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AIBU?

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To think 30 is middle

192 replies

Middleaged77 · 14/07/2026 14:50

And the denial within society isn’t helpful

OP posts:
FruAashild · 14/07/2026 15:03

So assuming age I think you are a child for the first 20 years of your life, then a young adult for your 20s and 30s, middle aged in your 40s and 50s, old in your 60s and 70s and elderly once 80+. Although I know people in their 60s who still think they are middle aged. Life expectancy in this country is 82.2 years, slightly lower for men and slightly higher for women.

If you are talking about the age to have children then yes, 30 is about average in this country for a first pregnancy. It has gone up since the 70s but that's because in the 70s people had children very young, whereas 100 years ago the pattern was more similar to now.

If you are talking about salary the median salary (including PT workers) is £32,890. For FT workers it's £39,039.

x2boys · 14/07/2026 14:59

Middleaged77 · 14/07/2026 14:50

And the denial within society isn’t helpful

Ah
You are the poster who is very upset that your very " young" daughter nearly 23 has a middle aged boyfriend aged nearly 30.

tartyflette · 14/07/2026 14:57

Well, strictly going by the actual numbers, middle age would be around 35-38. Perhaps almost 40 for women.
A healthy woman aged around 40 today could expect to live to around 80, barring accidents or disease. And averages are always skewed by people dying prematurely.

x2boys · 14/07/2026 14:57

Well it isnt.

TheSmallAssassin · 14/07/2026 14:56

I don't think it really matters. How is "the denial" unhelpful?

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 14/07/2026 14:56

God no - middle age doesn't kick in until some time in your 40s.

chocoluv · 14/07/2026 14:54

Batsratscatsgnats · 14/07/2026 14:51

Middle what? Aged? Income?

Temperature?
Number of sexual partners?
How many times you pee during the day?

SD1978 · 14/07/2026 14:54

Do we on average, die at 60? No. So middle age now is closer to 40. It’s the middle age of your life.

Sartre · 14/07/2026 14:53

It did used to be 35 but this has shifted up with life expectancy and is now around 40.

doodleygirl · 14/07/2026 14:52

Don’t be ridiculous, most people don’t die aged 60

chocoluv · 14/07/2026 14:52

The middle for what?

The average age a person lives is older than 60 and so it’s not the middle for age.

2dogsandabudgie · 14/07/2026 14:52

35 is middle if you're talking about speed limits.

didntlikeanyofthesuggestions · 14/07/2026 14:52

Just adding this so I can come back later to find out what you're talking about

Littletreefrog · 14/07/2026 14:52

30 what is what?

Batsratscatsgnats · 14/07/2026 14:51

Middle what? Aged? Income?

DreamingOfGeneHunt · 14/07/2026 14:51

Middle aged? Only if you die at 60.