Mumsnet in the early ‘00’s. I’m obsessed

[FTMummy2022]

You may say I have too much time on my hands but I’m completely fascinated & obsessed at reading old threads from the early 2000’s on MN…. Don’t you think it’s weird/ironic that the topics of the threads themselves pretty much haven’t changed at all in 20+ years? It literally is the same old crap different day…I was born in 2000 so for me it’s like reading what my mum would have posted about being a parent… anyway, just a thought.

I joined in about 2002/3. The main difference then was it was much smaller, so you really got to know people.

My gran turned 100 today. Of course there was no MN in her day, but none of the threads would faze her. There's not much I haven't discussed with her, including unplanned pregnancy, abortion, fighting racism, working mothers guilt, finding quality time for each child, domestic violence, infidelity, stale relationships, and making a chicken last for a week.

We don't change so very much.

I had a baby center and a mumsnet account from around 2008 - I liked to dip in and out but didn't start to post until I was ttc in 2012. It does seem busier nowadays and I don't recognise posters (I've also name changed several times)

I joined two antenatal year groups on Facebook from mumsnet - both (still!) send Christmas secret santas and meet up with the recent one being from 2020. They're quite nice and close knit as the groups have dwindled over the years from a lot of women joining then leaving after their babies are born... I like to think I've met some good friends from this site and have had some fantastic advice & support.

It was so small when I joined in 2000. I was desperate to go to the camping event, but it felt supremely weird to go and meet in a field with randoms. I did go to lots of meet-ups in the early days and it felt very 'small'and intimate

Dd was born in 2001 and I joined MN then. It was crazily quiet, like nobody would post anything for over an hour! You knew everyone. So someone would contribute to a thread and immediately I’d think “oh yeah, she’s into gardening, has a dog, a baby the same age as mine and an older boy and hates her MIL”.

And you knew that sort of info about 95% of the posters. Half the time I’d know who had posted without looking at their user name as I recognised the writing style.

The freebies for product reviews, etc were fab. I got a play station with a Harry Potter game. Also a £500 John Lewis voucher for answering a survey. I remember the secret santas. No way would someone be able to organise that now, far too many people.

I joined when I was pregnant with my eldest in 2007.
I hated the sparkly shite on Netmums.
Mumsnet has been great for me - support when I've needed it, loads of laughs & the FWR board really opened my eyes.
Who remembers this guy?

Also:
'Your minge!'
Angela Hernandez thread
The DH who ate the fatball thinking it was an artisan scotch egg

I joined around 2006, but didn't post that early. I used to lurk. Back then people didn't seem to namechange much, so you felt like you got to know them. Now, even on long-running threads it's hard to keep track of namechanges. Trolling back then was fun and mischievous, not sinister.

I joined in 2003 when my first dd was born. I've dipped in and out over the years. I mostly frequent the menopause boards now, although still linger in AIBU. And yes, I feel now old too.

We were defo funnier in the 2000s…

People are PROPER CRAZY ANGRY now.

I've only been on here a few years and even I can say that MN used to be so much funnier. I remember once a PP said that she was laughing out loud at a thread and her DH said "Mumsnet?!" I've nearly passed out from laughing at some threads on here before. Absolutely screaming 🤣 Doesn't seem to happen anymore unless I'm missing all the good stuff. I think the incessant troll hunting is scaring genuine people off, particularly if their situation is even slightly unique. As we all know, anything that's not run of the mill is immediately declared a troll and reported. 🙄

I'm not surprised the general gist of the questions is the same. However the answers will be vastly different.
Now it's like all OPs are being cross examined as a potential troll before any meaningful advice can be given. Mention any tiny mistake even if unrelated and that's it. You're screwed. Thread totally derailed & pile-on commences.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't like this when I joined .

Do you think all these changes...troll hunting, anger etc are just because there are so many more people here now, or a reflection of changes in society?

I remember one Xmas, and I was proper brassic , and posted about it ( not expecting anything, just venting,). I was nominated for a secret Santa and some lovely stranger sent me a gift box, with toys and chocolate. Nowadays I expect I would be hauled over the coals for being feckless and daring to have children without a rich husband and a trust fund.

Oh, and, I'm doing well now and would love to be able to pay that sort of thing forward but not sure MN even does secret Santa anymore?

Gosh so many old names on here!

I joined in around 2005 I think. DS was 4. He is now almost 22. Was living overseas and it was nice to feel connected here somehow even though I did have lots of great friends.

I went to a London meet up once. Just before the infamous Moldies debacle.

@morningpaper - lovely to see you on here again.. We never got to do our meet-up. Not sure if you are still living in T. I remember you sharing house choices potential on here once. I did similar. Don’t think I’d do that today!

it is certainly different now. But certain things are still the same with parenting and life in general.

I joined … 2004 or 2005 after watching a tv show that featured MN. I love being an old user, and I go against the crowds that scream murder every time an old thread is resurrected.
Insight is a wonderful thing and being able to answer years later how it all went well is very sweet.
i remember when an OP replied to herself 10 years later, telling her old self not to worry and all will be good.
There are good old worries that will never change as long as there will be mothers, and new stuff. I found the outrage around the Sex board quite funny to be honest .

Sometimes I discover new topics I didn’t even know existed until they appear in active. The website is growing and changing and it is a good thing. I am no longer the person I was 15-20 years ago.

I joined in 2000, you could easily read all new posts each day.
It made it feel like you knew everyone, it certainly felt a kinder place.

I've been here around ten years and it did used to be funnier

Now the hilarious threads are few and far between

Came in to recommend this too, it's awesome

Effectively a mumsnet by post that lasted decades with the same people who circulated hard copy and added handwritten notes and comments!

Partly because the daily fail snatches up stories now, it's less relaxed and private feeling?

When I was first time mum and my baby was tiny, I found that typing in my problem and adding mumsnet at the end brought up all these threads which were so useful, so you could see what all these other mums suggested based on their experience. Often when the threads were old I'd calculate the age of their children now, and wonder how the babies they were posting about had got on. It made me feel much less alone, worrying at 3am.

I came on here to say "does anyone remember MN Secret Santa"?

I did it for several years until it was stopped about 5 or 6 years ago, probably because the intention of SS as a support for people in genuine need (maybe had had a bad year, escaped domestic violence, etc ) wasn't being stuck to. And people started moaning that they didn't like the present they were sent or had sent their gift but didn't get one back - same old, same old, some CFery in there I think!

SS just wouldn't work nowadays. It was so much based on trust back then, but that's all gone by the by, so innocent and quite sweet really - lovely while it lasted.

I've been here since 2004. I had toddlers then and I have a toddler now.

Back then it was cliquey but much less nasty / trolly. Trolls were usually tame and would get outed before troll hunting became against the rules.

If I remember correctly, 'Judge Flounce' turned out to be some random guy living in valleys Wales. There were a number of lawyers on here who figured out that they clearly weren't a QC for many reasons, not least that if that was really their job they wouldn't have as much time to be on Mumsnet.