What's your life stage at 40.

[Oreyt]

It's a mad age really I think. Some could have a 22 year old. Some might have a newborn. Some are happy childless. Some could still be trying.

I'm 40 with a 12 and 14 year old.
Married 10 years. Together 18.
Never had a career.

I can’t believe how many posters have adult children at 40. I don’t think I know anyone who has a baby before 30/33

I was about to post the exact same thing @mirrorxxx .
Really shocked at how many of you have teenagers or adult kids in their twenties. Makes me feel extremely old to think I could technically have a 22 year old.

Wouldn't it be more strange if people all had the same life stages at the same time as each other? If everyone in the country, in the world all had kids at 30 - 33? To have got to that age and only experienced and understood what my group of associates did?

Child free, with husband for 20 years, good job, mortgage nearly paid off, very happy.

At 40 (a few years away for me yet!) but I will have an 11 year old and 8 year old, will have been married 14 years and together 24 years!

Please think about linking your laser focus on career and chronic illness. So many people do not realise that these two are absolutely related.

Married for 15 years. Two kids 12 and 9. Working part time.

I'm 42- at 40 I had a 3 year old, job in care and single.
I've got friends the same age as me with grandchildren.

i have a 22 year old and a new born 🙈 I did have a bit of a meltdown in the first week wondering what the hell I've done. I have a job but what is the difference between a job and a "career"

@Blueberrymuffin8 Well, I've my chronic illness since I was 16 so I'm pretty sure there's not a link to my career (other than the fact that my career means I can pay for private treatment for it...)

Life is incomparable. No one ever has it 'easier' than another. It's illusiory.

Age 45. Married with a teenager. Work as a part time editor. Pretty happy with my lot. Wish I’d done better in my career but hey ho.

That’s a nice sentiment but clearly not true. I absolutely have it easier than a homeless person, for example.

I’m 43 and have a 13 year old and 8 year old and been married 16 years. I agree there are big variations in the 40s amongst my friends and family some people still at the toddler stage, some at the grown up kids stage but most are somewhere in between.

Respectfully, that’s bollocks.

At 40 I had my own little home, a 13yo dd and a new job I had wanted for ages.

Still single though.

41, married 15 years, dd13 and ddog. Have reached peak of my career (3 degrees including a doctorate) and no more career ambitions. Work TTO. Luckily mortgage free due to moving out of SE. Parents still young (mid 60's). Happy, content and grateful with my lot.

41 with 17 and 14 year old DC.

Been with DH for 23.5 years, married for 14.5.

Hoping to retire in about 10 years 🤣😂.

I'm 40.

I just moved to Spain by myself and I started a new job.

I have an adult dc 20, 12, 7,4

Tretinoin, it's incredible! It's proscription strength retinol and you can get it via dermatica.co.uk or skin&me. Been using 3 years and get asked alot about my skin and what I use

@Powderblue1 Did you have a purge stage at the beginning? I love what it's doing for my already clear skin - definitely improving glow and tackling fine lines- but I've always had hormonal acne on my chin and it's got worse not better so far

I didn't no but I don't get very many spots but I do know it's very normal for this to happen. There after some great tretinoin support groups on Facebook if you're on there where you can ask questions and search for what others have said which might help put you at ease.

@Mearabade

Why is everything in your opening post about children?

I see where you're coming from. I guess in my life children are the most important. It wasn't on purpose.

Sorry didn't mean to leave anyone out.

@Mearabade

She made it the main point of her post. It just seems a bit sad and redundant to define how a womans life is at the age of 40

It may be sad but that's all I've got.