To ask why non-parents are here?

[hopityhopity]

I see posters saying they don't have any children, or want any. So if you aren't a parent, pregnant or TTC, why are you here on mumsnet?🤔

I'm not sure I would have joined a site called Mumsnet if I had no children/was not interested in children/childcare, but maybe that it is just me

Yes maybe it is just you and a handful of others. I would hate anyone to feel unwelcome here tbh.

What a judgemental thread. I've joined and I don't have any children. It was the wide range of the threads that made me want to become a member.

TBH, if I hadn't joined Mumsnet (because of useful information here about house buying), I would probably have kids now, or be pregnant.

You guys have done a great job of putting me off!

Seriously though, I know that you can't know what it's like to have a kid until you've got one, but really thinking it through with all the horror stories on here helped me realise I'm not ready yet. AND it helped me understand the different things my husband and I will need to bottom out before we do have kids.

I do have friends with kids in real life, but all of them bar one have been desperate for kids since their mid twenties.

Is this the right place to come for an argument?

Absolutely. Cometothinkofit

Absolutely No it isn't.

But asking why posters from one particular demographic use MN carries an implicit challenge or judgement.

It really doesn't. The site is called Mumsnet FFS. I would never have thought of even browsing if I was not a mum, I would assume it was not relevant to me. As someone now familiar with the content I totally understand that there's plenty here for non parents, but I'm with the OP I'm not understanding how those people ended up here. No one is suggesting they shouldn't be.

clucky3
Google
Newspaper articles
People recommending

I ended up here because I had a miscarriage.

This entire thread and you still don’t understand why people came here?!!

But @clucky3 MN is one of the highest results when you google most things!!

Oh ffs. Definitely a few hard of thinking on here today.

clucky3 I'm with the OP I'm not understanding how those people ended up here. No one is suggesting they shouldn't be.

Again, asking "how did you end up here?" is a different question to "why are you here" And if you don't understand the unspoken inference carried by that phrasing you are daft.

The question of "how did you you end up here" has been answered over and over. How can you possibly still not understand?!

The site is called Mumsnet FFS. I would never have thought of even browsing if I was not a mum People don't actually put "mum" into google when they search for an answer to their query, the search engine brings up the relevant page of the site. So, people immediately realise that it is not just about parenting.

And parents who were looking for a parenting site, can equally see from the moment they browse that it isn't just for parents.

Just like someone finding the radio times gives you TV listings as well. You only need to open the thing to know. No-one goes on being confused just because the name is Radio. Just like MN it's evolved.

but I'm with the OP I'm not understanding how those people ended up here

Because they searched something on Google and one of the links that came up was an MN one? Because they'd heard from a friend with dc else that it was a good site for various non-parenting topics? Because they'd seen MN mentioned in a newspaper or on another site in a non-parenting context and were curious?

It's not exactly rocket science, is it?

these people

Is this the right place to come for an argument?

I'd say so. There are some real arseholes around.

What a smug judgemental hateful question. Are you seriously asking this? I have a question for you - why are you even on the internet instead of looking after your precious sprogs?

Didn't know you needed children to look at the clothes topics on style and beauty!!!!!

I agree that google suggests mumsnet for a lot of things, eg if you google about stains or Peoples experiences of something the huge ammount of responses means posts will be in the results. Its helpful to have such an immediate response withlots of posts for aibu style posts

My partner also initially found it weird but has realised that i spend lots of time in dog bits.

In fact i looked at the first 25 of active and for me:

19/25 were definately not kid related:

Buffets, strictly, 2x dating, chat, heating, puppies, 2x fashion, brexit, break ups, surgery, royals, low carb, affair, 2x christmas, feminism, kitchens, university, tv

6/25 were. Some i wouldnt read at all eg a pregnancy thread and one about kids behaviour

The other 4 were still relatable or things that it might help me to know eg. parenting impacting mental health, rantadine not being used anymore (i have used this before!) , parenting aibu (of something i would do without thinking!)

Because I'm sick of hearing men drone on and on in the 'real world'

This is one of the few feminist, women only spaces left (a more pertinent question would be why do men come on here?!)

This is one of the few feminist, women only spaces left (a more pertinent question would be why do men come on here?!)

Sigh.

The ones i find hardest to understand are the rude aggressive members who are clearly pushing a child free agenda - someone asking for advice on the conception/infertility board recently had someone reply about how they didn't need kids to have a fulfilled life - WTF! Not helpful to the OP at all.

I've been called unimaginative and unambitious before for wanting to be a mum on MN and have often wanted to reply with this is MUMsnet not DONTWANTTOBEMUMsnet but like previous posters have said there is a lot of non parent related advice on here which is useful so you get all sorts of members from all walks of life and have to accept you'll get the odd tosser replying just to get a reaction

feminist, women only spaces left (a more pertinent question would be why do men come on here?!)

Which also makes it a problem as the majority of posts on MN are anti men - doesn't matter what they do they are classed as abusers/lazy arse holes/bad parents

There are incredibly double standards on MN especially when it comes to cheating or children

you'll get the odd tosser replying just to get a reaction

True. That tosser is just as likely to be a parent as a 'non-parent' ...

Wondering if all those posters taking a very black and white view of the site ever shop at Carphone Warehouse?

Things evolve and it is wholly down to the amazing women who run and post on this site that it has become the valuable resource that it is today. For a long time I assumed that mumsnet was all about parenting and therefore I had no interest but time and time again I read and heard about the site on the news and it became clear that this was a place where (mostly) women shared and aired insightful and intelligent viewpoints, interviewed politicians and other public figures, created and promoted campaigns like "we believe you"... I came for a look, got hooked on a Tripadvisor thread, found some excellent tips in Style and Beauty and decided to stay. Over the years I've had help, and have helped, with health problems and employment issues. I've discussed TV, films and books with like-minded people and I've tried desperately to figure out the Boswell riddle. My reproductive status has not had any bearing on any of these situations or discussions and yes, I do actually find it quite offensive to be told that I cannot or should not be part of the conversation due to this one element of my life which actually has very little on my political beliefs, ability to read and enjoy books etc.