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.

Aww, they were happier days for sure.

Bloody marvellous to see Morning Paper on here. I remember you trying to distract from the Moldie/Mouldie furore by suggesting “let’s talk about ME skating!” - was never going to work. Those bloody threads ran on for weeks!!

Also KerryMum, I think it was, with her broken leg.

I loved that we’d take a moment to respond to unanswered threads so no one was left hanging or felt overlooked.

The Online Dating threads are responsible for many a wasted day as I loved reading them. Name-check to WatchOutForThatSnail, Time, Voldemort. After too many threads about why she never got a second date, I’d love to know if VelvetSpoon is still with her second-date guy - and how her sons are doing?

Flippin’ eck - those were the days! 🙂

Do you also remember the uproar about Rev’s name too? Wasn’t too pleasant as far as I recall.

Quick correction - I mixed up the Voldemort name check, and actually meant Snapes.

The old threads have run to quite some number!!

I had a pretty traumatic birth and all I could think about after that was wow all mothers have to go through this (albeit some better than others of course), it really was quite a powerful and uniting feeling. We all really do have many of the same problems I'm sure, throughout time. It's a good reminder actually to remember we are all human afterall, and we do have this in common

I joined, pregnant, in 2004, was an idiot and had my arse handed to me so flounced, then joined again after DD was born - she’s right in the middle of her A levels now 😮

I have some wonderful memories: Mile for Maud, Secret Santa, Rivers of Sweetcorn, Zombie to the rescue, BoFs boobs, Moldies, The big red button, GetOrf on Tramadol, Penguin blind date, Cake punching and Atrocious Cunts but mostly I remember the weaning threads, dog threads, ‘Forces Sweethearts’, booking seats on planes and being able to hide MNers using a Firefox code thingy which caused bloody ructions as some people HATED being ignored!

God it was so much smaller. I’m not here anywhere near as much now, and I do miss being able to see a posters name and know “oh they’ve got 2 toddlers that they co-slept with” “This one has a Rottweiler and a Jack Russell” “I wonder if she ever did take the door off her teens bedroom?”

I Haven't been on here is ages, I would have joined approx 2008. I dip in every now and then when I have an issue, 3 years ago it was my divorce, this week a family drama I wanted perspective on.

Do people still write a new equivalent of "pomme bears, Mumsnet scarf, penis beaker, naice ham" to prove they are old timers and not trolls?

I don't think I will ever forget penis beaker. It is timeless, so I could imagine it coming round again 😂

@DivaDroid oh the lovely bat. I remember that!

Penis beaker - didn’t everyone think that was the beginning of the end? Was it actually a troll after all? I remember reading with absolute disbelief…

I've been on for 15 years, it's more convenient with a smart phone, back then you logged in once a day, twice at most usually during nap time. Mine are adults now. To a certain extent things don't change and mums ask similar questions though I do think people panic quicker now and sen diagnosis as a threshold has lowered plus adults self diagnosing. Personally I see more using sen as an excuse for being naughty/rude/disruptive now (real life not just on Mumsnet).

Of course the biggest change is the whole trans issue. I have no reasons nor solutions but I have a theory as to some causative factors

I've been here since 2001 with a few lurky years, it's definitely more impersonal now. I lost over 5st with a bunch of very supportive women on a weight accountability thread (motivational Mondays), and got some good freebies Inc a Foreman grill I still use.

2004 for me
Made some friends that I'm still in touch with now

Left for years then got pulled back in by seeing some threads on Facebook

I remember a huge MN effort to find strawberry, someones DDs much loved toy

<we don't see so many of these (creepy wee brackets) anymore either but I'm doing one now to fall on my knees and thank you for my one and only mention in the Roundup>

But they've always done that and HQ used to have an actual collaboration with them.

Things have changed because things do. More users, different priorities and types of user. Sounds trite but no way PB wasn't a defining moment (in a bad way- giving free rein to anyone wanting to make up a load of shit to get into classics etc etc) For true hilarity you need to go back further than ten years and it's stuff that didn't make it into the creative writing cupboard of classics.

Any SM forum reflects its society as well. Majority of users are British, Britain itself has got uglier, more racist, more unwelcoming, more angry, more she's got more than me, more ragey at perceived inequality, real inequality and fear and hatred of The Other.

I'd say you read it in the correct way then. Along with almost every "classic" to follow.

@Peridot1 Yes I am still in T - are you B??? Pretty sure meeting up is still on my To Do list…

Most of my Facebook friends are fabulous MNers - can’t imagine actual friendships happening now.

I post occasionally but getting 200 responses screaming about what a total Bellend I am puts me off. It’s possible that I AM a total Bellend of course.

It probably does reflect wider societal changes - hard to feel positive about that. But maybe we are just OLD.

@NowZeusHasLainWithLeda <kisses>

@NowZeusHasLainWithLeda Its definitively
more racist and intolerant now - like the rest of society. I think we were really lucky to be growing into adulthood in the late 90s which was a time when tolerance and plurality was being nurtured and explored.

The pendulum always swings back I guess but we were optimistic about building a better world I think. Now people feel they can say whatever they like and the internet encourages people to say the worst things on their mind.

Obviously all this might be ignorant bollocks because I am a Bellend etc.

I came in 2006 but have left and come back and nanechanged a zillion times since then.
I remember a lot more stuff about baby feeding back then and there was a core of fabulous women -mainly ex or current midwives - giving advice and support to new mums struggling with BF. The SN board supported me through DSs DX with ASD and I can honestly say the advice I got there made a huge difference to his life and our family.
Thats why I hate it when MN gets slagged off by smug, stupid men. It was there for me when I needed help and will always be special to me, even if I go away for a bit.

Thirding this. It will really give you the "oh my god all the issues are the same" vibe. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Can-Any-Mother-Help-Me/dp/0571282172

I have over 300 name changes. What a life

@AlfietheSchnauzer Nella Last’s War 😊

<flounces> 😉

I have had 430

<twirls>

I was sassy back in the day and I've been here since about 2002. Just popped by to wave at some old gimmers like me.

I arrived here in 2005. So many changes since then. As others have said, I used to love the fact that I 'knew' all the other posters. Most of them recognisable by their posting style. In fact so much so that I remember people being outed after name changing because everyone knew everyone, or at least it seemed like that at the time.

Logging on at 3am in the morning and discovering that X was also online whilst feeding their baby kept me going through some long winter nights. Now because it is more international you don't get that middle of the night feeling any more.

Which poster was it who always got people to clear the unanswered thread list every so often?

Morning paper's round ups were hilarious.