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.

Mumsnet will be a key source for gender historians.

Only 300 name changes @Cod? You do surprise me! I would have thought it was more!

@morningpaper - I was Buda for quite a while and a few versions of similar. We were in T for ten years but moved to Hampshire two years ago.

I think I joined about 2002 under a different name then (shosha) I was a childminder back in the mists of time and was usually on the childcare boards.

I often coukd be found in the Barrrr in the evenings or in Lissies Tea Room early in the morning.

Came back again when I retired, really to see who was still about, it has got so big now I rarely recognise a name.

@Peridot1 FML I had that on my list for TEN YEARS and now I’ve missed my slot. <crosses it off list>

I agree that it’s been an amazing place for support and debate. Mumsnet Towers have done an astonishing job at keeping it going and not flouncing. My parenting life would have been so different (shitter) without it.

@DoodlesAndOodles i think back in the day you could click on a users name and it would give you their mumsnet number. So even if you name changed, if people knew your number they still knew it was you. Also if you had written a bit about yourself that would stay the same.
I can’t even work out how to find my number now.

I've just looked through my name changes and some bring back fond memories of name changing threads. Clearly one thread from 2007 "AIBU To think people shouldn't put HP spoilers in their nickname, then post all over MN" deteriorated as I have several that sound like low budget Harry Potter porn videos 😂😂

I also remember the thread where we had fake MNHQ names - I have JustineNetMums.

I remember the bat! Been here since early 2000s and think it has changed as society has. Lots more threads now about poverty, broken NHS, kids' mental health etc... Things weren't perfect 20 years ago, but the country didn't seem to be falling apart at least.

I joined in 2002 when Dd was tiny.
I guess baby stages and women's life stages stay fairly similar across the years hence many topics remaining popular in here.

MN was a different place back then too though. It was smaller and people often 'knew' one another better.
Posters had real life meet ups with and without children. I met good friends through MN.
I met one of my closest friends initially through MN and we are still good friends now, some 20 years later and our children remain good friends, as do our DHs.

I think I've had a few name changes and at least 3 accounts since joining. Cancelled my account entirely a couple of times completely determined that I should stop 'wasting time' online but kept loitering and looking.

💯 people weren't as selfish as they are now.

Oh well @morningpaper - your to do list is shorter now!

I remember the author of this coming on here when the book was new and sending some of us free copies. All we had to do was give her our address! My copy is still on the bookshelf.

I used to literally cry laughing at some of the threads and that doesn't happen now.

It was definitely kinder and funnier.
I joined in 2001.

I still keep in touch with some of the oldies and we meet up a few times a year and get drunk!

I think penis beaker was a defining moment in a not so good way.

Someone asking re mentioning things to confirm you were real, I'd say pom bears, penguin blind date, and then later the MN scarf and yoni massage!

Hmm yes Penis Beaker made me feel v old

I was away from Mumsnet after my kids got big and only came back a few years ago.

The main changes I noticed were that younger women now expect more practical help from their husbands. (Good!) The amount husbands are doing has increased, but not as much as women's expectations, so women are still frustrated.

Also men are more emotional. I am sure in the old days men never burst into tears when caught playing away but I've seen it a few times recently here.

I still have my mumsnet scarf lurking in the back of my wardrobe.

I think there are two eras on mumsnet - BPB and APB. PB Being penis beaker.
that’s when it jumped the shark and got too knowing

I find the DH thing now really twee

I love that badkitten is still doing weather threads. LOVE those.

@Cod is my my favourite thing about twitter now

oh yes and I love that @SoupDragon is still offering wise advice on threads. Always makes me smile

Hey up EdgarCat is back. I can feel my latent postnatal anxiety twitching in response.

Did they ever give you a free In Cdo We Trust tote?

One change I noticed when I was away for a few years and came back when I seperated from my husband 3 years ago and was on the relationships board, there seemed to be loads of men on there that were not present in the earlier 2000s. They acted like they were 'nice guys' there to learn but always chimed in with a male perspective and to be honest, they could fuck right off. Men on Mumsnet do not add to the user experience.

I joined many years ago when it was still cliquey. I found it very odd that pp would say "Don't worry, X will be along in a minute with advice". X would arrive and say 1 sentence max and we were all supposed to be grateful. I was baffled. I don't see this behaviour anymore.

The men on Mumsnet in days gone by used to just be regular human people though.
There was none of the "man here" or Herbert stuff.
Men walked among us. Some were twats, some were OK. But neither of those things were connected to them having penises.

Oh yes, I'd forgotten that! I didn't get a copy but bought one after reading the threads on here.