to ask why people with no children and not ttc come on MN

[AuntiePickleBottom]

i hope that don't sound nasty, just generally curious

I think it did start as a parenting forum, but has just got bigger (and better), and is obviously to big to change it's name.
I have a teen but very rarely go on the teen threads, and never the parenting ones, but I do go on subjects like chat,AIBU, books (and loads more actually) and I've yet to find a site funnier, wittier, kinder and generous.

Why? Are we all so deadly dull and tedious that we have nothing to offer anyone who doesn't have a direct interest in the contents of nappies?

Even if they despise them they can give an opinion-that is all it is.

For the chat.

(haven't read thread)

All other forums that I have come across are either

1 - inhabited largely by 15 year old boys and men that act like 15 year old boys
or
2 - very specific to a topic, not for general chitchat

I agree with kungfu.

Anyone who thinks that non-mothers (and that includes fathers) shouldn't be here obviously only talks about boring shit.

Trillian has met me - she knows I am dull and tedious!

"I was looking for a forum where lots of women talk intelligently.

Couldn't find one, so I settled for Mumsnet "

That is so true garlic

I also like how theres no tickers, no text speak, just people talking. You form your opinions on posters by what they're saying, not their annoying tickers!

And the advice in general, and ranting without being seen as weird or (too) rude because a rant is a rant and people here recognise that. And having a different opinion on things without being seen as weird. And finding other young 20-somethings with bladder incontinence a few weeks back was something that made my improvement in bladder training jump quite drastically as it improved my attitude about it. Also when things went a step further between me and my best friend I felt massively reassured to get told I was having a somewhat normal reaction to it! Oh! And my attitude to sex. It's nice to know that people think the same way when my sisters, mum, friends and other females in my life criticise me for it and (my younger sister in particular) find ways to bring it into convo just so that they can!

This site is just brilliant.

Didn't Mamazon (or someone) tell you off for talking about fruit purees in a tube? :o

I was directed to AIBU from another site, and spent a week or so laughing at the archive until I decided to join in.

Where else would I find a site which actively invites me to tell other people they are Being Unreasonable?

Oh and the chat is wide ranging, mostly intelligent and spelled correctly, which is more than can be said for many other forums.

A1980 Don't leave every one is welcomed on any website, i think i should of worded the title alittle bit better...why did you join MN? would of been better choice of words

It's been good reading all the replys, the reason i came here was because the other "parenting site" was full of trolls and the mods did nothing about it

Why men? I posted on AIBU because I wanted a female and child-rearing view on a particular matter (go search if you are curious) and stayed on because I find it fascinating, useful, at times bloody hilarious!

A friend sent me a link to the "garlic" thread. I got hooked and started reading. Registered, but was ages before I plucked up the courage to actually post. I love the place, it's where I come when I need cheering up. Even when I don't. I tend to lurk, I don't post often, and when I do it's boring shite like this.

I am really interested in what draws/drew non-parents to MN.
DH often comments on it because nowhere else has the feel of MN (we have been internet users for almost 20 years now, well... I was actually using Prestel once upon a time, but it was a little different)
You just do not get conversation like this on other fora, but I have no idea why not.

originally joined about 5 years ago as found the childcare board (im a nanny)

then wandered and found bum sex chat and aibu and pets and diet threads

sadly dh and i never managed to have children though ttc for 3 years

A1980 hasn't been back since she posted on here - well done OP!

I think it is so much better that it is all ages, some men, all backgrounds, those without DCs. Ages ago with the biscuit thing, Ian Hislop dismissed it on Have I Got News for You as 'young mums'. I think he was under the impression that it was 20/30yr olds with preschool DCs-whereas nothing could be further from the truth.

My sister is a nanny and uses mn all the time. A couple of years ago I had a miscarriage and she sent me a link to the mc forum. Was on here obsessively for a while after that but realised if I was going to get over it I had to stop talking about it. Then a few months ago a friend sent me a link to an AIBU thread they had posted and I've been absolutely glued to AIBU, chat and relationships ever since. Also seen some fantastic advice in legal issues an womens rights. Not technically a mum but nearly was once. Does that count?

Trillian - that is entirely possible. I have absolutely no memory of it though. But then again after a bucket of wine I have no memory of most of that night. For example, I was entirely unaware that I had met Mamazon!

"A1980 hasn't been back since she posted on here - well done OP!"

Maybe she's busy. You'd have to be feeling very sensitive already to think that this thread meant "get off MN you non-mothers" and to then actually do it. The OP has said that she didn't mean it that way and I don't think you should have a go at her for asking a perferctly legitimate question.

Yeah, well Trilian, you would say that, you non-mother you.
Back in your non-parent box please. We will let you know when we require a child-free opinion!

[ducks]

Ella's Kitchen actually.

Do you know nothing, woman?

I have a child. She's over there somewhere, no doubt doing something or other.

She's not why I joined or why I stay though. Some days I forget why I'm here but largely I think it's because there's nowhere else that gets my David Mitchell obsession.

I know many things.

Just not the brand names of goo in a sachet.