to think that 35 is not middle-aged

[vic77en]

My colleague yesterday referred to someone as middle-aged. When I said they weren't middle aged, were maybe early-mid thirties, he said that 35 was middle-aged.

I guess technically it's half of the "3 score years and 10" but FFS life expectancy for a woman is 80-something, no?

I am 34 and do not feel ready to be middle-aged for at least another 10 years.

So when do you think "middle-age" starts?

Some people are born old farts. Some people remain infantile twats. Most of us spend most of our lives mooching about in the middle.

I am 36 and am certainly not middle aged - I can't be I am still treated as a child by my mother

I certainly don't think mid thirties is middle-aged but I think the real problem is that all the positive connotations go with youth, so being middle-aged is seen as a negative to be resisted.

I am 43 and although I accept that I probably am now middle-aged I hate the idea of it. But why? I am far happier now than I ever was when I was in my twenties. It's the youth culture and the fact that older people (ie anyone who isn't young) are seen as being left behind in some way.

It's sort of sad though, all these posts frantically denying the evidence of age. We don't live forever, at some point, although we'll never know exactly when, we'll be entering the second half. Why give it a name? Ignore anyone who feels the need to worry about it and be glad you're alive and healthy.

Death is irrelevant in this debate really - one of my friends was middle aged at 13, had he but known -and I'm glad he didn't. Another little friend hit her middle age at 6 months. Get busy living and forget the age thing.

Thirty five? Thirty fucking five

Middle aged is fifty and not a moment before.

Agee with ivykate, 35-45 = middle aged. I am 38 so I think I am qualified to say so.

I agree with an earlier poster and just think we might need a new name for this time in women's (and men's) lives.

That's if we really need to always be thinking about how old someone is.

• Really gets me that the local paper has to put everyone's age into every article, no matter how irrelevant - especially when they're writing about a woman. The problem is older women do seem to be rather written off and invisible in our society. The older I become, the more of a feminist I'm becoming too !

I'm pretty comfortable about my age, where I am in life, what I've done so far etc.

I can see that with my eldest now at secondary school I'm beginning to enter a new part of my life, just as I did when my two DC's were born. Lots of things to look forward to though with them in the next few years. eg. planning a trip to Paris with my daughter to visit the art galleries and see all the impressionists.
Looking forward to seeing what young people they become, and sharing a little in all their adventures and friendships.
Of course hoping there will be more adventures and new friendships for me too in the coming years !

C'est la vie !

But I'm not calling it middle-age myself. As someone said it's what you call someone else, probably ten years older than you !

10 years older than whatever age you are at the time.

I'm 41, peri-menopausal, arthritic and quite happy to identify as middle aged, even if I do have small children. I might be a little creaky in body, but I'm probably the most settled, psychologically, that I've ever been.

Middle aged is when you can go on holiday outside school holidays, Given most people I know had there youngest DC's by 35 that means youngest DC is 18 in their early 50's Sounds about right to me.

(Of course it means DFIL wasn't middle aged until he was over 70, his arthritis finally caught up with in at about 83 - before that he still strided out every bit as fast as me . By this theory DMIL reached middle age at 59, She never left it, she died suddenly on holiday aged 75 still fitter than I'll ever be!)

i've always thought of middle age from 50+ and old age from 70+ although you still get very youthful 70 year olds who you probably wouldn't class as elderly.

YA sooooo NBU!!!

Dh and I constantly argue about what constitutes middle aged. He's older than me (47) and he thinks he's middle aged but I refuse to have a middle aged husband so I think he's young!

I see our parents as middle aged and they're in their 70s! But because they're quite fit and active I just don't see them as old. I think 'old' as being 80+ !!

Middle aged is ten years older than I am and always will be.

you're not a youth at 35 though are you

I would say 35 is the start of middle age, definitely

no!!! it most definitely is not
i odn't intend to be middle aged until i am over 50!

Agree with Annapolly!

I'm 46 and my bones creak and ache, however I am not middle aged, and don't intend to be until I am 60. Do you hear me? 60. Thank you and in Elvis mode, Goodnight.

I am 46 next and do not consider myself middle aged at all.

I guess I'm heading towards middle aged now at 46

No it isn't! 35 is young-I hadn't even had my DCs by then.
(of course it is when people persist in calling someone of 64yrs elderly!!)

UQD, I normally like your posts. But that Geographical Misogyny Bollocks is horrible.

Fuck that.

Well, I'm 35 and currently planning a trip to 'Ibeeefa' to go disco dancing for a few days....so I don't reckon I'm middle aged. That said, perhaps only middle aged people call it 'disco dancing' these days.

I think probably menopause stops you kidding yourself.
I actually like being middle aged (I'm 59 btw). Maybe having had a child in my 40s helps as I can tell myself I am young middle-aged.

46?

UQD, yeah big puke at your post, sorry. Do men not age? Is ageing something which only affects women? Some grey-haired, balding, fat fifty year old probably wrote that shite oblivious to the fact that he was Russia, maybe Siberia himself.