First thread!

[Florissante]

Hello everyone

Welcome to the first thread of our new board.

Possibly outing but: Bedford, Castle road area. 10 mins bike ride from station, fast trains at 40 mins to St Pancras. People are a bit negative about Bedford but I think it's nice, there's the river area plus a nice running track to Sandy. And if you're into that: some nice nightclubs with gigs and two rowing clubs.

Hello folks. I was another one on that thread and I am so pleased we have this space.

Interested to see what topics and conversations pop up on this board now we have it 😊

I am childless not by choice but also now happily child free. Life’s what you make it! I first encountered Mumsnet when I googled for stain removal advice, and stayed for all the brilliant discussions, interesting debates and frequent absolute batshittery.

I could be wrong - there's a first time for everything - but posters are not required to post on threads or boards whose premise they don't like.

@Florissante

Here here

Lovely. Personal attacks and gatekeeping 🙄

But the board is so much better for that, @YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet! It adds a certain je ne sais quoi!

Mumsnet was recommended to me by someone on another board. She said you don’t have to be a mum to post here.

Like @HeidiUpTheMountain I am both childless (could not have our own biological child) and childfree (chose not to adopt or use donor gametes) and have embraced childfree living.

To quote the cliche, ‘I came for Penis Beaker’. Think I saw the post shared in a Facebook group I was in at the time.

I don't view it as celebratory. It's a clever play on the site name that represents the situation.

The problem is that we all have different opinions, and all suggestions will affect someone in some way.

Except this was exactly the stance of mumsnetters when this board was being campaigned for. I love observing human behaviour - now you've got what you want, you cba about including others and you treat them the same way you were treated, which you campaigned against.

Ooooh, a childfree board!

I have been on Mumsnet for at least 15 years through various name changes and at least one complete re-reg (after the TRA intern data breach) and I honestly can’t remember what first drew me here - I imagine I googled something and MN came up among the hits. It became obvious very quickly it was far more than a parenting board alone…I quickly stumbled upon FWR and stayed mainly for the feminism and partly for the entertainment.

Haha you’re not a mum!

yeah I bet those with dead children or chronic infertility find it hilarious.

I came for the infertility thread I stayed for everything

Im one of the childless gang and honestly I'm happy with the name.

I said on the other thread there isnt really a phrase that sums up not having children that doesn't include either child, children or mum

And tbh I dont see the difference between childless (don't have children) and mumsnot (not a mum) they both reference the lack as does life without children. There isnt really a good phrase.

I am one of the childless with a dead baby and I do find it an amusing play on the Mumsnet name

I think it's more like:

Mums?...Not! Woohoo!

Exactly. But then this poster was goady on the other thread too.

It doesn’t surprise me but it’s a shame some folks are quick to pull up the drawbridge when they’ve got what they want.

Yeah I can really see the woohoo! Working for those parents who have lost children.

honestly, I’m really disappointed. Maybe this board will just descend into unpleasant mocking of others as some posters were worried about.

I had thought we were nicer than that.

I’ll wait around and see if settles down but I want no part in a board where childfree people think it’s ok to mock those struggling with infertility and loss

I followed a link from Weight watchers (back when they had chat boards), had a dull job with time to kill so stayed and looked around.
As a result I use the California roll for my duvet, treated bed bugs, have shown off knitting, have found info and experiences of a medical condition and generally got some insight into other people's lives and problems...oh, and found wordle, redactle and clickword.

I remember when and why I first joined MN: it was over a decade ago when I had a question about underfloor heating. A Google search brought me here.

A productive visit, indeed.

You’re proving my point. Everyone has different opinions and interpretations. Yours, in my opinion, are way off the mark. But it’s your opinion. It doesn’t mean it’s right though, just different. Others who have lost children also have different opinions to you on the meaning.