AIBU to worry my retired parents never want to go out?

And what could OP do about that? I appreciate she might be concerned about them but they're grown adults and free to live their own lives as they choose.
I retired a few years ago and love being at home. After a lifetime of having to get up early and arrange my time around work, home admin, children and husband, I can now do as I please. I don't have to be constantly doing things. I enjoy just taking things easy, I've earned my peace.

I think that is still doing things though. Not travelling but still active. A lot of retired people are basically never leaving the house.

They’re probably fed up of peoples fucking shit. I’m not retired, but when I am, I’ll still be fed up of peoples shit.

My in-laws are a few year older and are the same. A combination of Covid and now resolved health issues made them fearful. They say they are happy just being at home but that’s because they are too scared to leave their comfort zone.

I think going out is vastly overrated tbh.

My in-laws are the same, possibly worse, but they’re older now (80s). They’ve become increasingly socially isolated and borderline agoraphobic over the past few decades. They literally do nothing, ever. No gardening, no friends, no hobbies, no holidays, no exercise, and they only see family when we organise it. My children barely know them. But they’re not my parents, so there’s nothing I can do about it. I just find it quite bleak. They were the same in their 60s.

Some of the responses here are minimising your concerns. There’s a wide gulf between enjoying a quiet life and totally giving up on life.

Normal for my in laws. Every time we visited them they'd be sitting side by side in their recliners reading newspapers or magazines.
Apart from going to the nearest town for their weekly shoppjng they never went anywhere.

It does sound like they are busy and active at home so I wouldn't worry too much. It sounds odd to me but my house is a mess! It might be worth asking one at a time them if all is ok. Sometimes people of a certain age just don't want to far from the loo!

I think some people at any age are less social but when younger they make the effort.
I'm 68 and DH is 76.
We walk every day and he goes to the gym so is fit and active. I do lots of activities, we don't generally do much together.

He would happily never go out anywhere ever. He will go out for the sake of me or the adult DC and always enjoys it. We normally go on holiday abroad three times a year and do several UK breaks. Again he would prefer to stay at home but goes for my benefit. I can't travel ATM because of illness and I'm so, so fed up and frustrated but I think he feels like he's off the hook temporarily.
Having said that neither of us really wants to go out in the evening unless it's important to someone else.

I have a friend a similar age and they go away every weekend and out most nights. It's exhausting just listening to what they do and I bet she thinks I envy it but I wouldn't swap for anything.

I bet your parents love their routine and consider themselves busy enough.

I used to work, had to get dressed up and go out for a meal/drinks every weekend, always had at least two holidays a year, enjoyed clothes shopping/hairdresser/beauty salon etc always on the go at weekends etc Then I lost my mum and my teenage son which resulted in me suddenly getting various health problems (caused by stress). Then dh became ill and we both retired early and totally changed our lives. I now enjoy and appreciate the simple things in life, I hardly go out but I'm happy at home. I walk daily and keep in touch with what's going on in the world but I have no desire anymore to get dressed up and go out at night or go trailing round the shops. I just enjoy a simple life in the lovely home I've created. The rest of my family, sister etc can't believe that I'm not depressed or bored and wonder what I do all day. Sometimes people change as they get older, life can change you and your priorities. Just because I live a quiet, simple life doesn't mean I'm not happy. I expect it's the same for your parents.

Hear, hear

I’d find it a bit concerning that there has been a change (as you said they were doing more up until a few years ago). They aren’t really that old and if they’re both in good health then it seems a bit strange.

As others have said, people are different. I notice that you say they inherited recently - could it be they are struggling a bit with bereavement and just want the comfort of home?

At 30 I was full of ambition, loved travel, out every night. I told everyone I would never retire. Off to Ibiza for the weekend or New York for my birthday at any opportunity. If I ever gave a thought to the non working world I imagined the streets empty of all the exciting people. Just dreary pensioners with sholleys and tumbleweed.

Now I'm retired and the world when everyone is at work and school is so peaceful. Pottering with the dog, a swim in the sea from an empty beach, the supermarket without crowds, the empty cinema on a winter afternoon, my garden with only the birds and church bells for company. Heaven.

Hard to remember now that I was that girl at the bar in the stupid heels.

Life changes. We change.

Not surprised, going out with 2 toddlers would be stressful. Honestly OP your fortunate to have parents who do childcare just leave them alone.
If they did go out and something happened you'd be sorry you pushed it
Some people have no problems but just look for one. This is a prime example sadly.

My mum was like that from her late 60s onwards. Retirement didn’t help, and it got exponentially worse when she was widowed.

The curious and eager woman who travelled the world in her 30s and 40s and ran a busy university department became someone who could barely stand to spend two hours at a close friend’s house for dinner without becoming so exhausted she needed a day or two to recover.

By her mid 70s she genuinely dreaded going out anywhere or seeing people - even people she loved, even the easiest, gentlest lowest-maintenance people. She would fret and worry about a trip to the supermarket. She took no pleasure in social activities as she was wracked with agitation and a need to be back at home.

If we ever asked her about plans or suggested something she also became very defensive and felt got at.

It’s anxiety, aided and abetted in my mother’s case by heart failure that was more serious than anyone realised, and general advancing frailty.

Some of her friends still have plenty of get up and go in their 80s, some of her friends became much more reclusive and sedentary at an even younger age. It’s very variable.

But I speak from experience when I say no good will come of trying to chivvy them along or cheer them up. The best way to maintain a relationship is to meet them where they’re at.

It’s a kind of ambiguous loss, when your parents begin to lose initiative and interest - and it’s important to try not to take it personally or feel hurt. It’s part and parcel of decline, and I’m afraid the train only travels in one direction.

Of course they can be happy at home, comfortable and living a peaceful life. Perhaps one has a health condition they don’t wish to share at the moment like IBS?

Leave them alone. Stop trying to manage their lives.

Age has a lot to do with it. The sad reality is that as you get older you just don't have the energy and stamina you had when younger.

You may find it hard to imagine myself living happily like that now at your age but won't in your 60s & 70s.

You're younger and have 2 small kids, of course you want to get out of the house!

If it was you alone, or with DP and you could do exactly what you wanted all the time, staying home might be more appealing 😀

I would imagine you are early 30s or younger? If so I would have felt exactly the same at your age. Your mindset really does change as you get older, well for many it does anyway.

They are probably very content. I haven't retired yet but I rarely go out out and haven't been a holiday in over twenty years other than three days air b and b in UK. This won't change that much when I retire though I will leave the house for a few activities each week. Out is overrated.

I suppose I just find it hard to imagine myself living happily like that

That's because you're (approx) twenty years younger than them.

Contentment comes in many forms and those forms change as we get older.

@JoaNiic 's post earlier was spot on for me. I'm early sixties and am rapidly developing FOJI....Fear of Joining In.

This poem sums up how I feel now.

The Orange
At lunchtime I bought a huge orange—
The size of it made us all laugh.
I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave—
They got quarters and I had a half.
And that orange, it made me so happy,
As ordinary things often do
Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park.
This is peace and contentment. It’s new.
The rest of the day was quite easy.
I did all the jobs on my list
And enjoyed them and had some time over.
I love you. I’m glad I exist.
— Wendy Cope

The dog will tie them to the house but as someone that’s quite happy at home I think just leave them be - they’ve worked hard and raised a family maybe they just want to ‘be’

It will become a problem when one outlives the other if they have no support network than each other. Obviously one could move to a supportive retirement community but I think moving becomes more daunting the older you leave it.