to ask if MN has ever changed your views?

[MissScarletintheLibrary]

I've been a lurker for a few months now and well even if I was a newbie you would soon see that people have very strong views on mumsnet.

Should as children giving up seats for adults.
People deleting you as a friend on Facebook.
Wearing make-up.

Not being specific these are just recent ones that I've witnessed.

However has reading others peoples views on here on any particular topic actually made you change your views or made you think differently?

MN has probably made me aware of a lot more issues and I've developed an opinion because of that but I wouldn't say I've changed my views on anything.

Yep, it's changed my views. Not on inconsequential matters like Facebook or makeup, but on important things like how to make my marriage better or how to be a better parent, it has yes.

That's the reason I came here - to open my mind.

I don't have DC through circumstance. Reading threads on here has given me a much more realistic picture of having children than I had before.

Chicken pox as a pp has already said.

I have also learnt that nothing,absolutely nothing, is immune from being used as a stick to beat someone else with on here though.

Yes. I always had feminist leanings but being on MN has made me much more aware of everyday feminist issues and made me more likely to get riled up about things that wouldn't have bothered me before. Basically a good thing but I would sometimes like to live in blissful ignorance again!

It's also helped me to be more open about and less ashamed of my past, to the extent where I am more willing to be honest about it with people in real life. That's definitely a good thing.

Yes. I initially balked at a lot of subjects on the feminism topic and was defensive because I'm the mother of sons. After reading more, and realising that of course there is no one feminist viewpoint, I relaised that feminism not only matters to me, but also my children. A poster named Beachcomber really helped with that .

Yes. Much like cailin, probably.

But also, there were all sorts of views I had that I'd taken on board without thinking, that I'd now question. Like, I didn't know anything more about immunisations than the basic 101 stuff you get told at school - I didn't know that some children have allergic reactions to the ingredients. So that has made me much less quick to jump in and make assumptions. And I didn't know that there were quite a lot of people who're parents but who don't think it's necessary to smack children for being naughty (or at least, not as a routine punishment).

Oh and I am far more knowledgeable about childbirth and bfing than I ever would have been without MN so that's a great result.

No. I would say it has perhaps broadened my views but not changed them. The biggest problem with MN is that certain people shout the loudest and are therefore the ones that tend to be "heard". It is easy to believe this is the prevailing voice. My advice is take it all with a big pinch of salt. Sometimes reading MN is a bit like always reading the same newspaper - and it's good to get a different opinion every so often.

Oh yes...I have no rise tinted glasses about what having children/being pregnant will be like any more either. That would be the big one!

Yes MN has changed or helped develop a lot of my views, especially in regards to feminism.

I'm ashamed to say but I was once one of those people who thought that young girls going out in skimpy clothes were asking to be raped. Someone simply pointed out that you will only get raped if a rapist is there, I'd never seen it that way before. Still don't think it's a good idea to wear barely anything but that is obviously down to the individual.

I now consider myself as a feminist after learning so much on here.

It has opened my eyes on feminist issues.

Chicken pox was a biggie. I always assumed it was a normal childhood illness.

I don't think it's made me change my views but perhaps made me more tolerant to listen and try and understand others point of view even if I disagree.

I've certainly learnt a lot and admire those posters that have the ability to debate without it turning into a bun-fight.

Not changed my views as such but helped me to become more aware ie feminist issues as cailin says.

I have gained knowledge on various aspects if parenting/childbirth etc.

But for me a big gain has been issues surrounding sn's and the problems and discrimination they face. Its not something that ever affected me personally and i have always tried to be considerate to their needs etc but i am so much more aware if how challenging day to day life can be for someone with sn's ir for a parent who has a child with sn's. Mnet has opened my eyes in a good way.

It's changed my views on poverty.

I'm ashamed to say that until I joined MN, I didn't realise how tough it is for some people. I mean tough as in not being able to feed their families.

I had a pretty shit upbringing (due to shit parents) but I still didn't realise that there was so much poverty in the UK; poverty which isn't the fault of the person or family suffering it.

It has opened my eyes to abusive relationships and red flags, especially really subtle types of abuse and control. It has helped me to categorise past failed relationships and understand why I stayed longer than I should have, and to appreciate that my DP is none of these, and that this is why I don't feel taken for granted/like I don't recognise who I have become/insecure etc like I used to, not because I was the crazy emotional mess I was told at the time, but because I was totally played and too naive to see it.

Also, I have changed my views on education, I now think it more beneficial to go to a state/grammar school that suits their needs, and have more life experiences outside of school and a tutor if needed, rather than to live on the breadline so you can scrape together the money for private school.

I don't think it has made me change my views on anything where I had previously properly thought about it, but it has made me think more deeply about a number of things.

I had never really thought about some things, like circumcision. I don't have boys and my DH is not circumcised, so it had never really crossed my mind. But now I think it is unnecessary, possibly dangerous and quite unreasonable. That's down to MN.

But on some things I go against the MN grain. I don't think parents who give the occasional smack are evil abusers who deserve to lose their children.

It's changed my views on chicken pox, bf and co-sleeping. It's made me more aware of feminist issues and made me think about things more than I probably would have done.

There have also been several times where I've read an AIBU and thought 'no, that's perfectly reasonable' and then 500 other posters have been outraged. On occasion it's changed my mind, but mostly it's just shown me that I'm definitely in the minority on some aspects of social conduct (minor things like taking shoes off in other people's home/fussy eaters/petrol money etc).

It has certainly made me more aware of many things. I'm very much a fence sitter in life- on many issues and it has swayed my opinion on things as issues have been pointed out from different view points.

On other topics its firmly kept me on the fence when people have mafe very strong points about either side of the arguement.

It has changed my views on some things, and educated me on so many areas that they are too long to list.

It's helped me realise that I am Good Enough just as I am. led me into a bad haircut though

Thanks, Mumsnet.

I've not exactly changed my views but I've certainly got better at analysing and evaluating situations and seeing what the real issue is.

no, never.
it helps me to be even more clear and direct.