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Original poster

As a child what did you think being an adult would be like?

46 replies

bettydaviseyes1 · 23/07/2019 00:16

When I was a child I'd often think about what being an adult would be like. I think most of my ideas came from American films! Some of the silly/small things I thought I'd do or what being an adult would be like are:

I thought id wear nice nighties with matching dressing gown instead of mismatched comfy pyjamas

Dinner parties, thought I'd be having loads more dinner parties!

I thought my DH and I would sit up in bed side by side and read before going to sleep

Errands, I thought I'd have full days dedicated to these instead of random rushed ones during my lunch break

Thought I'd have to bake more to bring home baked goods with me to places such as coffee mornings or friends houses

What are some of the random things you thought being an adult would involve?

OP posts:

Original poster

bettydaviseyes1 · 23/07/2019 08:44

@EatingBreadAndHoney me too!!! Haha!!

I also thought I'd FEEL grown up, I dont!

OP posts:

cheesenpickles · 23/07/2019 08:46

I thought I'd be a career woman with a fabulous wardrobe to match, jetting over the world with a close group of gal pals that I'd meet for Cosmopolitans and shopping (watched a lot of Sex & The City as a child). Elements are true but I spend a good portion of my daily life picking soggy cornflakes of the carpet.

cheesenpickles · 23/07/2019 08:46

*off

Original poster

bettydaviseyes1 · 23/07/2019 08:50

@cheesenpickles yep!! I thought clothes would be so much more important to me and I'd spend ages picking out the perfect outfit with matching accessories instead of what's clean and/or ironed Haha

Also thought I'd jet set for my career and I now I absolutely hate travelling for work!

OP posts:

balonzz · 23/07/2019 08:59

As a child, I imagined that I would stay at home all day, just like my mum did. My mum used to look down on women who went to work, as I think she thought it meant that their husbands weren't able to earn enough single-handedly to keep them.
I didn't see myself as working, at all, although I always saw myself as becoming a mother. I foolishly believed that I would marry and be looked after by my husband.
I was older than I like to admit before I realised that it is a good thing to go to work and have one's own money and independence.

DisgraceToTheYChromosome · 23/07/2019 09:04

I wanted to be a rotund twinkly old gentleman. This has taken about 50 years, but I've managed it. Apart from the gentlemanly bit, and acting my age, and losing a shitload of weight for DGS...but definitely twinkling.

muddyboots · 23/07/2019 09:49

I thought I would be sensible. I thought I wouldn't get excited about things like jumping in lakes, eating big ice creams and popping the foil on top of coffee jars.

I thought I wouldn't laugh to myself or find humour in alliteration and word play or in some people's names. I don't know why, because my mum is pretty silly and laughs a lot.

I was also told that childhood was the 'best years of your life' so I'm relieved to discover that adulthood is actually much better.

isabellerossignol · 23/07/2019 09:55

I thought I'd travel loads, live somewhere exciting and that if I worked hard I would automatically earn plenty of money.

I didn't realise that you can't travel without money to pay for it, and that you can work very hard, but you can't force someone to employ you, so you don't get to control your earnings, the market does.

Original poster

bettydaviseyes1 · 23/07/2019 10:08

@muddyboots

I like you :)
I never noticed my love of popping the foil on coffee! Ive always enjoyed it but sometimes it's nice to really notice when you enjoy things.
Totally thought I'd be sensible too and not give the dog a fake voice, call fajitas "fanny-jitas" or dance around the kitchen.

OP posts:

newmomof1 · 23/07/2019 10:25

I thought I'd be super stylish with perfect hair and make up...

I just wear jeans and T-shirt's with a messy mom bun and bags under my eyes😂

PetrichorRain · 23/07/2019 10:26

@bettydaviseyes1

I actually do! Well, I take my glasses off and put them on the bedside table but next to an ikea lamp, not as glamorous!

I also thought I'd have two Irish Wolfhounds but DH doesn't like dogs so we have two cats. I grew up with dogs but to be honest I don't miss them much, cats are far less hassle.

cranstonmanor · 23/07/2019 10:50

I thought being an adult would be easy because you can make your own decisions. I spent many weekends my twenties taking care of exMIL dying from cancer, then my mum dying from cancer. I didn't have much money due to a low paid job. Then ex dumped me and I scraped enough money to buy a little flat but I was really poor (as in hole in the shoe and cant go to the dentist kind of poor). Then things got better when I met DH but we struggle with infertility. And now my dad is sick. I've also been through a few traumatic events (as in surviving an attempted murder by a psychotic family member).

I find my life so difficult emotionally speaking.

Original poster

bettydaviseyes1 · 23/07/2019 11:35

@cranstonar

One of those things on their own would be incredibly difficult and you've dealt with/are dealing with them all, take care of yourself x

OP posts:

KipperTheFrog · 23/07/2019 11:47

I thought I’d know everything, and feel grown up. I don’t, I have no clue about life still. I’m married, own our house, have 2 kids but I’m still waiting for someone to come along and take it all away because I’m not grown up enough yet!
I also thought I’d have friends, and not still be the lonely kid who no one likes.
I’m not as depressed as I sound, honest!

ContactLight · 23/07/2019 11:54

I thought that as soon as you became an adult you had to be sensible all the time. Showing my age a bit now, but that men went to work and women stayed at home and cleaned and did housework all the time. That you would never be able to treat yourself to something nice just because you liked it or you wanted to, because it was expensive and you had to save money. Your husband would give you a set amount for housekeeping and that was that.

I wasn't looking forward to growing up all that much, to be honest!

DNAwrangler · 23/07/2019 12:25

For some reason I thought I'd wear white trousers covered in red roses. Aimed high

Knittedfairies · 23/07/2019 12:29

I thought we'd all sit round a table for breakfast, with milk in a jug and a butter dish - all matching crockery. And the marmalade would be in a container with a special spoon.

Original poster

bettydaviseyes1 · 23/07/2019 12:30

@dnaqrangler Haha that's so random! I like it! Did you see the trousers in a film or read about in a book? Pretty sure most of my ideas come from old 90s thrillers

OP posts:

Atlasta · 23/07/2019 12:45

Hardworking husband, a great career I love, big town house in the suburbs decorated with amazing art and books, lots of disposible income, 2 beautiful children and a dog.
Life would be a whirl of work, DC and lunches and expensive shopping trips with friends.

Nyctophilia · 23/07/2019 13:20

Mine is pretty much the same, early bed and a good spanking 😈

Zaphodsotherhead · 23/07/2019 13:28

I thought I'd have all the pets that my houseproud mum wouldn't let me have when I was a child. And a horse.

When the children lived at home, we had all the pets they ever wanted - my only stipulation was that it had to be an animal I was happy to take care of (so no spiders). We also had a horse.

And it was FAB! If I didn't have to work two jobs now, I'd have more pets again. And another horse.

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