To ask what's a small joy of being an adult you didn't expect?

[pandarific]

Not at all to dismiss the hard times being had by people on the companion thread, but so we all don't end up with Monday-itis... what are some small joys you have discovered come with being an adult?

Some of mine are:

• We have a tea cupboard. It is a little skinny cupboard not much good for anything else and houses all teas, coffees, cocoa making things etc. It is organised not by category but by frequency of use, and it gives me a little burst of pleasure every time I open it.
• I worked out why our washer dryer was shrinking and felting everything in sight BY MYSELF, with the manual, determination, and extended experimentation. I was so overjoyed I told our mutual friend who looked at me like ... but I do a lot of laundry.
• Having pets. The picture attached was the morning after an eye watering emergency vet bill... FFS. But look at his little face!
• Haggling - and the satisfaction of a good deal well done. Channelling Del Boy gives me immense joy, especially when the other party is a fellow Del Boy and you can have a bit of fun with it.
• The slow realisation that I can actually make my own decisions without anyone my mother needing to approve. And that I don't need to be a Nice Girl all the time.

I can eat sweets whenever I want! I’m 37 and the novelty is yet to wear off 😋

Oh, creating a home that’s my idea of heaven, a cocoon for me and my family. Having the freedom to indulge, whether it is a big slice of cake or a fancy coffee machine. Feeling able to be myself and make my own choices.
Having cats too and letting them go upstairs and lay on the bed.

Never imagined how much less I would worry about my appearance as I aged, I thought I’d agonise over ever wrinkle & grey hair. Turns out, I don’t really give a shit!

I also never though I’d enjoy a utility room as much as I do, but honestly it’s my favourite room in the house

In no particular order:

1. earning my own money
2. bath bombs
3. watching TV in bed
4. strawberry blancmange
5. my Labradoodle - no pets rule growing up so this is the best. X

I could do this all day, my list is long and distinguished

I agree with so many of these!
But also -
Playing a computer game for the whole day just for the hell of it.
Cleaning my house to my okayish standard, not my mums show home sparkle standard. I have two children, it's never going to be perfect and I'm fine with that.
Not having to justify every little thing I do because what would people think!!
Not giving a stuff about the aforesaid people.
Never having to eat dried out "smoked" haddock pieces that were grilled till they were like shoe leather and being told to eat the ends as they were the "best bit" despite being mostly bones. I had a reputation as a fussy eater as a child and I have since discovered that a lot of it was just my mums lazy cooking. I also discovered at university that I'm a super taster, which probably didn't help. I'll eat almost anything now, with the exception of blue cheese and grilled bright yellow haddock. Yeuch.
I do wonder what my own children will say when asked this question as adults!

telling my family member to piss off when he treated me a certain way.i was no longer a little shit he could control and bully...although he still does kind of :(

Being able to express an opinion without being sneered at.
Having an opinion that differed from Her.
Freedom from violence.

the wonders of a snuggle and a cuppa when you really bloody need it and it actually making you feel better.

Crispyturtle can I borrow some of that thinking please !

I love seeing the fridge full on shopping day.
Ridiculous but I love feeling that I’ve done that - not just the shopping and unloading which in itself is an achievement, but I’ve earned the money that’s providing for my family.

Have only skim read thread. But my small joy was finally reading some of the English and History set texts that I'd HAD to study at school and then university, this time knowing that I wouldn't have to write an essay and then do an examination about them. Jane Austen is actually really good, and Economic and Social History is far more interesting when you're not desperately cramming at 3 a.m.

Yes, Yes and thrice yes to pet owning

Make that 10x - being able to just go and get myself a puppy whenever I feel like it (theoretically Mr Schaden has an imputes, but in practical terms this extends only to driving me home with the li'l rascal cuddled up on my lap . . .

Not having to eat parsnips.

Being able to wear what I want.

Being able to watch stuff on the telly without my dad saying "This is shite" all the way through it.

Not having to look after a houseful of kids while parents are out (for some years I had to look after a houseful of my own kids - somehow it wasn't so bad as having my 3 sibs and another 5/6 of the neighbours' brats.)

I love this thread! I am mainly utterly miserable and can't do a lot of the things people are talking about on this thread due to lack of money and mental health problems, but it's made me realise there are some good things: I spend my days getting paid for teaching my passion (drama) and I don't give a shit what I look like or what the cool kids think of me.

Everything I never wanted to grow up so adulting still supprises me! The scent boosters for the laundry are a fave there is nothing better than getting dressed and thinking this smells amazing! Also the fact that it’s still socially acceptable to play video games and they keep rebooting my favourites from childhood I’m easily pleased

My house, yes we rent but it is so beautiful and I'm making it into a little haven. It's my safe space- I moved around a lot, and didn't have my own bedroom/ space from 12 onwards.
Netflix, oh it's so good!
Going food shopping/ choosing meals- if I decide at 4pm that actually I want macaroni cheese for dinner, I can do it!
Driving! Didn't learn to drive til I was 27, now I feel like a proper adult.
Lovely clean washing whenever I want.
Shelves and shelves of wonderful books.

Last year I bought a very expensive handbag with money that I worked hard to earn. I had wanted one for ten years and having it in my hand was glorious

Having chocolate or cake for breakfast

Buying what I want at the supermarket

Growing my nails long

Watching what I want on TV without everyone else commenting

Pets

Never having to eat badly cooked food

Not having to scrub the bath after it’s drained each time

I can eat anything I want when I want without having to ask, and no one cares if I put peanut butter cups in the microwave before pouring them on my ice cream (which drove my mother up the wall as she couldn't cope with the the peanut butter/ice cream combo.)

Sometimes being able to stay in all day, and not even get dressed, just stay in PJs all day long - my DM used to hate this and would go mad if not dressed by afternoon.

Being able to leave the pots in the sink for more than a half hour before washing them.

Not having to give the house a full clean every day as soon as I get home - I do generally tidy up each day but then give it a full clean at weekends.

Basically my small joys of adulthood are me being able to be much more lazy than was allowed when I was growing up

Def no school PE. I avoid all team sports, even being asked to participate in a works tournament is a trigger. I’d rather watch thank you.

Never ever having to revise for an exam ever again. Or sit squirming beetroot in the face as my chemistry teacher took pleasure in humiliating me in front of the class because he knew I didn't know the answer.
Having an evening out and coming home when I please.
Buying chocolate by the sackful and knowing I can eat it all whenever I like.

I am allowed to have cake for breakfast if I want!

Seriously though OP, what was the tumble issue??

More a joy of having my own house than specifically being an adult but being able to turn the heating on when I want.

Oh and pizza in bed.

Being able have whatever you want for your tea. I'd hate coming home from school and asking the 'What's for tea?' question and being told something I really didn't want (fishpie) but had too.

I hated PE with a passion especially hurdles! Best thing about being an adult is knowing I can jump in my car, drive to mini Tesco’s and buy as much chocolate as I want. And eat it all!