Why is Mumsnet Talk so addictive?

[Chanelno5]

We only recently got a PC (yes, I know that I'm about 10 yrs behind the rest of the world) and it's opened up a whole new world to me. I only found Mumsnet by accident when I was searching for something else and I can't believe that there has been this little 'community' existing for sometime which I knew nothing about! Some of you seem to know each other really well. Now I find myself strangely drawn and logging on at all times of the day and night. What is the attraction? I have a few theories:- 1. You feel a bit daring talking to strangers but equally know that you are safe as everyone is in the same boat (ie. sitting at home/work harrassed covered in nappy rash cream/ baby vomit etc. 2. As it's anonymous you can talk about and admit to things that you perhaps wouldn't to friends and family 3. You know that somewhere out there you'll find a friendly ear and someone else who has shared your experience, and 4. We all basically like a good gossip and this is just another way of doing it !!! What do you more experienced Mumsnetters think?

[Sis]

Scummymummy, won't you consider appeasing all of us who always read your "name" as scrummymummy? Yes it is twee but on a site called mumsnet we can always put it down to hormones!:-)

[Sis]

what did I do wrong with the smiley face??

[Suedonim]

For a smiley/sad face, Sis, you just need the colon and the appropriate bracket with no hyphen inbetween. HTH! (hope this helps!)

[Joe1]

Can we only do happy or sad faces? I tried to do one with sunnies on and a wink and it didnt work.

[Rhiannon]

just testing. Bet it doesn't work for me (being a tory!).

[Rhiannon]

It did! Must cook my dear husband some dinner. Going out with the NCT girlies tonight so I need to put on some slap too. R.

[Jodee]

Rhiannon - whoops, didn't mean to blow your cover - after that admission you will have to do a scummymummy-okapi-stripybum and change your name!

[Anibani]

I have to admit that I, like Sis, have been reading 'Scummymummy' as 'Scrummymummy' - yes, that could be down to the hormones but more likely something to do with the bleary eyes from so much mumsnetting!
Since discovering this site last week, I have only once logged on from work, but its SUUUUCH a temptation. Here goes for my smiley face practice :a)

[Anibani]

Just read Robinw's instructions again (duh)

[Scummymummy]

I'm always happy to be seen as Scrummy, Sis!
Rhiannon and Jodee- I shamefacedly bought the Mail on my way to college yesterday as on reflection I realised I hadn't read it for years and so was not really qualified to criticise it. Ooohh the dirty looks I got on the train- how do you stand it?! A few good points: tabloid size, interesting article on older mums using egg donations to conceive, quick crossword on back for easy convenience, not as blatantly right wing as I'd supposed at all BUT it appeared to contain very little actual news!!! I can see why it's an ok read but it reminded me of a magazine more than a newspaper. I know that makes me sound like a snobby old cow and I don't mean like that- I love reading magazines- but I rely on getting information about what's happening in the world from newspapers and I didn't feel the Mail was up to scratch on that, really. Ok, can I borrow your tin hat, Jodee?

[Tigermoth]

Scummymummy, some time ago one of the regular people here admitted to being a journalist for the Daily Mail - the women's section. She wrote lots in its defence. Apparently (news to me,though not to many others) the majority of paper's readers are women. Can't remember where you can find the discussion, but someone else might.

[Sis]

okay, here goes again

[Pattsy]

Mumsnet is so addictive because the people who post up on the discussion boards are far more pleasant than you find on other websites.

[Rhiannon]

Tigermoth, it was Rachel1969 wasn't it? I'm sure it'll come up if you search her name. R.

[Tigermoth]

Cheers Rhiannon!

Now Pattsy, I'm intrigued. I don't do much surfing, so really havn't a clue how other sites operate. I have looked at a couple of other websites like this, but they seem very uncontentious - and not half as interesting. Are some sites really full of nasties?

[Jodee]

Backtracking a bit there, then, ScummyMummy?
I must admit I don't really rely on it for the news, cos I only buy a paper when I'm on the way to work which is every other week, and watch the TV news on the other days, and avoid the glares on the train by disguising the paper with a copy of the Guardian on the outside !!

[Marina]

Jodee and Scummymummy, you obviously live in much more right-on parts of the UK than I do. You are more likely to get glared at, or duffed up, for unfurling a broadsheet, any broadsheet, on my train, than you are for reading the Daily Mail.
I've only ever been on one other parenting website (prefer not to name names) but it was pretty cutthroat in places compared to mumsnet. I think the problem was that it had separate forums for mums working outside the home, and SAHMs, and a lot of flaming went on between the two. Other forums, like the ones for parents of babies with special needs, were clearly really supportive of each other.

[Jodee]

PS: t'was a jok*e about disguising the Mail, but I'm more likely to get duffed up on my train for looking at someone in the wrong way so we all keep our noses firmly in our broadsheets/tabloids or whatever.

[Tinker]

Marina - please give us a clue as to the site? I've only ever looked at ukparents which is a bit lame - love reading people's baby name suggestions though!

[Marina]

Tinker, it was a very popular and widely quoted one that caters mainly for mums from preconception onwards. It focuses much more on pregnancy/fertility information than mumsnet does.

[Tinker]

Marina - Hmmmmm! Have to do a bit of searching, I think. Actually, I just looked at ukparents again and it wasn't as bad as I remembered - just very difficult to read the responses easily.

[Robinw]

message withdrawn

[Scummymummy]

I've just read the relevant thread (It's "Anyone interested?" in the "Other Subjects" topic folder if anyone is, in fact, interested!) Thanks for the tip, Tigermoth and Rhiannon. At least I think it's the relevant thread, though I didn't learn much about the pluses of the Daily Mail.
Anyway, it was an eye opener. And rather a sad one. It's not really fair to comment in hindsight, especially since I'm well aware I often don't get the tone of my own posts at all right, but I must say I felt very sorry for jbr. It certainly gives the lie to claims that Mumsnet had never got heated or personal before the Sept 11 threads, IMO.