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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My Pet Peeve- birthday "chapters" whats yours

163 replies

JadoreLeFromage · 04/08/2026 12:44

Am I being unreasonable (AIBU)?

I KNOW this is one of those things that mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it really "irks" me.

When people say/write in cards/post on social media "Chapter 40" at their 40th birthdays (or whatever age).

The day you turn 40, you are now in chapter 41!

You are not entering chapter 40; you entered that at 39. 🙄

Why does this annoy me so much? 😅

Same when people write "draws" instead of "drawers." Like nails on a blackboard.

  1. AIBU?
  2. Share your pet peeves, please!!
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SweetnsourNZ · Today 10:21

Floatlikeafeather2 · 05/08/2026 23:32

But you wouldn't say "A pair of shirts", even if you were wearing it with a pair of jeans.

Show quote history

Probably was used to that though. Didn't have to deal with bras until I was a teen.

pictoosh · 06/08/2026 19:33

Shinyhappyapple · 06/08/2026 12:16

Ok. My pet peeve is all the pedantic, superior types who seem unable to grasp that others have (1) a different accent to them and (2) not everyone is in the position to have been able to access the same education as them, due to their upbringing, socio-economic circumstances etc. People don’t know, what they don’t know.

Fair enough I suppose, mentioning it on a thread like this, but all too often someone is posting about their problems and gets pulled up because of their spelling or grammar.

I did mention some SPAG on this thread but to be clear I wouldn't pull anyone up on it unless it was my job to do so...especially on here, it's not a written exam it's a chat forum.

WearingBeautifulShoes · 06/08/2026 14:58

CruCru · 06/08/2026 09:15

I hate “therapy speak”. Phrases like “toxic”, “narcissistic”, “lived experience” are wildly overused. Having someone say “She’s toxic and I need to take some space for my own wellbeing” has replaced “She’s doing my head in so I’m not going to see her for a week or so”.

This is rife on Mumsnet. See also "setting boundaries", "flying monkeys", "grey rock" etc etc.

Shinyhappyapple · 06/08/2026 12:16

Ok. My pet peeve is all the pedantic, superior types who seem unable to grasp that others have (1) a different accent to them and (2) not everyone is in the position to have been able to access the same education as them, due to their upbringing, socio-economic circumstances etc. People don’t know, what they don’t know.

Fair enough I suppose, mentioning it on a thread like this, but all too often someone is posting about their problems and gets pulled up because of their spelling or grammar.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 06/08/2026 09:17

I have also never seen the Chapters thing but would irk me! Not just the getting it wrong but the whole idea of seeing your life like that. It’s pretentious!

CruCru · 06/08/2026 09:15

I hate “therapy speak”. Phrases like “toxic”, “narcissistic”, “lived experience” are wildly overused. Having someone say “She’s toxic and I need to take some space for my own wellbeing” has replaced “She’s doing my head in so I’m not going to see her for a week or so”.

SparrowFeet · 06/08/2026 08:35

Gifted. Urgh.

noodledrama · 06/08/2026 08:25

I can’t stand the modern craze for sticking out tongues in photos. Why can’t people just smile nicely for a photo anymore? Why do they have to stick their tongue cheekily between their teeth, pop out the tip like a spiteful toddler or have it lolling out like a German shepherd? It’s disgusting.

Tsham · 06/08/2026 07:33

“London bound” “New York bound” “Scunthorpe bound” - with a photo that denotes travel.

EmilyDickinson · 05/08/2026 23:53

I don’t like “beautiful inside and out”. It makes me imagine intestines.

Floatlikeafeather2 · 05/08/2026 23:40

ImogenBrocklehurst · 04/08/2026 21:12

“I can’t even.”
Can’t even what?? Finish the fucking sentence.

I don't mind them not finishing the sentence because they might go on to tell me they're confused or bewildered or, more recently, flummoxed, and I might have to give them a shake.

Floatlikeafeather2 · 05/08/2026 23:32

SweetnsourNZ · 04/08/2026 15:28

Not heard that, but I used to say a pair of bras until a friend pointed out it was just a bra. Funny how knickers are a pair though. I suppose that still bothers me even if I am in the wrong.

Show quote history

But you wouldn't say "A pair of shirts", even if you were wearing it with a pair of jeans.

TheGardenPond · 05/08/2026 13:32

HauntedRavioli · 04/08/2026 15:37

Extra unnecessary suffices make me angrier than they should.

Burglars are called burglars because they burgle things. The word burglarize does not need to exist.

Yes! Another one of these is “artisanal”. Surely “artisan” is the adjective.

RodneysGotaNewHairdo · 05/08/2026 12:53

"Today's office", usually with a holiday photo or some other kind of shit that isn't an office.

pouletvous · 05/08/2026 12:35

People who post a photo of their holiday with the caption, “and breath”

DreadedInn · 05/08/2026 11:58

AliceDownTheRabbitHole · 04/08/2026 16:11

When people say they’ve ‘done’ places. No, you’ve been to them. It’s usually the same people who make their gap-year in Asia their entire personality

I hate this one

Tsham · 05/08/2026 11:55

JadoreLeFromage · 04/08/2026 12:44

Am I being unreasonable (AIBU)?

I KNOW this is one of those things that mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it really "irks" me.

When people say/write in cards/post on social media "Chapter 40" at their 40th birthdays (or whatever age).

The day you turn 40, you are now in chapter 41!

You are not entering chapter 40; you entered that at 39. 🙄

Why does this annoy me so much? 😅

Same when people write "draws" instead of "drawers." Like nails on a blackboard.

  1. AIBU?
  2. Share your pet peeves, please!!

Journeys is definitely one - especially “weight loss journey”, which I assume is diet and exercise.

But the ultimate is “love language” - anyone using that term is truly beyond irritating, up there with people who leave voicenotes.

pouletvous · 05/08/2026 11:51

People who say them instead of those

we don’t stock them cakes here
I don’t like them cakes

pouletvous · 05/08/2026 11:47

We don’t make phonecalls or have discussions via video

we jump on calls

bluergh

Mousewoman · 05/08/2026 11:40

I like a misprounounced word, I think it's endearing. I love the singular use "a red lip" in fashion, it's camp and fun. I don't like " can I get/grab a cappuccino " cos it's rude. Funny buggers humans.

PlantainArama · 05/08/2026 11:22

Tablo · 04/08/2026 14:54

This is very much a social media thing but I hate ‘it’s giving’

It’s giving Autumn
It’s giving hot girl summer

🤢

My issue with phrases like these is I'll start out by adopting them ironically as a way to annoy and embarrass my children. But I'll then say them so much that I don't always notice the shift into just using the phrase in ordinary language, no kids present.

Culpeper · 05/08/2026 11:10

pictoosh · 05/08/2026 11:06

Just saw one in the local precinct. A wee cafe offering 'panini's' and 'breakfast roll's'.

Do they chuck the apostrophe in just in case?

I’ve been known to amend those if in chalk!

And panini is the plural you numpties.

pictoosh · 05/08/2026 11:06

Just saw one in the local precinct. A wee cafe offering 'panini's' and 'breakfast roll's'.

Do they chuck the apostrophe in just in case?

Ilovelurchers · 05/08/2026 11:01

The clapping a pilot thing - on a recent flight to the UK from Germany, what sounded like one lone person clapped after we landed. Somehow it seemed much worse than nobody clapping - it seemed to highlight that the rest of us were unappreciative bastards who should have been allowed to plumit to our collective doom.

Luckily, I don't suppose the pilot could hear it, so I don't suppose they thought anything either way.

TheThirteenthFairy · 05/08/2026 09:10

TodoRonnieRonRon · 04/08/2026 16:42

Never heard the ‘chapters’ thing but mine is ‘ could of’ instead of ‘ could have’. Also when did people start saying to someone serving them ‘ could I get’ instead of ‘ could I have’? Also chimdey, hospical, skelington etc. I’m going for a lie down now.

That reminds me - until I was 29 I thought there was a 'p' in 'hamster.'