To ask when did you realise you are old?

[MyMonsteraisDeliciosa]

My son just changed my phone settings for me so the font is big and I can read everything. I'm just turned 43 and I just felt properly old for the first time. Boo! I'm waiting for new glasses which should help but I've always had perfect vision until the last couple of years. Poor me

What was it that made you realise you are no longer a youngster? Please.help me feel less alone in my sudden dotage!

Recently, (I’m 41) when I made a comment to the young shop assistant about how being able to pay for something just by waving my watch near the card machine was like magic.... he looked at me very blankly and gave me a kind smile. No doubt we’ve been able to do that nearly as long as he can remember!

Not old as such, but older.

I looked in the mirror and realised my neck and face no longer 'match' skin wise.

Also, my hands look really shit late at night. Only late on, so I can live with it.

I'm the same age as you OP but I realised a couple years ago when I told a work colleague I used to type my school essays on a typewriter and she said she'd only ever seen one of those in a museum 🤣🤣😭

At about 44 i realised i was mid forties not early 40s. It hurt. It hit me. I was still clinging on to looking young and appearing like i was a 30 something. So for a few years i quietly did feel sad about the loss of youth. Not just not being young, but absolutely being old by any measure.

At about 47 though something else kicked in though! Acceptance?. A realisation that i am a very young older person. It's a mindshift change but one i needed

Went to a museum and saw a display of crockery ... most of which I'd used or owned.

When I saw myself in a full length mirror and raised that my new peri-menopausal shape is exactly my own mum's shape was when I was young and svelte and thinking I would never look like that.

When I had a baby. My body was ruined and I realised I’d never look nice again.

I would add the caveat that I intend to reclaim my shape to something better, my recent life demands have helped send me down this track but I don't want it to be permanent! Wish me luck.

I gave up on my stupid body years ago (massive babies in my early twenties) but I can't quite forgive my eyes for letting me down 😂

About 5 years ago I was on holiday in Cornwall and buying something for the DCs from a beach cafe. The 17 year old working there served me with a the kind of barely-veiled contempt mixed with pity that only 17 year old girls can have for middle aged women and I realised that I was one for the first time.

Sorry about the voting by the way, I would've turned it off but I didn't see the button

Definitely the knees. Or my right foot. Sometimes my lower back. Something always aches.

Varifocals. When the optician (who looked about 12) said that was what I needed - the gig was up.

When I was helping my DD with her cross stich and had to get her to put the ‘big’ light on.

When the tesco delivery guy asked if I had grandkids (really ouch as my kids were 9 and 11 at the time). But hey also reflects the area where most people are grandparents at 40.

When I realised that all those good looking actors I used to fancy look quite old now. Like Harrison Ford.
And the handsome fanciable young actors? I’m old enough to be their (young) mother now.

When my DD was doing A level history and the topics included Thatcherism and the Miners' Strike. The idea that events which I remember very clearly are considered history did give me a bit of a shock. Oh, and when my youngest child first started to be able to beat me up hills on bike rides. If that wasn't bad enough in itself, when I shouted "Slow down a bit and wait for your fat old Mum" he replied "You're not fat..."

I was in a work video call today when a colleague started talking about Simon le Bon and I had to explain who it was to a couple of junior staff.

Possibly today when on receiving the snow boots Id ordered I tried them on and thought “they look like those furry boots old grannies wear” and contemplated sending them back for about ten seconds before thinking “nah, they’re dead comfy and they’ll keep my feet warm”. The need to look ‘trendy’ has definitely left the building!

@Marley20

I'm the same age as you OP but I realised a couple years ago when I told a work colleague I used to type my school essays on a typewriter and she said she'd only ever seen one of those in a museum 🤣🤣😭

Oh my god yes! I mentioned the word "typewriter" to some young relatives and they started giggling. (just as well I didn't tell them of the pennyfarthing I used to ride!)

I have also wrinkles on my chest from a lifetime of sleeping on my side and my bosom nestling together. I'm nearly halfway to 90. 😮 I used to dance in a cool way, now a sexy shimmy just makes me look like an idiot. Guys now look through me, no second glances anymore.

I thought it was when I got varifocals, then a couple of years later when I had to start sticking them on top of my head and holding the phone up close to read the text, that’s when I knew I was really properly old!

I don't know if I can bring myself to share this!

Ok eldest DD back from uni a few years ago called in to change her outfit from day to night time clubbing gear. With her was her oldest friend from school and a young man I didn't know, who was briefly introduced to me before she shot up to her room to grab clothes, leaving me with old friend and young man.

Her mate was all OMG....It's brilliant to see you again. How are you all doing? giving me massive hugs, etc because I've known her since primary school and she's loud, bouncy and affectionate.

DD appeared downstairs, I hug her friend again, hug her and say have a good time. I turn to this boy to say it was nice to meet you and he cowers away in terror saying I don't want a hug thanks!

I restrained myself from telling him I wasn't intending to hug him but that was the point I realised I was old.

Young men flinched...and were horrified at the idea I might touch them! young men would have been very LUCKY at one time to have me touch them. clearly now I was so sad, old and hideously desperate that young people cringed away from me.

Twat! I was 43 at the time.

Oh lord I can relate to so many of these! Typewriters, Simon le Bon confusion, chest wrinkles, comfy granny boots!!
Harrison Ford though, I watched Blade Runner with the 16 year old tonight, one of my all time favourite films. I was 4 when it came out but I still think Harrison was lovely 😁 Yeah a lot of the hot actors now are too young but I'm still (just) younger than Hardy, Fassbender and Elba so I have plenty of age appropriate eye candy

@NovemberR that made me howl but it's not you, it's him being young and silly honestly