To wonder why those who aren’t mums are on mumsnet?

[Blue09]

Not that I’m against it - I’m just curious really!

I just don't understand why people keep asking. Does it make a difference?

Yes, YABU...my DS is grown up now, but some of the kindest, loveliest people were unable to, or had huge difficulty in, conceiving.
They may not be ''birth mothers'' but are as good as a mum for their care towards other people's children...and if they are lucky enough to conceive despite the difficulties, they have tons to offer others in their situation.
I discovered Mumsnet when my DS was considering emigrating..I read so many comments, tears pouring down my face, but never let DS know.

Arrived for wedding planning - when there was a vague possibility I would be a mum. Never left.

In my case it's a new low in procrastinating from my PhD.

I like the crowd you get on here too - you get the sense most are smart cookies

This. I love the fact you can chat about every topic under the sun and most posters are intelligent and witty and can string a sentence together. It feels like chatting to my friends when they're not around.

It does smack a bit of mean girls though, as in "I meet the criteria, you don't, so why are you here", then the op even quotes the tagline to support it.

Mumsnet staff appear to welcome anyone. There is no sign up criteria. If they are don't question it op, you'd be wise to ask why you do.

Because you don’t have to be a mum to ask for advice on non parent issues.

Only mums get ill, only mums have financial issues, only mums have pets, only mums have relationship issues, only mums have mental health issues, only mums have chats...

Oh, wait!

although as this site is designed for women it has a lot of technical flaws.

What? What kind of ‘technical flaws’ come from it being ‘designed for women’.
As any woman will tell you most of the world is full of technical flaws due to being designed for men. Take sanitary bins never fitting in toilets for example.

I joined originally for the Christmas forum (After Googling them.). Afterwards I discovered AIBU and stayed!

I don't actually think Mumsnet is an appropriate title because the threads cover a wide range of topics and is completely different to netmums.

I don't meet many people my age in real life, think they're working and looking after kids plus live in a place with a lot of older people, which is great but it's nice to find a place with like-minded (sweary on occasion) people.

Because I find a huge number of users are intelligent, educated, and funny, and talk about interested and funny topics.

Also, we are all someone's child. So we all have some views on parenting, even if it's only from one side of it.

*interesting

OP - why are you struggling with the concept? You said yourself you used it before pregnancy.

The name of the site no longer reflects the population who engage with it.

It is more like “peoplenet”

@NaughtToThreeSadOnions

Sorry for off topic but I love your username are you an Ashens fan too?

Oh, not again.

Some of the threads on here run for a very long time, and are utterly compelling.
There was one on fostering of a baby who was born addicted..the foster mother was so eminently Kindly and sensible, and shared the first year of ''her'' babies life with grace and humility... I tried to message her, but could not.
After reading many more pages over many months, it transpired that this wonderful Mum had died.
It was incredibly poignant.
MN can be trashed on other forums [especially Pistonheads!] but there is solid advice here.
Pistonheads was mentioned last year here explaining [mansplaining] a DNA problem that was high profile in the media at the time.

@9amTrain the title of this thread is "aibu to wonder why those who aren't mums are on mumsnet".

I came here through AIBU, possibly can't have children and stay for the support offered on the mental health board. Alright with you?

I read mumsnet for quite a while, only started posting because I stupidly thought I had to be a mum to be a member. Wish I’d joined when I first started reading, it’s full of interesting people, all sorts of topics, and makes me laugh hysterically at times (snapped and farted!). If it were just full of mums only, the site would be much poorer for it.

Starting to wonder about this too. Not "a Mum" and found this site for infertility support. Found so much else here, but of the 5 threads I've been watching or posted on in the last week, 3 have been deleted. I'm sure it's still the best place to come if DS is a picky eater etc. but seems not to be the place it once was for women otherwise.

Child free over here too - so few posts (on the boards I read anyway) are only relevant to parents that I don't see it as an issue. After all, us child free people have families, in laws, neighbours, pets, property and friends too!!

I'm just super bloody nosey

There is one thing I will complain about. Sorry,

The lack of a quote post function. Many other sites have it with no issues.

I was trying to follow the thread about the MIL who appeared in a book there recently and gave up. Could not follow it at all. Moved too quickly and I could not figure out what the book was. Just me maybe.