To find the phrase ‘they’re only young once’ very irritating?

[Twistsandturns]

Usually said by mother’s who choose not to work or to work very little. Never heard it said to a man. I work full time. We don’t have a lot of time during the week but we have lovely weekends together. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on their childhood

I hate this phrase not specifically because it's used to make me feel like I should feel guilty for working - though I do indeed get plenty of that - but because it's used as a sort of meaningless platitude to say 'never complain'. It isn't actually very helpful to tell someone who is going mad with sleep deprivation that they'll 'miss the cuddles soon!' or whatever. I also find it weird that people tell parents or tiny children not to complain about any of it because it goes so fast, but no one would say if you'd done a job you hated for, say, three years, or if you'd had three years of chronic insomnia 'ah, it's the blink of an eye', would they?

I always thought of it more as a live in the moment kind of life advice. I don't see it as a criticism just an observation

@NoFruitTea I had the opposite experience! My mum was around a lot and I used to escape to my friend’s house as both her parents worked long hours so we got the house to ourselves, it was brilliant! No being nagged to eat healthily or do our homework.

We both have very good relationships with our mums now FWIW!