To join in on MN even though my children are grown up?

[Dingleinthevillage]

Have been lurking for a while but wondering if you don't 'qualify' if you can have a full night's sleep, go on holiday without bothering what your children will eat and can send them to the off-licence if you have a friend round for coffee in the morning....and run out of wine before 4.00.

my youngest is nearly 16 EEEK and anyway i like to be nosy and see how the next generation is doing with their children and stick my oar in-

everybody is welcome

Adult children and now young DGC here...
MN is great for telling you what to avoid (like several people above, I am tempted to type, 'Calm down, they'll be fine' quite often) but I've learned a huge amount about modern child-rearing and also find myself gobsmacked at how awful some families can be - as both a DM and a MIL it helps to know what irritates the most, so that you can try to avoid the pitfalls...!

I'm another who's children are adults and indeed one of them has produced two children of her own.

I think I would have made fewer mistakes bringing up my children if I'd had the support of a site like this. I had no family around and was too proud to ask anyone's advice.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing though and I'm trying to forgive myself for having had a short fuse sometimes. My grandchildren are very dear to me and I hope I can be of both practical and emotional help to their mother.

I'm also a member of Gransnet which has been invaluable to me, it is however less anonymous and a wee bit more intimate than here which is not always an advantage.

Hello Dingle and welcome, - of course you can join in, there are lots of people on here with grown up children, and also many who don't have children.

I'm 54 and I've got two children in their twenties - I joined MN about 4 years ago. Over the years I've had an enormous amount of support over a serious health issue, and more recently over the break up of my marriage, Hopefully I've been able to give a bit of support back in areas wher I have experience. I think having people of all ages in different family situations gives a much wider range of advice and support. There are also plenty of 'interest related' discussion topics (books, telly, arts and crafts, horses, chickens - you name it!) so it's great to be able to chat to people with similar interests.

MN is full of kind, funny, wise people - I love the humour and the generosity of spirit you find here, - I hope you enjoy posting too

Welcome, Dingle - as another mother of older children (16, 18, and 20), I think we have a lot to contribute to the site - and I have made some wonderful friends here too.

i hang around too. I am a Gran I love the chit chat. I don't like the arguments just for the sake of it. I have picked up hints and tips I never knew I needed to know. If I come across a live birth thread I have to follow it ( I don't look for them) :)

can send them to the off-licence if you have a friend round for coffee in the morning....and run out of wine before 4.00. I can't wait til my children are old enough to do that!

Mine are 5 and 9 but I like that there are mums with adult children who can give a bit of advice having done it all and survived, especially as a few of you have children my age (I'm 25) and sometimes all I need is 'ffs Danann, did it ever kill you? no, stop being stupid then'

Leavesalmondoutofit - your nickname makes me wonder if you are a Scottish MNer. If so, we have meet ups in Glasgow, if you are a) near there and b) interested.

I'm another one with offspring in their 20s/30s. Who cares what i think? At least I get to say it here!
And some of the threads are very funny, some are very supportive and some are just very sad.
But I really like the huge variety of people here; it's very educational.

Finally, welcome!

Absolutely yes do join in. Mine are all adults and Im still learning things. Especially that you can pull down envelope neck vests instead of up and covering baby's face with poo!
Also I contribute to the education forums as Ive been an infant teacher for 35 years and still am in the loop so to speak.
I also am learning how to be an acceptable MIL!

I've been on MN for years, name-changed far too many times though. I joined when dcs were 15 & 18... youngest is almost 21 now!
It's been a great help to me over the years, helped me lose almost a stone in weight (need to get back on the wagon post christmas), given me style guidance and advice on any numbers of issues. Hugely funny at times as well (MN classics anyone?). I couldn't care less re age, think we all have something to offer.

I have two grown up boys, one still at home. When my first son was born there wasn't even breakfast TV in the mornings. I really could have done with Mumsnet then though.

Ah, join in. I've just got my DM on board, and she jumped right in with a rant about her MiL, which I could tell really relieved her feelings!

In that way, it's a great place for people to seek acknowledgement, or explore their own family relations, sometimes hilariously, sometimes movingly.

My DDs are 26,24 and 21. I've been on here since the youngest was about 10

Sorry, haven't deserted the thread (hope that didn't need another s) but have been cancelling new year two nights away because OH has a terrible cough. Sad because I was really looking forward to a posh hotel do but almost worth it to see sons squirm and cancel girlfriend overnight stays :-) can't work the smilies in here. Help please.

Evilwolefgenius. Hi, I am a Scottish mnetter. you are the first to pick up on my name. Thank you for letting me know about the meetups. I probably wouldn't come. I feel the mums with young children probably need the meets more than me especially if they want to moan about mums or MILs. I love being a mother in Law it gave me a lovely boy. as I have girls.

See the list of emoticons at the bottom of the page? Just type the word you see to the right of the emoticon you want between square brackets [...] making sure you don't leave any spaces

The meet ups are for everyone, leavesalmond - some do bring their little ones with them, and others, like me, go to meet up with some great people, and enjoy coffee, cake, and good conversation. You would be more than welcome. Or we could meet up for a coffee sometime.

Mine are almost grown up.

And I mostly don't want to talk about them

I chickended out the last glasgow meet up i was raring to go and then i lost my nerve

Mine are almost grown up too. I want to talk about dating, sex and moving on as almost divorced at 50!

I have lurked for years ages! But this thread has prompted me to post. I have 2 ds, 15 and 17 (18 in Jan! eek!) . I generally spend ages reading AIBU and alternating between and

clicks 'enter' and hopes smilies worked

Do come to the next one, mrsjay - we are lovely - and not scary at all (unless you are refusing to tidy your room or eat your broccoli).

och it is just me not you I freak out a wee bit when i meet new people which is daft because i work with people and i am not shy