Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think someone born in 1968 is not ‘nearly 60’?? RUDE!!

279 replies

EvidentClyburn · 25/04/2025 18:28

We left school and did our CSEs in 1984 - note no O Levels/A Levels or 6th Form - dear Mumsnetters

We came of age in 1986 - Hand of God - Mexico World Cup etc etc

Harold Wilson was PM when we were born

only CFs would call us ‘nearly’ ‘60’

OP posts:
HoraceCope · 26/04/2025 05:32

i dont think we were allowed to do metal work and wood work, or technical drawing.
we did needlework and cookery and typing

WellINeverrr · 26/04/2025 03:55

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 25/04/2025 21:36

60 is not 57 though. And 57 is not 60! (Not even nearly... 59 is nearly 60!) Why say 57 is nearly 60?

I will say again, would you say a 7 year old child is nearly 10?

NO. No-one would! 😂

.

Edited
Show quote history

The child example is silly, they are at very different developmental stages so no, you wouldn't say a 7 year old was nearly 10 🙄 Developmentsl stages don't really count when you.hit 50 odd, fo they?

Sorry I've hit a soft spot with you. Don't fret about being almost 60, I'm sure it won't be that bad!

SALaw · 26/04/2025 00:29

EvidentClyburn · 25/04/2025 18:28

We left school and did our CSEs in 1984 - note no O Levels/A Levels or 6th Form - dear Mumsnetters

We came of age in 1986 - Hand of God - Mexico World Cup etc etc

Harold Wilson was PM when we were born

only CFs would call us ‘nearly’ ‘60’

What have all those facts got to do with whether you are nearly 60 or not?! That’s a numerical question.

KezzyBoo21 · 26/04/2025 00:19

I’m with you OP, I’m a ‘68 baby too and my DH (who’s older) referred to me as ‘pushing 60’ recently and I nearly took his head off LOL. While technically true, I think it’s just not nice to be reminded of that next milestone when it’s a full three years away, especially if you’ve only just had a birthday and turned that corner where you’re closer to 60 than to 55 for the first time.

Nothing wrong with being 60, I just don’t think of myself that way and I find it strange that we only do this with older people. You wouldn’t describe a 17yo as ‘nearly 20’ or a 27yo as ‘nearly 30’ (at least I wouldn’t) because those milestones are still a way off.

I might accept ‘nearly 60’ at 59. Maybe 59-and-a-half! But at just turned 57, no thanks, I’d prefer to wait a bit before answering to that description!

TipsyPeachSnake · 26/04/2025 00:17

Nearly 60 is when you’re just a few months away from 60, not years.

TipsyPeachSnake · 26/04/2025 00:16

I was born in ‘68 and NO way am I ‘nearly’ 60

JohnTheRevelator · 26/04/2025 00:13

Well,they're only 4 or maybe even only 3 years away from it!

BlondiePortz · 26/04/2025 00:07

How are you not nearly 60?

JennySayQuoi · 26/04/2025 00:03

EvidentClyburn · 25/04/2025 18:32

i went to to a school where vast majority did CSEs - doing O levels was practically unknown!

Show quote history

Fair enough that they weren't usual at your school, but your OP does sound like they weren't a thing because of the time/your age. My mum did O levels in 1963!

Swiftie1878 · 25/04/2025 23:47

Gonksmum · 25/04/2025 18:38

I'm a Jan 68er and yes, we are approaching 60!! It is rather alarming, but true. Glad to be here.

I’m a Jan 68er too!
And yes, we’re nearly 60! How privileged are we?! The alternative to aging is not so good. 😊

FunMustard · 25/04/2025 23:45

Sorry my bab but you're definitely nearly 60! Grin

PickAChew · 25/04/2025 23:43

CSE's - and O-levels, for that matter - were scrapped just a few years after you took them. It's not like O-levels weren't a thing yet when you were in 5th year.

m00rfarm · 25/04/2025 23:33

EvidentClyburn · 25/04/2025 18:28

We left school and did our CSEs in 1984 - note no O Levels/A Levels or 6th Form - dear Mumsnetters

We came of age in 1986 - Hand of God - Mexico World Cup etc etc

Harold Wilson was PM when we were born

only CFs would call us ‘nearly’ ‘60’

Of course there were O Levels in 1984! If you were in the higher group you did O Levels and in the lower group, CSEs. And A Levels and 6th form. Your post makes no sense at all.

mondaytosunday · 25/04/2025 23:28

WhatsApp? Ha that’s was weird.

InWithThePlums · 25/04/2025 23:27

You obviously needed to put LIGHTHEARTED in the title OP. Too many miserable sods insisting on doing maths on this thread Grin

AdoraBell · 25/04/2025 23:27

I was born in 1968. I don’t feel old.

mondaytosunday · 25/04/2025 23:27

WhatsApp wrong with being (nearly) 60? Better than the alternative.

BassesAreBest · 25/04/2025 23:26

Moll2020 · 25/04/2025 23:23

I’m a September 67er and same as you counting down to 60 and my state pension. Just reduced my working week to 4 days, every Friday off!

Show quote history

You do know you don’t get state pension at 60, right?

Moll2020 · 25/04/2025 23:23

TroysMammy · 25/04/2025 19:24

I'm a January 68er too and already counting down to when I'm 60 as I'll get a free bus pass. Hoping they won't up the age by then. I also know I have 9 years, 8 months and 8 days to state pension age. 😂

I’m a September 67er and same as you counting down to 60 and my state pension. Just reduced my working week to 4 days, every Friday off!

Flamingoknees · 25/04/2025 22:36

I was born 1969,currently 56, don't class myself as nearly 60. You are though 👷

BethBynnag86 · 25/04/2025 22:34

According to the rules of rounding up or down to the nearest ten,because you are over half way between 50 and 60 you get rounded up to 60😁😂

MariaMeringue · 25/04/2025 22:30

I’ll be 57 in July, but I don’t think of myself as being ‘nearly 60’ at all 😳

Another2Cats · 25/04/2025 22:29

katepilar · 25/04/2025 22:05

Is that considered a specialised skill? Its primary school knowledge where I am.

Show quote history

That's interesting. That certainly wasn't taught at primary school in my experience.

Here is a quick video of how a 30 degree angle would be drawn. Is this what you were talking about? If so, this is (or, at least, was) definitely not commonly taught at primary school level:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiPtFoPMYPA

katepilar · 25/04/2025 22:05

HowardTJMoon · 25/04/2025 21:43

@Another2Cats I've got an O-level in technical drawing! I really enjoyed it but it's one of those things that computers have largely replaced. I'm sure I could still do 15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 degree angles with nothing more than a ruler, a compass and a sharp pencil.

We didn't have typing but we did have cookery, needlework, woodwork and metalwork that everyone had to do for secondary years 1-4. Looking back at the metalwork I'm amazed at what they made us do. We didn't do metal casting but we did use full-sized lathes which are genuinely lethal if you're not careful.

Show quote history

Is that considered a specialised skill? Its primary school knowledge where I am.

Ohnobackagain · 25/04/2025 22:05

Loads of schools did CSE and GCE (O) for 16yo and GCE (A) for 6th formers around that time. Ours was also used to trial the then ‘new’ GCSE in parallel for grade comparison. Nothing wrong with the ‘nearly 60’ label either 😄.