to think this blogger & netmums user is wrong about MN?

[Ewe]

Not sure if any of you have seen this blogpost here?

Commenting on Justine at the cybermummy event and also more generally about how Mumsnet it as a collective. As a young (ish) parent I like the fact MN don't feel the need to have a special section for younger mothers, I don't think there are many parenting dilemmas that are age specific!

I've seen people here speak of Netmums with disdain, though, which is just what she's doing. Isn't as if she came here to express her views. I don't really get the rivalry or dismissal of the other or whatever it is - it isn't as if either lacks traffic, so who cares? Might as well resent Waitrose for not being Tesco. Each serve a purpose.

just a right to reply singlemummy - did you expect mnetters to not say anything back?

I don't think this woman gave MN a fair chance before dismissing it. I have seen wonderful support shown to people on this site. Yes, AIBU is brutally honest, but I think a lot of us are lacking this kind of conversation in the polite chit-chat we experience in RL. So it fills a need, and tbh, if a person doesn't want an honest opinion then they shouldn't ask for one. I consider that there are people of all ages, races, financial backgrounds on here. While it may be factually correct to say average age is 36, has a degree etc, there is still scope for a lot of different personalities within these generalisations.

I was pg at 20, no degree (although not for the want of trying) live in a council house etc, perhaps I should offski to nm. I would never join in there because there is no anonymity, your username afaik is your fistname.inital of surname, followed by your age in brackets.

I inadvertently discovered a playground mum on nm, I to my shame read some of her posts. A few of which I'm sure she wouldn't wish to become public knowledge (I'm not a gossip mind, just nosy).

I'm 22 and don't have a child so cannot speak based on that. However, I find some of the comments on here incredibly patronising and full of ignorance.

Everybody has an opinion but it only seems to be allowed if it speaks positively of mumsnet and if it's spelt correctly! So that in itself is very unwelcoming...

It horrifies me that some of you cannot see a need for a separate forum. Are you not even willing to consider it or to give it a try? But... you wouldn't want to "pander to the young" now would you.

I'm not surprised she didn't stick around!

It would be beyond patronising to give younger MNers their own forum. I was 20 when I joined, 6 long sleepless years ago and have never felt patronised or unwelcome because of my age. Nor were there things I needed to discuss that there weren't already topics for, the student parent board is a great resource

I use both sites and I can see the benefits of both.

Oi Slushy, get back here, I am 22, have never earned more than £10,000 and have only owned boden clothing because another mumsnetter was kind enough to sell me some at a low price when her DS outgrew it. And there is no way I am leaving

I know that me, SirBoobAlot and various other people have started young parent support threads on here a few times, and it's always fizzled out, because there is plenty of support around the site and it doesn't matter what age you are. I like that actually because I sometimes feel like people won't take me seriously if they know how old I am and I don't get that on here at all. Occasionally I get comments like " Bertie you started secondary school in 1999! That's when I graduated/got married/had my first child/etc etc". But I don't think that's anything too awful.

COG - the number in brackets isn't your age, it's the number of people with that name - so the first person to register with the name "J Smith" is "J Smith" and then if another person joins as J Smith they are "J Smith (2)" etc etc. I think I was "B Botts (3)" (with my actual name though obviously) and I'm definitely not 3!

I am 20 and have had some great help on here, I have never felt like I was too young! Blimey.

No one has said that they do not see the need for another forum.

I'm 31, have one baby, in a long term relationship, we have an income of 23k a year and I'm uneducated.

Fail to see what that has to do with which nappies are best, whats a good changing bag to get etc which IMO is mostly what this site is for.

Bertiebotts I am here I found the notice board hard to read to be honest, it wasn't plain and easy like mn one and don't like the no nickname.

perhaps the unwritten rule that posters should present cogent posts couched in understandable terminology rather sieves out those whose natural metier is txtspk?

just a thought

Do you think having her opinion and experience ignored and undermined is friendly, welcoming, supportive? Her opinion is as important as anybody else's on this site.

At least one young mum has felt unwelcome and at least one young mum feels there should be a separate forum.

If you stopped for a second to consider it, you might find more young mums who would like a separate forum or others who would not mind.

There will be those who do not speak up. They may be the ones who agree... and the ones who suffer!

on site stuff you can recommend topics. did she try that?

is she still twittering about how awful we all are? it's really unbecoming

horses for courses

I don't know why you'd want a young mum's forum, but then I don't understand why you'd want to split up into such small groups? And

As for unwelcoming, I've never found MN unwelcoming, bearing in mind I'm not even a parent yet so probably shouldn't even be on here!

I would rather not be segregated into a young parent forum. Being young is not my one defining characteristic.

It is sad if she has felt this way, however unfortunate these things do happen, and if you want change then you have to learn to speak up, it is a very important life skill.

what has age got to do with it anyway?? It's hard work being a mum regardless of when you start out - no easy way to cope with sleepless nights, FF/BFing etc. It's hard regardless of where you come from, what age you are, or if you have a degree or not?! I'm in my 20s but always found this forum as supportive as any other.

Also, if someone wants a young mum's section, surely it'd make more sense to post in "site stuff" rather than on a random blog?

Im married and have a degree but in a lowish income household and am only 26. I became a first time mum at 23 which is youngish. I dont think it matters.

Bloody hell I fit the mumsnet profile too!! Amazed as I am always being ignored or disagreed with, so lurk about friendlessly and silently enjoying it all v much.
I'm 40, married, postgrad degree - earn more dosh than that tho ner ner ner ner ner!! (Maybe that sort of irritating comment is why I have no cyber mates...)

I'm 27, and I have to say I prefer MN to NM.

But that's just me. I'm not a very out-going person but can waffle at great length on here without too much bother!

I didn't,t fit the profile when I joined, but I do now .

Is that like when you,re at school, and your mum encourages you to have aspirational friends?

I was 24 when I joined (and not really involved with babies/children much) and I found MN much more to my taste in terms of chat.

If 78% are married and 4% are single, widowed or separated; then what group do the other 18% fall into?

I do have professional post-grad qualification but I am divorced, not yet 38 (coming up fast though). I wish I did earn over 35K, although I could potentially earn that if current circumstances weren't stopping me get back on the career ladder.

Living with partner but unmarried.