To sometimes feel like a brusque tweedy old lady on MN

[Imogentlasting]

I'm not that old, but some of the views on here really astound me. No one touch my child (on a thread I started); Christmas is just for me and my little unit, no relatives allowed; how dare an elderly person park in a P&T space; etc etc etc

AIBU to sometimes think the world is slowly going mad?

Actually, maybe that's an expression we could use on some threads. "Oh stop being such a Gwendoline Mary".

I often want to post this.

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Checking in.

Can I wear tweed?

I would have been earlier but I was talking to my mother on the phone (because I like her) and browsing my (actual, physical, P.A boasting, dust gathering, unnecessary) bookshelves.

But I daren't leave the house. I'm sure to coo at someone's baby.

Lots of hatred for extended families on MN it seems which I really don't get. Totally understand if you have an abusive and/or toxic family, but getting all aerated because your SIL might want to babysit or your mum wants to see you on Christmas day....bizarre. Just don't get it

I love it cleaty

I am a brusque old woman, not tweedy though, and I so agree.

Add co-sleeping and feeding on demand to the list, also what do Health Visitors, Teachers, Civil Servants know.

Now off to find out who Darrel Rivers is.

YY, totally agree. People seem to have become selfish, possessive and insular these days.

Even in RL, one of my very dearest friends speaks about her mil in a very negative way. the PIL offered to look after the DGC for a day a week after she returned to work, yet friend was forever complaining if they let him watch TV for even 10 mins, gave him anything that wasn't on her list of being completely healthy and nutritious, or if they didn't give him dinner as well as lunch and breakfast if she was running a little late to collect him. It's strange, because in most ways she is a lovely friend and person.

Oh, sooooo agree. I hope that some people's rather mean opinions aren't influencing milder MN users. I feel sorry for some of the dhs: if a bloke isn't a completely mild-mannered paragon of virtue able to stay awake for 24 hours a day he is a vile abuser. And if he has parents, well, that's just terrible.

There are so many cries of "Go NC!" when someone has the least problem with a relative. All children are blameless, no matter how horrendous they are. And all older women are stupid old biddies, especially if they dare to speak to you in a shop, or comment on your dcs, however friendly they are trying to be.

I could go on. And on. And on.

MorrisZapp and I agree on the 'Christmas welcoming allcomers as wifework' issue.

But I have to take issue with the Malory Towers solves all philosophy . I reread them recently, and (while acknowledging they're huge fun, what with the pranks and midnight feasts and natural swimming pool and towers and comedy French teachers etc), they regard what most of us would consider bullying as legitimately 'jolly-hockey sticks no-nonsense' corrective stuff.

Gwen is fair game for anything - ok, she's not a pleasant character, but it's seen as OK for her to be publicly mocked and imitated when saying goodbye to her family, and for first night homesickness, told she's fat, pushed into the deep end of the pool when she can barely swim, continually caricatured by Belinda the Art Genius etc etc. (Before being punished by Enid Blyton by having her planned future taken away from her and condemned to getting a dull office job while the others are all off to university).

Bumptious June is continually threatened with corporal punishment by Alicia, working-class Junior Whose Name I Can't Remember is mocked because of her father's prole accent and manners. Silly, boastful new girl Maureen is deliberately given something she thinks is a genuine chance to write songs, design costumes etc for a pantomime in order for her to be publicly humiliated by her entire form etc etc.

It's not exactly a nice environment, is it?

Never ever speak to a pregnant woman. It will be offensive. Never make friendly small talk about someone's children "You've got your hands full!" or "He's full of beans". It will be offensive.

Just discovered; AIBU to be surprised that somebody called Darrel is at Malory Towers?
As bad as Franny, Jo and Rick.

I keep reading your thread title as "burlesque" tweedy old lady

My hope is that these people know their views are insane and won't mention them to RL people. The upshot being that anonymous sites like MN are disproportionately full of this shit.

I am a brusque and tweedy old lady and often tell people "not to be so silly" when they are ranting about an even older lady lady on the bus looking at their toddler in a funny way, or whatever.

Me too Brian. I had visions of scratchyness!
Nice and warm though.

Sometimes when somebody name changes and starts a thread along the lines of, "I find it difficult to make/keep friends", I secretly wonder if they're the sort of person described in the OP.

I would never ask them, just in case they're not and they're a lovely easy going person.

But in the back of my mind, I do wonder.

I'm a m-I-l and I don' think we can get it right! If we offer help, we're interfering or doing the wrong thing; if we keep our distance to give them space, we're disinterested.

I tend to wait for mine to communicate with me, rather than bother them with texts and calls. Neither are near enough to visit on spec.

Thanks OP, I've been thinking this for a while and I'm glad it's not just me.

I think we need a new section on MN for brusque, tweedy advice.

My mother consistently ruined Christmas for her family by inviting waifs and strays. She zapped the fact that her family spent all year working very hard with difficult people, not seeing one another, and wanted a day off from difficult strangers!

I hate the baying mobs.

I remember a while ago a poster complained that she had driven at speed through a campsite and the owner had shouted at her for dangerous driving. The few weak voices saying she was at fault were drowned out by angry supporters telling her to call the police because he'd threatened her. Unbelievable.

I'm of the absolute belief that there are 2 types of reality.

Mumsnet reality.

Actual reality.

Ne'r the twain shall meet.

Agree!! I really think the issues people have today are mostly created by themselves. It's like the aim is to be offended by absolutely anything and everything

The people who complain that a stranger cooing over their baby or God forbid, stroking the baby's cheek (!) is invading the baby's personal space or disrespecting the baby's bodily autonomy etc. etc. make me wish I could throw a cream pie in their face.

Foxy, my DS has been with his girlfriend for 5 years and she has a 6 year old DD.

Because of Mumsnet, I often found myself asking if she minded me doing XYZ when I look after her DD...and she used to look at me like I was insane.

She'd say, "Of course it's ok Worra, I trust your judgement. You've been reading too much Mumsnet again, haven't you?!"

It kind of restores my faith in real life.