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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how is adulthood different from what you thought it would be like as a child?

166 replies

Cordroy · 03/06/2025 21:48

I never thought grown adults would have friendship issues.

How wrong I was 😭

OP posts:
stayathomer · 03/06/2025 22:13

I thought I’d have better/ more clothes and that I could shop for clothes all of the time!!

SummertimeFeelingFine · 03/06/2025 22:13

I thought it would be like the Richard Scarry books.

Astrak · 03/06/2025 22:12

When I was a child, I thought adults were safe to be with. My maternal uncle's regular sexual abuse ensured that I have never really trusted adults about anything they tell me. I only trust animals, who have never let me down.

Poobs2022 · 03/06/2025 22:11

IAmTheLogLady · 03/06/2025 21:57

I didn't realise I'd be so tired.

This. I also didn't think parenting would be so tough.

Darragon · 03/06/2025 22:11

ShodAndShadySenators · 03/06/2025 22:08

@Darragon Where did you think you'd put the supermarket shopping on your horse? They don't have a handy boot...

Saddlebags like in fantasy movies. 🤣 My mum used to just artfully arrange it all around DSis's pushchair before we got a car so I just thought a week's shopping would fit in saddlebags.

ACynicalDad · 03/06/2025 22:11

I used to be jealous of my dad's post, I equated it with cards with a fiver, he was getting bills, now they're all online so I get less post in my 40's than when I was 5!

Knittedfairies2 · 03/06/2025 22:11

I didn't realise that being a grown-up meant doing all the repetitive stuff necessary in a household; for instance, washing and ironing clothes so you have enough clean clothes to wear while washing and ironing on another day. I fondly imagined I could do whatever I liked, whenever I liked. And going to bed early isn't the punishment I thought it was...

Icanflyhigh · 03/06/2025 22:11

It's waaaaay harder than I imagined, and I'm fucking exhausted to a greater degree than I ever thought I would be!

Ineedanewsofa · 03/06/2025 22:10

I do A LOT more cleaning than I envisioned.

ToffeePennie · 03/06/2025 22:09

I also didn’t realise how BORING it is to decide what to eat everyday, then having to cook it. I always assumed that if you didn’t want to cook you could get takeout. I didn’t figure it was so expensive!

ShodAndShadySenators · 03/06/2025 22:08

@Darragon Where did you think you'd put the supermarket shopping on your horse? They don't have a handy boot...

MintChocCat · 03/06/2025 22:08

The tiredness, the mental load, and constantly thinking about what to have for dinner

Whyyes · 03/06/2025 22:08

As a child, I felt like I could do anything or be anything when I was an adult. In my 30's now and can say that's definitely not true. Most people aren't going to be anything really significant or important, including myself!

Left · 03/06/2025 22:07

Was told a lot as a child that “school days are the best days of your life”.

Struggled at school and with my mental health all through childhood, so I’m very glad that adulthood is a better experience, and those weren’t the best days.

ShodAndShadySenators · 03/06/2025 22:06

When we asked as kids to do something that cost too much, my mum would say she didn't have enough money. Apparently we said cheerily, "Just go to the bank and the nice lady will give you some!" No concept that you had to put the money there in the first place... Grin

I also remember sitting on the side drive with my back against the brick wall of our house, feeling its solidity, and wondering what my house as an adult would be like. It never occurred to me for a moment (at that point in time) that I might not own a house, it just seemed to be what you did. You grew up, got a job and bought your own house.

Admittedly I first stayed with other people, then rented a bedsit, then rented a two up-two down terrace, then bought my own. £20,000 in 1997.

Pickingmyselfup · 03/06/2025 22:06

IAmTheLogLady · 03/06/2025 21:57

I didn't realise I'd be so tired.

This and how boring and hard being an adult can be!

I'm constantly knackered, the house is never tidy and I have no idea what I'm doing, I just bumble around and hope I'm doing life right.

SpottedDonkey · 03/06/2025 22:05

I used to look forward to being able to buy myself as much chocolate as I wanted and eat it all myself and not have to share any of it with anyone.

Unfortunately, I didn’t realise that doing that makes you very fat very quickly. So now that I can buy as much chocolate as I want, I don’t. Life’s not fair.

Original poster
Cordroy · 03/06/2025 22:05

I thought EVERY adult was emotionally mature 😊

OP posts:
ToffeePennie · 03/06/2025 22:04

I imagined a village like my mum had.
Little did I know that my mum had a village made of other bored army wives and that’s how she did it.

garlictwist · 03/06/2025 22:04

I imagined my sister and I would go round each others’ adult houses for coffee -which we do! Although I always pictured us in head to toe Laura Ashley as my mother was for much of the 80s which we definitely are not.

Original poster
Cordroy · 03/06/2025 22:03

I thought we’d always have rotary phones and huge telephone directories

OP posts:
StMarie4me · 03/06/2025 22:03

Kathbrownlow · 03/06/2025 21:58

I didn't realise til later on in the day, that just because someone marries you, they don't necessarily love you.

Me too.

ArtTheClown · 03/06/2025 22:02

I thought it would be my turn for children to respect me, as I'd been expected to respect adults.

StMarie4me · 03/06/2025 22:02

I never thought that I would have two terrible husbands.

Original poster
Cordroy · 03/06/2025 22:01

I thought domestic sitcoms like Terry announce would ALWAYS be on TV

I also thought programs like Saturday Suoerstore, Swap Shop and Top of the Pops would be on

I thought British football would always remain like it was in 1986

I thought I’d always read magazines like Jackie and Smash Hits

OP posts: