To tell people that my twins are five?

[lukasiak]

Even though they technically don't turn five until November?

Dh is in a right hump about it. He thinks by me telling everybody that they are already five that it makes people place age inappropriate expectations on them. I think it's all just semantics, and those who actually need to know their real age know it. It's a bad habit I picked up from my mother, and my older children have survived me rounding their age up once their birthdays drew close with out being labelled as having additional needs, as seems to be DH's primary concern.

Is it really that big of a deal?

You could say they are in their fifth year.
Or their aggregate is almost nine.
Or, I always round up, so five.
Or, I always round up in tens so they are both ten.
Or, give their age in months, (53) people seem to do that when an infant is one and half (years that is, not metres)

You are being odd. They are four not five . It’s the number of birthdays / complete years that they have been born.

Did you round up when they were babies (under 1)?

My mum has always done this. Once your birthday is passed you are the next age.

e.g. after my 40th birthday, I became 41.

Her point is that you are in your 41st year so it's close enough.

I cannot honestly say it has made the slightest bit of difference to my life. A total non issue.

I don’t agree with OPs parenting decisions but fair play on her for still having a sense of humour despite being absolutely piled on on this thread.

‘In my head’ I’m still 21 and a size 6.

Doesn’t make it true.

You're wishing your kids' lives away.

Childhoods already pass too quickly as it is.

This isn't the mumsnet way. Shouldn't you be putting them in buggies and trying to pass them off as toddlers to get them into theme parks for free?

I’m pissing myself laughing about the concept of an innocent passerby peeking in the pram at tiny 4 month old twins and asking her how old they are and her replying “They are one”.

And her manically dragging 10 month olds round the ice on gliders saying “LOOK THEY CAN SKATE BEFORE THEY CAN WALK!!!!!”

Absolutely batshit.

Weird. DD is 4 in November but if anyone asks she is either 3 and a half or just 3.

I did have her at 3 and a half when she wasnt as I mixed up the months. But that was my mistake. I didnt just randomly say she was 4.

I’m with you OP, whole family has always been “X age coming” We LOVE a birthday in our house

It is a strange thing to do, and you will like it when they try the same tactic at 15 and a half.

your husband is right, people will make assumptions about their behavior based on the age you say they are. won't matter most of the time, but someone could go off on them for acting their actual age. My son has always been at the very top of the height range for his age, and we have regularly had to point out he isn't as old as he looks and that's why he (insert something normal for his age, but less normal for a child a year or two older).

I've known people who do this. It's really weird. As their children have got older they've developed some peculiar sense of 'superiority' about being older than they actually are. So one who was a couple of months younger than my child but kept boasting about how they were older, like it really mattered. Then there's the confusion on birthdays. "Happy birthday! So you're 7 now!" "No, today's my sixth birthday!" "But I thought you were already six?!" Absolutely bat shit. Even the week before my child's birthday I say they're 'x years old, y next week'. Because it's accurate.

Yeah, it's going to be fun when OP's 17 year-olds demand to be served in a pub. 'But we're 18!', 'But our Mum says we're 18!', 'But in our Mum's head we're 18!'.

World in your head - 0
Objective reality - 1

@AwkwardMoment2020

I’m pissing myself laughing about the concept of an innocent passerby peeking in the pram at tiny 4 month old twins and asking her how old they are and her replying “They are one”.

And her manically dragging 10 month olds round the ice on gliders saying “LOOK THEY CAN SKATE BEFORE THEY CAN WALK!!!!!”

Absolutely batshit.

Tbf, it's not too far from the truth. Kinda suprised one of their first words weren't 'bend your knees' considering how often they heard it.

it makes people place age inappropriate expectations on them.

I did find people did that as apparently my children were tall and were good early talkers. Wasn't a common problem but was occasionally there.

So can understand the worry there but if it's not something your experiencing - well it's odd behavior but can't see any other issues.

Poeple can just be plain odd though.

DS and another boy year older had a tussle over a toy at summer event at children's center - knew other boy was older but it didn't matter and in my mind it was more relevant DS has the toy first.

A ten year old got involved before I got there and went for DS verbally and threatening physically so DS ran to meet me - I stepped in very quickly and all sorted it. 10 year old mother shrugged - made some comment and I said well DS will be starting school in September though he still hadn't turned 4 yet.

There was this sudden silence - and she then laid into her 10 year old - dragged him over to apologise and had him in tears all because DS was 3 and not older than the other 4 year old boy or the 5 years they'd assumed. Oddest situation ever.

Do you celebrate christmas in July?

Crazy

My mum used to do this and it infuriated me. Although not months in advance.

Just say they’re nearly 5. It’s only one word more, and at that age it really changes things - if they’re five now they’re already in school. If they’re five in September then they start school in September.

I think OP has confused brightness and capability, at a particular age, with being at a more advanced developmental stage. She wants to show off that her children are advanced, so she advances their age.

It's like people pretending to fit into a smaller dress size than they do.

Of course a clever person plays it the other way. They know that what people see for themselves, is far more powerful than what the numbers tell them to think. They wear a 20 and look fab, rather than squeeze themselves into an 18, talk about the label but look overweight. Likewise, OP could have a really impressive pair of 3 year-olds there!

As soon as Ds's February birthday passes, Dd gets a year slapped on her age too, even though her birthday isn't until October.
There is literally no logic to this. Surely you must know why you do it?
Maybe just stop doing it...

I remember taking my daughter to my mum's when she was in her 5th week on earth lol!!

My niece was there with her a boyfriend. I think it was Friday afternoon. Her boyfriend said how old is she. I said she's 5 weeks old. My mum said well she is 6 weeks old. I responded with well yeah Sunday or whatever I said. But she said it like I was trying to make our she was younger than she was lol. I don't know why we must round up.

But then again it's even worse when people get beyond 18 months and carry on in months.

I remember my friends two year old having really long hair. She was really clever. Also really full on and was going through a I won't share stage. She had thumped my baby that afternoon and my friend said something along the lines of she's only 26 months in one of our conversations. I thought for feck sake just say she's 2 lol.

Good luck explaining to the bouncer outside a nightclub that “but my brother’s had his birthday so I’m 18 already as far as my mum is concerned.”

Your husband is right.

Totally bizarre! Just say their age.

See I would argue thats entirely different because it wasn't his own mother saying he was older and it was presumably only on his actual birthday. These children hear it constantly from their own mother every time someone asks their age.
No, he was usually assumed to be the same age as most children in his year. There were other younger ones but they seemed younger while he fit in well with children a bit older. I'd do it myself in my head but not actually say he was older.