Tell MNHQ why you use Mumsnet

[EllieMumsnet]

Here at MNHQ we would really like to get to know our users better and would therefore love to know why you use Mumsnet and if Mumsnet has managed to help you in any way.

Is the main reason you use Mumsnet for the advice from other users? And if so, what advice do you look for in particular or is it on everything and anything? Do you use Mumsnet as a place to browse the funny threads and have a bit of ‘you’ time? Is it more the product/service reviews and recommendations that you use Mumsnet for? Has the support of fellow Mumsnet users helped you get through a tough time? Or maybe you have created long-term friendships with other users and come on to chat to them.

Whatever the reasons you use Mumsnet and any stories you have on how Mumsnet has helped you, we would love to hear them so please share them on the thread below.

Thanks
MNHQ

I don't think anyone would know about David Challenor if it hadn't been for mumsnet.

I joined when I came back to the UK from being an expat. DH was still abroad and I didn't have local friends. MN was like that big group of friends; sometimes hilarious, sometimes challenging and annoying but always something interesting to say.
I have found out so much about how others live, that their lives and outlook are so different from my life experience - for better and worse. I been touched, moved and sometimes horrified.
I have learned more about feminism and the gender debate than I would ever have done without MN, though I'm too nervous to post much. Others say what I think so much better.
I also like to occasionally offer advice on topics I know something about.

Well this is enlightening! Sounds to me like a lot of us came here for parenting related reasons, but as the years went by that became less of the appeal and they became enlivened by the almost completely single issue FWR board (I generalise, I know it wasn't always that way). And now people come here and stay here for FWR alone; parenting's not such a big deal here anymore, right? Certainly not as big as the brand depends on - making parents' lives easier!

Reminds me of the Radio 1 breakfast show in the Chris Moyle era. That's a show specifically targeting youth, and like a lot of youngsters they came to the breakfast show to listen to pop on the school bus.

Those youths grew up, but instead of moving on when they outgrew pop they stayed because they liked Chris Moyles. To please those dedicated listeners they had to play songs that weren't just your teen pop hits. They had to keep those now older regulars happy, didn't they?

Except they didn't. Because now they weren't attracting in the teenagers any more. They didn't have the trashy pop, they didn't have the young hip presenter, and what teen listens to some old show their parents grew up with?? They may have had a conmitted audience, but it was not their TARGET audience. The musical content was not their PREFERRED content, aiming to please that TARGET audience.

So out went Chris, along with millions of gutted thirty year olds, and in came young Nick Grimshaw. And away went all the thirty somethings - millions of them - but the BBC couldn't be happier, because their breakfast pop show for teens was finally a breakfast pop show FOR TEENS again.

The parallels do continue to strike me.

I joined in 2003 for parenting support. Stayed as my kids got older for S&B and real-life recommendations for everything from handbags to holidays. Have bought more things as a result of mentions on here than I care to count.

Now it's FWR. All the way, every day. It's a vital, invaluable and unique resource.

Yes imagine parents being interested in other things as well.

You can get parenting tips anywhere.

In this age of censorship this place is refreshing as women are still allowed to voice their opinions (fairly) freely.

My kids are still young and all at home so I also qualify as a parent.

What on earth are you going on about ratrolypoly?

FWIW HQ, I came for the pregnancy board, stayed to get some adult conversation during mat leave (chat and AIBU), lingered for parenting advice, felt connected on Relationships, wandered into FWR almost by accident and felt compelled to stay. Not because it was great, but because the twisting of feminism into female protectionism was so distressing to me. And, well, definitely NOT going to help women and girls! Anyway, I'm staying for schools. It's not far off now and I will be WELL out of my depth.

Yes imagine parents being interested in other things as well.

Yes. How odd! 😁

I think that was a very long winded way of Rat throwing a temper tantrum, because there are so many fans of FWR.

You forgot to post what your reasons are for following certain threads, Rat.

Trying to make out mumsnet isn't for parents any more, to get more food for criticism that it's a transphobic echo chamber and complain to advertisers

We aren't stupid

twisting of feminism into female protectionism

What, instead of a movement to protect males?

Please stop
It's ridiculous

Just calling it how I see it Charlie. We don't have to agree.

Mumsnetters are funny as fuck. That's another reason.

Oh no Charlie, we really aren't going to get anywhere, you and I. If you think feminism is for protecting women from the big bad world rather than making the world a place that women are equally entitled to inhabit, that we're in to a complete non-starter.

Perhaps we'll chat more on FWR some day, but probably not much more on this thread.

Feminists still need to buy things/use services, and there seem to be a huge amount of them here. Is that not goid news for advertisers, who can target their market better?

Women and men don't normally agree about the best use of feminism but here on MN there's a healthy focus on the pro-female side so that's nice

*good

I'm another one who would be very interested in the divvying up of where people hang out. What is the hook om which people hang their coat.

Because I'm absolutely gobsmacked at this thread. I knew FWR was very popular, but I had no idea quite how popular it was.

Me either. It's made for pretty emotional reading

I don't understand why they can't tell from the clicks. Why do they need this thread?

The feminism board - it's been a very much needed education.
The humour; Mexican house thief, pom bears.
The advice on such diverse subjects e.g. What's wrong with my rabbit? Should my budgie be doing this? What's so awful about toilet brushes?
The camaraderie.
I would be lost without it.
But first, yes, the feminism board.

I joined 13 years ago and barged into a Cod potty training thread looking for advice. Was convinced Cod typed in patois for a long time

Mainly lurk now

Love Feminism threads

It's odd to think that Mumsnet is something you could grow out of if you are a mum. I will still have concerns about my kids when they are teens, in their twenties, etc. Also there is great advice from women who are grandmothers which is relevant to mums, it's part of the fun about the anonymity - sometimes a poster will say "I"ll be 70 next year" and I had no idea. Just listened to them as a person and let the quality of what they had to say shine though.
As long as women keep having babies there will be a need for mumsnet.

Charliethefeminist

I don't understand why they can't tell from the clicks. Why do they need this thread

I've heard suggested, it might have even been Rat, that's although people hang out on feminism, it's because they can't believe their eyes, they are sent here to be aghast at the transphobia, and for all sorts of other negative reasons.

So maybe HQ are just checking?

I keep checking back, waiting for it to change, Datun, because, like you, I’m amazed and heartened by all those wonderful, silent lurkers. It really is wonderful.