Is there a new grandparents/childcare troll?

[ThejoyofNC]

Along with several others I've noticed that there are numerous threads being created all around the topic of grandparents providing childcare. I'm pretty sure they've covered just about every angle possible at this point. Is it worth looking into whether this is a troll or not?

Yes there’s another thread now.

Yes, it's getting tedious now.

Seems that way...

Maybe, maybe not.
Every troll is a twat but not every twat is a troll.

It makes a change from all the benefit bashing threads last week

Ooh I missed those must not have been on here much! It's almost like one of those series where every episode is the same plot just slightly different.

I’ve noticed as well on a few posts that feel like it might be someone trolling, the spelling is Americanised. This latest grandparent one has “organized” for example.

I've noticed a number of threads too, maybe it's some kind of weird anomaly

Yes

Or just another common topic, applies to many, polarised views, that creates traffic (and advertising revenue…).

I would love to know if there is a paid role, creating threads for MN. So many ‘common’ topics, so many one or two opening posts and little return or meaningful engagement.

I reported one of them today as it's getting beyond a joke, but that poster checked out OK according to MN.

I know some topics get brought up regularly, but the last few days have been relentless on this topic. There can't be anything left worth saying.

There have been a lot lately.

at least one of the original posts was pure ChatGPT

could a ‘family childcare’ board be added to the Childcare topic so at least all the threads can be moved and hidden?

This theory has been around for ages. Along with the supposition that journalists create inflammatory threads. I honestly think both views are nonsense. Logically, if MN were to do this they wouldn’t choose a topic that had been posted a hundred times in the last week.

I've noticed this too OP.

It's quite ridiculous now!

I spotted this this morning I pressed post and thought hang on us this a journalist posting for content or a troll posting anti mum/child

Same, it might be MN’s own LLM jaunt in that case if lots of us are reporting and MNHQ say they all ‘check out ok’.

It’s so tedious though.

Report, don’t engage, hide, is all I can suggest.

Please, this!

It's worth taking the political temperature when asking this question.

If you wanted to turn people against pensioners (as the biggest welfare claimants) then punting a narrative that any oldies who shirk their childcare duties aren't really grandparents is a great start.

Also, getting (women) to provide free childcare is a core belief of a lot of people moving towards the right of the political spectrum.

I'm desperate to use that saying now 😂

Yes, I thought the same

If they want women to care for their grandchildren, they shouldn't have raised the retirement age so high.😂

I hadn’t thought about the bigger picture and messaging. Feels these posts are set to divide though.

I always want to defend myself when there appears to be parents who can’t understand why grandparents are unwilling to provide childcare. After just short of 40 years, of unbroken service in education, I am done! I need some rest and some freedoms.