To think that if you're not a M, or D then MN is a weird place to be?

[Spermysextowel]

This cannot be a first, so am expecting a lot of replies which require me to dodge bullets, but am seeing a fair few responses along the lines of 'this is what I would do if I had kids, but I don't'. It reminds me of the 40+s roaming bewildered at Legoland, never sure why they're there or what they're doing.

Talking shit, innit?

I am up to my ears in nieces, nephews, godchildren, friend's kids and neighbourhood kids. I believe MN has made me a better aunt & friend as I have an insight I might not have had otherwise. I will also be a better parent when the Prulets come along (in no small part due to the Gospel of LeQueen).

Also it relieves my nearest and dearest from my IL venting as I purge myself on here. Incidentally it was in-law issues that first brought me to MN. I'm still here bitching and moaning. Hmm. I demand a refund....

Northern, think my question was reasonably put, the replies were considered & polite; a couple even saw my point. My response was to reconsider & state that perhaps I WBU. No one else has said that I'm a hurtful pollock, but the day is young.

Am now awaiting many fishy puns; tho that's a pollack isn't it?

I know how to swaddle a baby, have calmed a tantrumming toddler, seperated warring siblings, held the hands of scared and grieving children at their grandads funeral, cooked more chicken nuggets than I care to think about, helped out at niece and nephews school fete (god help me!), put to bed, talked about periods and boys, changed nappies, cleared up vomit, picked up from school, helped with homework etc etc with kids that aren't mine for 14 years.

Clearly I don't have the same experience - emotionally or practically - as a parent but I do have a valued place in the lives of kids I know.

But I'm one of the 40+ you don't understand, so what do I know.

I am mostly here for the wolef fleeces

Though Mr OTH and I are likely to crank out a child or two in the next few years, so the horror stories here are sort of bracing, too

I will never understand why people think having a child gives you some sort of qualification? You have no child you are not qualified to give advice is a daft concept.

I have a mortgage, a financial advisor I do not make.

I have a vibrator, a sex therapist I am not.

I have a husband, does that make me a marriage guidance counsellor?

I own a oven so must be a professional chef, yes? Erm...no.

But I can post on relationships, finance and food quite happily, but not parenting/ behaviour & development without people saying

"Sorry, unless you've passed one or more living organisms through your uterus and kept them about your person between 1-23 years you cannot possibly have an opinion on this matter. Begone from whence you came until you have aided the population of the planet Earth, oh incompetent one"

Or is it a fact that most normal people appreciate good advice regardless of the provider?

Specifically you need to pass humans through your uterus Honey :o

Or dragons....

Or teeny tiny little hairy knuckled trolls

Isn't this what the BESH quiche is all about? The fact that everyone the Daily Mail thinks of women who've got as far as their 30s without incubating humans in their uterus as Barren Evil Selfish Hags?

Yes not having a baby makes you A VERY BAD person, or manatee. Did you not know this?

Just because Trills gives sound reasonable and balanced opinions, she is still BAD to her rotten offspringless core

I don't have any kids and I joined because of brilliant threads like this Medieval Mumsnet, which I found by accident via a google search. I mainly just lurk and occasionally post on S&B. I've read quite a few parenting threads out of horrified interest and think it's probably made me a lot better prepared for future DCs than I would have been otherwise!

Trills is childless?!

BESH is for us barren bitches?!?

faints

There IS a god!

I don't have any sprogs...was sucked in a while ago by Twilight discussion!

I came here for the Relationships board. You ladies (and men) all talk a lot of sense!

Honey I don't know. It would seem some people think like that. They seem to be a quiet minority on mumsnet though, which is refreshing.

I like opinions from non-parents. Sometimes it's easier to have clarity from the outside. And it's easier to be creative when you're not shattered

Why can't we just have a mix? You post about your five year old, you get replies from experienced parents of 6/7/+ year olds, other parents of 5 year olds going through the same phase, someone suggesting an adapted version of what works with their 2 year old, someone who's a reception teacher, someone who's read a book about behaviour management, someone who has a 5 year old brother, someone who's never dealt with a 5 year old but has trained a dog...

We went to Disney before we had children. Are we very weird?
Have also always fancied legoland and have never been. If I didn't have children I might just go anyway. Loved Lego as a child, would be nostalgic.

Is there something wrong with that? Meh.

And what BertieBotts just said.

I'm a nanny and I love it here!

Bounty didn't want me due to not being a parent cunts

Whats wrong with childless adults going to legoland? everyone loves lego dont they?

I joined while thinking of ttc.