Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder if mumsnet is a haven for very well off and slightly blinkered individuals.....?

254 replies

preparetobeflayed · 23/04/2009 11:17

Obviously I have changed my name on this thread as I am prepared for the onslaught.....

Threads about Boden, how sad they are that their jumper from Boden has been pilling, 'oh woe is me my nanny has called in sick', 'I am hard up now the tax band has increased (although I am still earning £170,000....

Where are the rest of the population who reflect most of the parents I meet. I also wonder whether some people are able to look around and see what else is happening in the world....?

(Just having a bit of a rant about some of the other threads I guess......

OP posts:
Peachy · 23/04/2009 15:34

(and of course a lot of peoplewho dont ahve that didn't choose not to; carers are my thang obv, but also single aprents whose H's just upped and left them, or sick people, or.......... there's just so many 'or' optins out there, and most of those oculd happen to any one ofn us at any time. I learned the wrong way round that a decent welfare state is a godsend, but it is there ultimately for anyone, and there are incredibly few people who could never possibly need it- dad for example had a pension that was relatively huge, was taken over by an American company, lost and is on HB; I know of a few SN carers on here with a PhD........ )

fourkids · 23/04/2009 15:35

you are probably right. But that sort of makes my point about some people (not pointing finger at you ) looking for things to criticize I said I am hard-working and educated and chose a reasonably well paid career. But I didn't make any judgement about anyone else's education or level of hard (or otherwise) work...

Flibbertyjibbet · 23/04/2009 15:35

More often than not its a haven for mums with sn children, inlaws, education worries, difficult partners, obnoxious teenagers, pregnancy probs not to mention mice, nits and in my case ringworm.

All of which are across any 'class' or socio-economic group.

Peachy · 23/04/2009 15:37

It's a debate LOL, of course I look for flaws- isn't that the point?

If we all type yes I agree with you then MN dies a rather rapid death

fourkids · 23/04/2009 15:38

In fact I very very rarely make judgements about people - here or in rl...mostly only ever to judge people for being judgemental! I think tolerance is what makes the world go round...

BlingDreaming, if your shoes are fab and size 6/2 I'll give you £50 for them!!!!

MollieO · 23/04/2009 15:39

I'm MC and proud of it - wotcha lookin' at?!

There are all sorts of people on here. Some whose lifestyles I'd love and others who are incredibly brave and have the most difficult lives and make me realise how lucky I am.

fourkids · 23/04/2009 15:39

Flibbertyjibbet, don't you know that the MCs don't get nits?

Original poster
preparetobeflayed · 23/04/2009 15:40

Oh my lordy.... just got back to log in and this thread has gone bonkers......

Far more than any of my other 'serious' threads ie ones that are asking for advice or suggestions that I have ever posted.

I think this has hit a note/nerve with many by the sounds of it. It was not meant to offend but it reflected my own irritation with some of the threads on the site which seem not to sit in the 'real' world.

OP posts:
fourkids · 23/04/2009 15:41

I never thought about the need for controvercy to create interest! But it's a very good point - I am going to work on my confrontational skills

Original poster
preparetobeflayed · 23/04/2009 15:42

I was trying to be a bit controversial as well

OP posts:
Peachy · 23/04/2009 15:46

Good move fourkids >

( also consider the infl;uence of other threads, I was told yesterday that all benefit claimants arelazy and undeserving so am- not touchy but perhaps programmed to expect that? )

ABetaDad · 23/04/2009 15:51

preparetobeflayed - why do you think people are going to have a go at you?

There is a wide mix of folks on here. I think MN does reflect real life. I am apparently a toff according to some people's definition on MN ) but never worn Boden, and live in a modest rented house. I do not drive, but cannot abide the 'green' lobby. I work with people on very low income but know a lot of very rich people who work in the City and do not disagree with their annoyance at paying higher taxes.

I feel very humbled by some of the stories on MN. I feel a lot of sympathy and empathy with a lot of posters regardless of where they live or what their income or 'class'. We are all parents just struggling along as best we can.

Its just our worlds are all different and unique in some special ways.

fourkids · 23/04/2009 15:51

how is this:

YABVU!

This bloody recession has blighted my life. We had to sell the porsche so now I only have the ranger rover and the lotus to choose from in the morning, and I TOLD cook that we can't afford fillet steak every day for the labradors so she must do rump at least twice a week and she ignored me so I had to let her go, so now I have to learn to arrange my own truffles. And I've had to cut the cleaner to 5 days a week so I had to vaccuum yesterday and broke a nail emptying the bag and have promised DH I'd only go to the beauty salon twice a week so can't get it fixed until tomorrow. And my new pink cashmere sweater from Boden has pilled and I only just got it.

We need somewhere to find support in these desperate times, so yes VVU!

fourkids · 23/04/2009 15:56

ABetaDad,

a very good move - Boden for men is ALWAYS a big mistake! (sorry Boden-loving-men...just imho) (sorry for apologising - that actually is my honest opinion, not being deliberately controversial, but just couldn't keep up the controversy when it was real!! )

Peachy · 23/04/2009 15:57

However YABVU, dont you know that range rovers on school runs are the bain of the planet and should be banned for anyone living anywhere but a farm? (even if it's a Grandis 4X4 which apprently has v low carbon emissions compared to other MPV size cars apparently but anyway )

Peachy · 23/04/2009 15:59

OOh Dh tried on some boden-alike clothes in Next yesterday; aged him by about a decade and amde him look like my dad

Not a good look at any time but certainly not for his Uni interview as the only mature student- thank goodness I was able to direcyt him Elsewhere!

Flibbertyjibbet · 23/04/2009 16:01

But they'd get mice yes? In their wine cellars? On their farms that aren't used as farms but as pony fields with ornamental sheep?

fourkids · 23/04/2009 16:02

yes well, I need a good safe car to drive the two miles from my mansion to the the end of my gravelled drive through my manacured and landscaped lawns, and i find the paint on the range rover withstands the poo from our peacocks better than cheaper vehicles.

If more people got their nannies/chauffeurs to car share it wouldn't be such a problem. Obviously with my one darling DC having gone to boarding school since the age of 2 and a half, nanny only has to do the school run six times a year so we don't actually snarl up the roads.

Peachy · 23/04/2009 16:03

Yes but 4X4 drivers park in blue badge spaces and use disabled tilets, then claim benefits using seceret loopholes put in place by the tories, dontcha know?

ssd · 23/04/2009 16:05

op, YANBU

well not to me you're not!

I find it annoying fascinating to read how the other half live on here

fourkids · 23/04/2009 16:06

only very well-bred mice with a taste for aged stilton.

I confess, my fields have ponies in them , but no ornamental sheep (yay) and more rats than mice I fear!

Oh, and my kids get nits regularly. Do you think there may be the odd WC kid around giving them to them?

(am starting to feel the need to point out when I'm being facetious and when I'm not. It's cos I'm mixing it up! Time I stopped I think )

fourkids · 23/04/2009 16:08
Peachy · 23/04/2009 16:08

Y'see, I wondered where the boys nits had gone, haven't seen them for a while

It can be hard being facetious on here LOL, dealing with that and the assmptions is a dedicated job y'know

MollieO · 23/04/2009 16:11

What's wrong with Boden for men? I always look at that catalogue fantasizing about what my ideal man would wear. Next you'll be telling me I have to get a life.

nickytwotimes · 23/04/2009 16:15

There are a few well off individuals on here. They discuss their problems along with the rest of us plebs. I guess it can be a little gaulling (sp?) to read about someone who feels hard done by because their Boden cardi is rubbish when you can't afford to pay the rent, but problems are relative, aren't they?

I think there is enough support for the whole spectrum of life's problems if you want it and ask for it.

Mn is very middle class on the whole though. Personally we are not financially well off, but our outlook and values are mc, like many, many posters here.