chaos is just a matter of rolling up your sleeves and getting it sorted.

I’ve been told multiple times I’m “enmeshed” and a failure because I’m still at home at 26.

im a low paid worker (I know!), can’t afford a house or a deposit, so I live at home. We all love it and I get to go on nice holidays (paid by myself!). It’s the ideal scenario for me

This one drives me bananas and I don’t even have a disabled child.

tbf do we actually need to know this? I mean, how often does it come up?

Men do post on here for titillation so I can understand people’s reactions to this.

Nope and I’ll cook his tea too. 😳😳

It always the step mother’s fault if relationships are not perfect,

That all women in a bad relationship can just leave.
Never mind that they have no money/ have been isolated from friends and family support/ have no job/ disabilities are involved/ pets are involved etc etc.

OP is always the other woman.
All kids will go to University.

I see this so much now and it honestly blows my mind. People seem so desperate to jump in and say what they want without even reading properly. I almost find it rude

OP: I'm going on holiday to Spain next week, flying with Easyjet
Reply: who are you flying with?

OP: I'm married, I'm a sahm and I've got 3 children
Reply: How many children have you got?

OP: I'd like to get a new pet, but I'm allergic to dogs so what pet should I get
Reply: Have you thought about getting a dog?

It's also become a running joke on the Tattle threads as it happens so often

That everyone understands all the acronyms even the ones they just made up.

That all men are the same and it’s always their fault.

Never started any sex based posts myself but I will respond when they come up if I have something to add and since they’re usually on the sex boards I’d have thought that perfectly reasonable?!

The only time I have seen this opinion is regarding strangulation around sex and I cant get on board with women wanting that at all.

That I am a completely rude ignorant peasant because I say "Can I get ...." and hold my knife like a pen..