Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

When you were young..

96 replies

Bingiswhiney · 15/02/2021 20:20

What did you expect your life to be like when you ‘Grew up?’
Has it surpassed your expectations or let you down?

OP posts:
Camomila · 15/02/2021 20:27

I thought I was going to have a husband, DC, an interesting career and live in one of the nice big Victorian houses near the park.

I have a husband, DC, a standard job and live in the nice bit of town but in a rented flat. I'm fairly happy and am working on the career and house.

StoneofDestiny · 15/02/2021 20:31

Wanted a nice house, nice area - don't remember thinking much beyond that as a child.
Got that and more - so I guess exceeded expectations.

Daisy829 · 15/02/2021 20:31

I thought I would have traveled more. It’s my one regret but I’m early 40s so hopefully still time.

Serin · 15/02/2021 20:33

I really didnt have high hopes for myself as I grew up in a grim town, on a cime ridden council estate. Had an abusive and alcoholic father.
I decided while I was still at primary schoool that the way out was to be 'clever', so I worked hard at school and eventually got myself to university.
I married a man as different to my Dad as it is possible to be, educated, gentle, compassionate. Life, post 18, has been very good to me.

Laiste · 15/02/2021 20:33

To do with growing up - I can clearly remember being about 11/12 (in the 80s) and working out how old i'd be when the year 2000 came.

I turned to my friend and said god i'll be so old by the year 2000 - honestly i hope i'm DEAD actually ...

Idiotic me Grin

CherryRoulade · 15/02/2021 20:37

Depends what you call young. As a teenager/ child I just knew I wanted to escape poverty and low aspirations. Volunteering as a teenager opened new horizons and I wanted everything, in a youthful idealistic way.
I got most of that perfection, but I didn’t change the world in a big way. I wanted a comfortable life, a secure family basis for my children, a good husband who provided well for his family. I wanted to travel and have fun.
I wanted to end world poverty but didn’t manage that on a big scale. I did do a year in a refugee camp during Ethiopian famine, which helped me understand I couldn’t solve all the world’s problems.

Time has helped me see it’s never too late. Even approaching retirement you can make a difference to our world.

PenCreed · 15/02/2021 20:42

I thought I was going to marry a farmer and live somewhere with horses when I was about 12.

I live in London. DH is very much not a farmer. I am happy with my life, and pony books were a bad influence.

lljkk · 15/02/2021 21:05

I expected to be homeless & mentally ill.
Things worked out a lot better than that.

thecatfromjapan · 15/02/2021 21:08

I've said this before on MN: I desperately wanted to be the Commander of a spaceship.

I'm scared of heights, not very adventurous, my maths is not great, and I don't even much like driving a car ... and interstellar space flight is some way off.

🤷‍♀️

MabelMM · 15/02/2021 21:08

I can’t remember what I wanted to be when I was younger. Lucky to have a successful career that’s well paid and a beautiful home. DH and I have lovely happy DC, which I never imagined (as I was never broody even in my late 30’s). We’ve been fortunate in terms of material success. We met at university, so it’s been a long time. However, with hindsight, I married the wrong guy. We get on ok. I’m fond of him, but don’t love him and there’s zero chemistry. I do wonder what it would be like to have married a true love

thelegohooverer · 15/02/2021 22:18

I thought I’d be commuting to the moon in a flying car. So on the whole it’s been a disappointment.

When I think about explaining mobile phones and the internet to my 6 year old self I have to admit that it’s actually quite impressive.

AbsentmindedWoman · 15/02/2021 22:28

@thecatfromjapan

I've said this before on MN: I desperately wanted to be the Commander of a spaceship.

I'm scared of heights, not very adventurous, my maths is not great, and I don't even much like driving a car ... and interstellar space flight is some way off.

🤷‍♀️

This made me Grin

I, very naively, expected that I would fall into an amazing career. Unfortunately had zero idea of the concrete steps needed to get there, so here I am still figuring it all out!

yarncakes · 15/02/2021 22:30

I was expecting to go university to study nursing and live in a house of my own, no husband and no children. Peace and quiet. Ended up going uni to do a micky mouse degree as I wasnt intelligent enough for nursing as my memory and maths are awful.

Here I am, married with DS (who is my world of course), working in a dead end job which I enjoy to an extent.

AIMD · 15/02/2021 22:34

I thought I’d have a nice semi detached house in a middle class area. I don’t Smile but then she. I was little I never understood why people didn’t just save up for a big house!

fairycakes1234 · 16/02/2021 11:04

i wanted a lovely husband and 4 children, live in a lovely house and be a nurse, i got the 4 children :)

RonObvious · 16/02/2021 11:07

@Laiste

To do with growing up - I can clearly remember being about 11/12 (in the 80s) and working out how old i'd be when the year 2000 came.

I turned to my friend and said god i'll be so old by the year 2000 - honestly i hope i'm DEAD actually ...

Idiotic me Grin

I can clearly remember an exercise in primary school when we worked out how old we would be at the turn of the millenium. I was so disappointed that I would be 19, and therefore too old to enjoy it! Grin
MyLittleOrangutan · 16/02/2021 11:08

I thought I'd work in an animal sanctuary in Africa saving wild animals and such. Not such an easy career to get into actually!
My life is good, very normal, I never expected to meet a man as awesome as my DH.

LaceyBetty · 16/02/2021 11:12

I didn't realise work was going to be so boring. I thought it would be much more fulfilling. My parents had jobs in a semi-artistic field and seemed to enjoy it most days. I am in a professional field and can't believe I actually get through it most days (slightly dramatic, I know, but true!). Otherwise, I now have a husband, two kids, a cat and a small house. I pictured and wanted this and worked to make it happen (and got lucky too).

katscamel · 16/02/2021 17:53

I wanted a job that involved travelling.... pilot/interpreter/air force... Out of them being an interpreter was only slightly realistic and could have happened if I'd actually done some work at school. I probably presumed I'd be married...though children were never really considered.
Did it happen.... in a way...I have been in the same job for that 20 years working in many different countries. That though is it. My language skills are appalling, I have forgotten so much of the languages I once knew and my retention of new languages is v.bad, I have an ex husband...and never really had the desire for children.

OscarWildesCat · 16/02/2021 17:59

I wanted a job I loved, a huge house and a rich husband, I have none of those things but I’m happy enough!

Runforthehills82 · 16/02/2021 18:20

I wanted to be successful and wealthy and marry a handsome and successful man.
I’m not successful in a career as I gave up my attempt at a career to follow my DH and latterly to be at home for my DS who has learning disabilities and anxiety.
However, I regret nothing.
My DH is a good man and he is successful in his career, we are financially better off than most and being able to be there for my DS is something I’m hugely grateful for.

Fatladyslim · 16/02/2021 18:30

I always thought I would own a cafe, I don't have a job anything like this but do still sit and imagine what my cafe would be like, who would go, what the menu would be.

I work in the pharma industry, it couldn't be further away from cafe owner 😂

Subeccoo · 16/02/2021 18:35

I wanted to be a lawyer like my dad, live in a big house with my friends, visit NYC and never be old enough to go to a country pub like my parents did.
I got pregnant really young, so the next 15 years after that I was really poor and unhappy, but now my youngest is 15, eldest 23 I've studied, made good relationship choices and travelled to NYC twice so far Smile
I've never left my hometown though, that's next on the list when I can.
Oh and I BLOODY LOVE country pubs, like seriously, walking in the country then a coffee or a pint depending on who's driving is one of my favourite things ever!

JerichoGirl · 16/02/2021 18:36

I wanted to live by myself and read the news on the radio. I worked in radio early in my career and I have almost achieved the living alone component.

user1471538283 · 16/02/2021 19:24

I wanted a very successful career, a decent man and a child. My career is going okay but it's been hard work and my DS is a joy.

I am grateful for it all but I really wish I had been financially alot more successful than I am. Just because it gives you options and makes you braver. I always wanted to be independently wealthy. I've got the independent thing done!