AIBU thread: If it wasn’t for Mumsnet, I would never have…

[BattyBurg]

Starting a thread for a bit of fun -

If it wasn’t for Mumsnet I would never…

Here’s mine - Left my husband 😱

What’s yours?

Oh, and this. Thanks vipers.

Had such a good relationship with my mil!

honestly we had a lot of history and she did some crazy things in the early days, so my guard was up massively when I was pregnant with dd1 and started reading mumsnet 10 years ago- but reading some of the mil threads and replies made me understand where she was coming from more. I started to meet her in the middle and now she means so much to me

Met one of the best friends I could’ve ever wished for - we were part of the same due date group and the rest is history 🥰

What is a penis cup?! 🤣

Been banned from a subreddit for using the acronyms - DH, DD,DC etc. A mod ban hammered me instantly. I asked why, and they said their rules include no Mumsnet language. I laughed, looked up the rules and there it was! Now I read the rules on each subreddit.

Been brave enough to go through with a private operation which restored my eyesight after the NHS basically told I'd just have to live with being half blind after an accident..Thanks to talking to another MNetter who had had a similar operation..

Become online - and now in RL , through meet ups - friends with a group of fantastic women through a shared S&B thread.

And -last but not least- sorted out my bedding cupboard with the ' pillowcase ' method

Wasted hours of my life.

Bought TWO of the MN scarves and wore them for years.

Started meticulously organising Christmas in August. Understood how to get my 'ducks in a row' if I ever need to. Appreciated I cope with my epilepsy very well and it doesn't make me a lesser person.

Bought a load of MN recommends (and been very disappointed with them all)

Knew what an "orangery" was 🥲

I would not have realised that ‘No‘ is a complete sentence.

Or that FOG is a thing , a thing that I needed to let go.

Googled a number of unfamiliar terms that now mean my search history would make excellent blackmail material, and I can no longer eat waffles.

Known that my child was eligible for British citizenship under a really odd and little used route!

Oh, and bought fabulous high waisted leggings from Amazon.

• Been banned for calling a troll out
• Laughed so hard at the CF threads (my favourite)
• Better equipped to deal with said CFs thanks to early recognition and the 'rinse-repeat ad nauseam' stock phrases 😂

Been brave enough to leave my abusive ex-husband.

I remember my first post, over 20 years ago…. ‘My DH hits me, is this abuse…’ and the replies I got - and what I was asked - made me realise he was financially, emotionally, sexually and physically abusing me.

I honestly believed I was the problem. There was a case in the news where a woman had been beaten almost to death and my ex-h said “see - that’s abuse, he’s violent. What I do isn’t, and if you were nicer, it wouldn’t happen”.

So I came here to the Relationships board to ask. It was unbelievable to read what people said - mind blowing actually to get all the ‘yes, LTB’ replies. I expected them to say what he had, and thought most marriages were like mine (I can’t believe that looking back, he’d absolutely done a number on me). People held my hand through the entire process from getting him to leave, filing for divorce and eventually moving on.

I’m eternally grateful to have found Mumsnet and to all those posters who took the time to help me. Thankyou.

OMG, yes - laughed so much at CF threads and some of the Classics 🤣

After sound advice from Mumsnet I kicked out my husband started outing myself first and in the best shape of my life. Absolutely delighted.

Have learned that however batshit and dysfunctional I think my family is, there's far, far worse out there

Stayed single after leaving my ex for the (insert stupid number here) time. Having read threads on here and recognised what was going on I eventually knew not to go back and life is so much more peaceful now.

Me too, I felt prepared and lost any fear.

Positive : figured out what was causing my toddler such discomfort just after we’d arrived at a remote holiday cottage — everyone who replied kindly and with good advice and managed to diagnose him at a distance will have my eternal gratitude.

Negative: realised how many women are in unequal and abusive relationships, and aren’t even aware of it.

Where can I buy a penguin?

Learned the useful group of phrases such as 'that doesn't work for us', for saying no without feeling the need to give a really detailed reason...this allowed me to extract my somewhat alarmed 14 year old son, from being pursued endelssly by a lonely female 17 year old German exchange student 😁

*Got through my insomnia.
*Realised I'm not alone in so many ways
*Found that for everything I Google or question I add mumset at the end of it