What do you wish you'd known at 16?

[wonderwhatshappening1978]

What do you wish you'd known at 16?

For me, I wish I'd been told that not every attentive man had good intentions. 😡. You?

Same op. Same.

Yep same op, it took me a long time to learn that!

I wish they taught this in school 😓

That it wasn't compulsory to have children. That getting married was completely overrated.

That having a boyfriend so young is not the be all and end all

To get on the mortgage ladder before having kids!

That being a ‘good wife’ and having a family wasn’t an essential. I now know that as women, we are sold a lie to keep us down, beneath men. We are the stronger sex, 100%, and they know it and are terrified.

That I’d be fine.

That when I got to uni (and beyond) I’d find my tribe.

Hear hear!

That I wouldn't always feel the way I did then.

That I wasn’t fat !

You don’t just pay rent, theres also council tax, utilities etc. As someone who had to be completely independent at 17 I genuinely had no idea.

How to ask for what I need and not waste time on people who didn't really care about me.

That there are other routes to success thank Uni

That so many people are such excellent liars. A lifetime later this still shocks me.

I wish I'd known at about 23-26 I would lose weight and be bloody gorgeous

That good boundaries are essential and people who don't want you to have them don't care about you.

I actually wish they taught the implications of having kids without the protection of marriage.

So many threads about women in difficult positions due to this.

About ceasing work when not married and hoe you have no rights to anything.

I also wish they taught girls only about the lack of support the CMS actually can and do provide.

That I wasn't fat, but I was an enormous drama queen and should just chill out.

That you will one day end up with the bloke you met for the first time in that rock club and fancied the pants off of ever since, but he'll turn out to be a total waste of space after about 3 months together, hence the reason he's still single at 52.

That I’d be fine. That there’s no need to take overdoses. That I could survive.

@wonderwhatshappening1978 Great thread OP!

• Trust your instincts - they’re usually right! Stop doubting that!
• That boy is NOT the love of your life. He’s fun, he’s gorgeous and he’s a heartbreaker 🤣 He’ll be in your life forever, but just as a friend thankfully!

Same OP. Saw the title and was trying to wotk out how to phrase it!

Also, that my worth isn't quantified by the attentiveness of said man

That I wasn't fat

That although not perfect 8 was worth more than I thought

Not to settle down with the first person to want to settle down with me

Not to trust anyone as eventually you get fucked over.

Pensions! They matter. Start them early, pay in extra. Mortgages can be overpaid.