New Gransnet Site Expands Mumsnet Empire

The Mumsnet empire has expanded with the new Gransnet website for older mums and grandmothers. It's time that the wisdom and experience of grannies and older women was given a place in modern society - and now is the perfect opportunity for grey power, borne out by the site's logo; a baby being cradled by two youthful grandmas holding up the Gransnet flag.

Co-founder of Mumsnet and Gransnet, mother-of-four Justine Roberts was, at the time of founding Mumsnet in 2000, anxious to achieve a good work-life balance. Mumsnet has a reputation for being middle class and has a feminist image, but there is something for everyone as the mums online are each so unique. Now Gransnet follows on with MS Roberts standing up for the "oldies" in the face of ageist opposition.

Justine Roberts says: "We have given a platform to mothers who have seized the opportunity and it would be nice to replicate that for grandparents, It’s a weird phenomenon in this country that if you’ve stopped working you somehow cease to matter, but there are 14 million grandparents in Britain, half of whom are under 65."

Ms Roberts added that this vast number of grandparents in fact carry out £3.9 billion worth of childcare with one in three working mothers relying on their contribution.

The role of Gransnet, she says, is to offer support and advice as well as friendship to grandparents and she is eager to watch how the site unfolds. Once the site gets off the ground, grandparent users will be able to choose topics and subjects for discussion.

The inaugural pages of the site feature articles on gardening, digital photography and a daily yoga workout, all highly relevant for modern grandparents.

Above all there are interesting ideas for entertaining grandchildren such as art materials and ideas for encouraging creativity. It is true that much has changed with regard to childrearing since grans had their own children and there is a reassuring article on how most grandparents find difficulty in dealing with buggies and other baby equipment, as well as changing attitudes towards bathing and bedtimes.

It will be interesting to see if the generations clash and whether mums like what their mums have to say! Above all the site is great for empowering older people who happen to be grandparents and have a voice in how their grandchildren grow up - an opportunity to show how the wisdom of older people can be used to so much good in society.

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