<p>I’ve noticed that a lot of people, particularly women, have screennames that indicate parenthood. I might have thought it was just because on this site, that’s a primary definition, but it’s the same on ebay - “mommyoftwins” kind of stuff, even if they are selling machine parts. Do people define themselves primarily by their offspring?</p>
<p>No, but we do cook and eat them when times gits hard. ;)</p>
<p>Having “parent” in your sn does not always mean you’re a female.</p>
<p>I know - I said “particularly women”. There seem to be more “somethingmoms” than “somethingdads”. I have three little daughters, and for me it’s nice to be someone else on the internet. There’s long been a great hooha about women defining themselves with reference to men - I just thought it was interesting that people seem to be doing it with reference to their children now.</p>
<p>Consider what this forum is about! I don’t use a “mom” screenname elsewhere on the internet- just here. This is based on receiving and sharing information about colleges and the application process. I think it is natural to identify yourself by whether you are a parent or a kid. Not that it is required, but it is an understandable reaction when picking a name for this particular forum. On my athletic forums I do something different.</p>
<p>In my case, digeridoodad was already taken.</p>
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<p>For the uninititiated, the above statement is one way of differentiating if a unisex parental screenname can be attributed to a male or a female.</p>
<p>Most females would never make that statement, and the few who would agree would never admit to it in a public forum. The wife and I had this conservation many moons ago, when the kidlings were but in diapers.</p>
<p>She was aghast that I would even consider such a thing. I did assure her that it would only be in the most dire of circumstances, and the pecking order would be the dogs, then the progeny in reverse birth order, my left arm, and then hers, if push came to shove.</p>
<p>She didn’t buy any of my arguments. It’s a “mom” thing. I’ve since learned to keep my mouth shut regarding what if scenarios and philosophy of worst case hypothetical survival situations.</p>
<p>Now, before anyone slams me, and I’m forced to seek refuge in The Man Cave, realize that the above is of course “tongue in cheek”, for those that may fail to see the humor here. ;)</p>
<p>And who wants to try to remember a dozen different screen names? Frankly, the screen name I would use on a site like ebay would be completely unimportant to me so why not just use one I already have and will remember more easily?</p>
<p>I have a “mom” in my screen name on this site and two others.</p>
<p>My ebay name is easy to remember–3 letters.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t use this screenname on ebay or my athletic forums. It is “special” to this forum!</p>
<p>Hey, MOWC-- how are the married couple? Have things settled down for you yet?? That was one exciting story!</p>
<p>I prefer to be gender nonspecific on public forums - although my status is usually revealed in my posts eventually.</p>
<p>If you want to converse in a public forum that includes both men & women, I think it’s better not to identify oneself as a female right off the bat. I know it’s sexist, but I think men respect the opinions of other men more - so it’s better not to be “mom” or female in the screen name.</p>
<p>Besides, I really do think much of my identity is wrapped around our 3S, so it’s nice to adopt an identity somewhere that is different.</p>
<p>(BTW - I didn’t do a very good job of removing the parental identity from my sn tho’ if you know what BZ means in the miltary & the 2010 reflects DS1’s graduating year! Oh well).</p>
<p>^^bz2010, Bravo Zulu?</p>
<p>The newlyweds are doing well. He started his residency last Tues but it has just been orientation so far. The real doctor-stuff starts this Tuesday and we won’t see much of him for a few years. He has his first long-call the day of the Kenny Chesney concert and has to miss it. He was so sad he was wearing his cowboy hat around the house in protest. Anyone want a Kenny Chesney ticket for July 5? (still waiting for Evil Father of the Groom to pay for the rest of the rehearsal dinner)</p>
<p>BZ QM!!</p>
<p>10 char.</p>
<p>It’s fun sometimes when posters confuse you with the other gender. That’s why I prefer to keep my screen name elemental.</p>
<p>No mom I’ve heard of has ever discussed eating the offspring either; even if times are hard. ;)</p>
<p>I have to admit I’m a bit amazed at folks actually discussing this extreme remedy IRL.</p>
<p>The main reason I have mom as part of my screenname here, is so that when I post on the student part of the site they know which generation I’m from. I’ve got another screenname the other places I post regularly.</p>
<p>I normally use my real name for everything. I’ve been doing it since I joined Compuserve in 1984, and have never suffered for it. On the other hand, I avoid the scummiest corners of the Internet, so there you go. I don’t use it here because I used to post angry, critical things about my son’s high school and I fully expected any administrator coming across these posts to use them against my son. I still sign my PMs and email with at least my first name.</p>
<p>WashDad = geographic information and parental-status indicators. It really bugs me when folks here won’t even say what part of the world they live in. It makes it more difficult to get context right. Same but less so for gender.</p>
<p>Washdad - thanks for the reply. I saw you when I sneakily visited the man cave. I started off saying where I was from and gender and everything, including college background, but I think I got a “so you really don’t know what you’re talking about” vibe from one or two people. And a couple of private messages that went the same way. Maybe that was due to my posts rather than my location. Anyway, I live in Cambridge, England. Mother of three, which neatly covers the gender too. Lived six years in NYC, one daughter American by birth and she wants to go to college there when she’s big. That’s about it.</p>
<p>Mine is self explanatory. Yes, I do define myself my daughter and parenting. And I never want to hide from kids they are getting advice from an adult or talking to an adult. </p>
<p>The rest of the time I go by my original Microsoft Developer User Name, initial, last name and a number given to me in 1986.</p>
<p>My name indicates two of the things I am most proud of – the state of my birth and my role as a mom. In three years, the younger child will leave home, and then I’ll try to remember what else I am besides a mom. By the way, I work full time (always have) and have numerous hobbies, but a lot of my energy is spent raising the kids.</p>
<p>I am a foreign language teacher! FR[ench]…[Sp]AN[ish]…[En]GLISH…</p>