To not really understand why people without kids use sites like this?

[999HELPMYPUDDINGSONFIRE]

Obviously this doesn't apply to people trying to conceive or those going through te adoption process.

I have wondered the same not that their input is any less welcome or valid

Oh well, don't let it bother you.

GET YOUR FLAK JACKET AND HELMET OP

Stupid, offensive post.

Oh right okay. So all the Pets sections are closed to non-parents? Plus no non-parent teachers can give advice on 'Education'. Etc,etc,etc.......

Don't we have this thread about once every four hours?

I very rarely post about my children (except my nightmare teen who is currently doing my head in)

I don't use the Parenting or Baby topics at all

I perfectly understand why child-free people use this site

Because most of the things that people talk about , happen with or without children.

Childcare professionals, aunts/uncles, godparents...

Paranoid Chaos is about.......

at Bertie

Well, I started using it when I first started thinking seriously about having children. Obviously (before someone tells me!!!!) I know you cannot find out about life with DC just from reading a website.... but you can find out quite a lot that's worth knowing, and you can see other people getting on with life, and it's quite reassuring.

I know a number of other posts who use it this way too.

I think quite a lot of others who use it work with children, e.g. nannies, nursery nurses, early years teachers etc. Don't know why you care tbh.

Stupid and offensive??

Surely she is asking a question with her statement?

I wonder how they stumble across it (is that offensive?)

Why shouldn't they? There's loads of topics on here that are not to do with kids.

LOL baubley

OP, for me it's simple. This is a lively site full of interesting people and sometimes feisty discussions. I started reading AIBU, and then got stuck in. The fact I'm not a parent (nor likely to be - a whole 'nother thread) doesn't matter.

Lots of us have nieces, nephews, kids in our lives who we care about, and discussions are helpful and enlightening.

FWIW I don't post on other parenting sites.

This discussion comes up monthly. Congratulations for being the first one of 2012

Why 'stupid offensive' post? The very tagline on my screen says 'by parents for parents'. I have often wondered why non parents would bother. But I can't say I lose sleep over it.

*posters, obv.

Also yes Bertie,don't know why I bother.

Oh dear, you do have your flame proof knickers on don't you OP?

Don't be to harsh, 999 is a newbie.

I use this site because it seems more "mature" and more interesting than other forums aimed at younger people, although I use them as well.

I apologise if my being here and replying bothers anyone, but there is no rule (not that I can see anyway) that you have to have children to be on this site.

I don't use this site for anything else other than the forums, I find it interesting and useful when you need help with something or to help someone else with what you've been through.

I apologise for being here then!

I don't think your question is offensive, 999, but you know your recent long threads where you got loads of brilliant advice and support ?

Some of those contributors are child-free, FYI

Toothbrush - yes it's offensive and stupid. Offensive because it could put off people from posting if they feel unwelcome - and they may not be childless by choice. Stupid because most posts on MN are not about children, they are about sooooo many other topics, issues etc.

Well I used the site for about 18 months before TTC

Hardly any of it is dedicated to children. Chat and AIBu are general topics with all sorts of fun and interesting debate going on. I just stayed off the potty training threads...of which there are about 1% out of all the content on here!!

MOST of the chat is about things any women ... Or man! Could relate to and join in with

I have also, from the likes of AIBU for example, learnt more about people and also to not judge. I've learnt a lot here and the people here are lovely.

And offensive because OP chose to start a thread about this in AIBU - so meant to be controversial..? Or to 'speak' directly to people without kids? It wasn't worded very thoughtfully or subtly.

deja vu! Didn't we have this exact thread with the exact same title recently? This is NOT a 'yawn, this has been done to death' post - I am having serious, genuine deja vu! Same thread title, same post - same poster.

Spooky!

To answer the question - with the same answer I gave last time (deja vuing madly here! )

Because MN is so much more than parenting. In fact, very little of the chat has anything to DO with being a parent. If it was a parenting site, then we wouldn't have half the topics we do!

Not all my friends in rl have children. I don't associate only with people with children and people without children don't associate only with people without children.

MN is full of funny, intelligent people who talk on every subject under the sun and it doesn't surprise me one little bit that that attracts other people, whether they have children or not.