Things I simply don't understand- "proud to be married"

[TheNameIsDickDarlington]

I've seen this statement on a thread today which has prompted this thread.

There are many elements of life that I don't seem to understand. I don't do it on purpose or to be rude but there's some things I've come across in life that I simply don't understand. One of these things is people saying they are "proud to be married" maybe I'm not understanding what is meant by the pride in the statement but to me I just can't understand what's to be proud of? If I got a PHD I'd proud be pretty proud of myself, or climbed everest, or wrote a novel... but I just can't seem to derive any pride from a marriage. Am I getting it all wrong?

Other things I don't understand are:
-Adults "meeting" Disney characters at the Disney theme parks. Because you know its just someone in a suit being paid to wave at you and possibly wee themselves. I got or a bit more when they roamed the parks as it was like you'd spotted them so I guess it was like a game. When I went a few years ago you had to queue up, sometimes for hours, to see them. Why?

• worrying what strangers will think of... pretty much anything (something my mother seems to concern herself with a lot). Why does it matter if someone you don't know thinks, inside their own brain, something about you... you'll never even know?

So AIBU to not "get" these things? Also I'd be interested if there's any other things like this that just baffle some people, what are yours?

You’re probably just a bit unimaginative.

I don't understand when people say they are ashamed to be a single mum. Or when "I grew up in a broken home, I don't want that for my child". If you had a crap childhood, you had a crap childhood. People have them with or without their parents splitting up. And you always want better for your kids. You can choose to give your children better lives than you had. I truly think it shows a lack of critical thinking. Yes, your parents divorce might have been a catalyst for worse things (poverty, poor mental health, moving etc) but you can mitigate the impact of those things as you will have learnt from your loved experience.

OK. Clearly it’s all going above my head and is a joke that I don’t get. People finding faux naivety funny maybe?

*Do you struggle in general with 'playing along'?

Like would you go and watch Wicked and not be able to suspend your disbelief that it's a witch on stage?*

But when you watch a play you know its a story, it's not supposed to be real.

I don't think I struggle to "play along" because I find that most of my life is spent playing along with things that I don't really understand. Maybe that's where my confusion comes from which parts am I expected to play along with?

Perhaps as suggested upthread I am just stupid, maybe as I mentioned it has something to do with being neuro diverse.

People wanting bedrooms that look 'like hotel rooms'. Hotel rooms are cold and impersonal - the antithesis of homely.

Why would you want your home to not be homelPeople wanting bedrooms that look 'like hotel rooms'. Hotel rooms are cold and impersonal - the antithesis of homely.

Why would you want your home to not be homely?

Obviously because people have different tastes. What seems cold and impersonal to one person will seem calmingly minimalist to another. What seems homely to one person may seem over-busy, or messy to another. 'Homely' suggests old-fashioned and a bit chintzy to me.

Not to me. There's many non chintz ways to be homely but not hotel room style way to be homely!

I'm neurodiverse.

As are many of my friends. (Autism/ADHD)

The majority of my friends love Disney/theatre/Lego etc.

I often feel that the people who tut and roll their eyes the most at adults finding joy in 'childish' things aren't being genuine - they're trying to look cultured/professional.

Maybe I'm totally wrong though. For me I love some escapism and the clue why is in the name.

I don't understand the school run thing.

The playground is where your child make friends. You don't need mummy friends. Get a hobby or a job if you want friends.

Tbf, at lower primary the kids can't socialise without parental assistance. Dd was upset today because she's not invited to one of her best friend's parties, despite birthday girl saying she wanted to invite her. Other best friend not invited either. It's the mum's friend's kids that are going...

Just allow people to be proud of things that are important to them, it's no big deal.

@OctoblocksAssemble

My kids did fine at primary. We invited the whole class to parties in P1 and P2 and then they got invited back.

I work so don't have time to hang around the playground. So do lots of other parents. Our kids aren't social outcasts.

@ElfIsDead I'm NT but I'm certainly not above childish things, my DP and I have never grown up anymore than necessary. We do all the adult things that need to be done but then we've adulted enough and if we want to be bloody silly we will be. There's really no virtue in taking the joy out of life even if other people don't understand.