AIBU to think she wasn't a young mum?

[limeandsoda93]

There's a program on BBC1 in the afternoon with Aled Jones and he retraces steps of someone's life who then helps out someone else in need. In yesterday's episode it was a lady who was diagnosed with breast cancer when her daughter was still a baby. They kept referring to her as a 'young mum' eg 'today we follow the story of a young mum', 'battling cancer as a young mum'. Then they said that she was diagnosed aged 33. AIBU to say that she wasn't a young mum? I don't think 33 is old by any means but it didn't sound right to me. What would you class as a 'young mum'?

[Mozfan1]

I don't think 33 is particularly young for a mum but it's still young for a human being, iyswim.

[WindInThePussyWillows]

I'm 22 and have 6 month old twins, I class myself as a young mum.

[daisymai08]

It's very young to have cancer!

[weeblueberry]

I think I'd 'read' it as a young woman who was a mum. In those circumstances I think it's OK.

[AGruffaloCrumble]

That's an average age for a mum isn't it? Scarily young to have cancer though. I am a young mum with two DDs at 22.

[user1474627704]

Well she's not an old mum, is she? Ergo......

What does it matter?

[FlyingElbows]

I think they mean she was "young" and a "mum" not that she was a "young mum".

[KERALA1]

My friend described herself as a young mum - she is over 40! Slightly deluded mum more like but she's lovely so hey ho. Maybe they mean mum with young children?

[limeandsoda93]

Hmm yes I see what you are all saying about being young for the circumstances. I suppose that's how they meant it and I didn't really pick up on it!

[potentialqualms]

I think often when people refer to a young mum they mean a mother of young children. They're wrong but that's what they mean!

[flowery]

In these circumstances they meant she is young and also a mum.

[Leopard12]

I'd say young parent is under 25 when they have the first, young family I'd think would be young kids not necessarily young patents.

[StrawberryQuik]

My DM had breast cancer when she was 42 and whenever I tell a gp this they say 'that's very young'...so it's young for cancer, plus she has young children..so it makes sense to call her a young mum.

[StrawberryQuik]

(She's fine now)

[user1474627704]

I think they mean she was "young" and a "mum" not that she was a "young mum"

Exactly this. The programme wasn't about her having a baby, was it?

[Kintan]

I would think 'young mum' in that context meant the mother of young children rather than a mother who was younger than average.

[Clankboing]

I guess it means she was early in motherhood. Or it may have been a 50 year old who wrote the script, so she was young to that person. Either way, she has our sympathy.

[twattymctwatterson]

Yes because that's what you should be taking away from a segment about a 33 year old with cancer

[FiniteIncantatum]

Completely off topic but I was 22 when I had DD and didn't think of myself as a "young mum". I would say a young Mum is maybe 19/20 and under.

Anyway, yes OP I agree with the majority that it was meant young woman who is a Mum.

[charlestonchaplin]

A young woman who is also a mum. You didn't really expect them to keep saying that, did you?

[BalloonSlayer]

"young mum" sometimes is shorthand for "mum of young children." It saves 3 syllables although it is not strictly correct

[OldBootNewBoots]

it's slightly imprecise and open to misinterpretation but in the context i couldn't get exercised about it.

[minipie]

They meant young for someone with cancer not young when she had her baby.

Because if you heard "a mum battling with cancer" you might well think of someone in their 50s or 60s.

[ReallyTired]

A 33 year old is in the prime of her life. DH's aunt was 33 years old when she died of cancer. She left three young boys under six years old. The situation was truely hideous. It happens over 40 years ago and my FIL has never got over losing his sister.

[ohtheholidays]

No I wouldn't call that being a young Mum,I had my first DC 6 weeks before my 21 birthday that's being a young Mum.

When my Mum had me she was 33 and she said she got treated like an older Mum back then,I'm 41 now and it's funny how much things change over the years.