"You look too young to have kids"

[HT340]

People at work are always shocked when I say I have a 6 year old DC. Yesterday I was told "You look too young to have children". Previously, colleagues have said "I can't believe it" and were more surprised to hear of my DC's age.

I'm 32, so I do find these comments quite strange.

On top of the above, I find that my co-workers continually comment on my appearance - "you always look stylish", "you always look nice/well", "You're looking chic" etc. The other day, a female colleague looked at my face and then proceeded to say that her makeup skills are rubbish, again out of nowhere.

Bare in mind, I wear very minimal makeup up at work and by no means am I a fashionista. I have a simple and modest style.

As soon as I walk into the staff room, they all look at my body which makes me feel uncomfortable. This week a male colleague (who excessively compliments me) asked me out - again making things awkward.

AIBU to feel this is all too much?

Thank you.

I usually thank them and comment on how kind they are.

I'm very conscious about complimenting colleagues on their physical appearance /what they are wearing in case they take it the wrong way or misinterpret what I say.

It's used to be normal for attractive women. Sadly nowadays it's viewed with suspicion if one receives a compliment or even worse some find it offensive.

I'm f'ing hot too - total nightmare.

-_-

I started a new job a few months ago and everyone thought I was a student. They would not believe I was nearly 30 with a toddler 😂 it must the lighting in there because I really do look haggard and old (because of said toddler!)

I absolutely feel your pain OP.
I'm 55 and constantly get told I look years younger. Only this morning I was out shopping in Dunnes and had an assistant grab my hand and walk me to the tills where she announced over the tannoy that I was lost in the store and could my mammy come and get me. Mortifying.

I have never ever been told someone’s age and said yeah thought so or wow you look older.

They’re probably just being fake nice.

x2boys, you've popped my bubble. The consultant didn't know I was an ex nurse. My daughter sat next to my granddaughter, I was the other side of the room. When I was pregnant with my first 19, pre-eclampsia had to leave my wedding ring off, the other patients were saying, disgusting me pregnant obviously only about 15.

"Rough?"

How do you act at work? I was shocked a colleague had school aged children as I thought she was much younger but it's due to the way she acted rather than I thought she looked really young. She is lovely but still quite immature. Depends on your area also I'd imagine, lots of areas it's common to have first time mums well into their 40s so by those standards you are young.

😂😂😂

Im 37 with a 20 year old 21 this may and a 19 year old.I some times get told that i dont look old enough to have adult children.

I don't know how you get through each day.

I'm picturing OP as some obese,sweaty man 'ooooo. I look sooo young and stylish and attractive be crying asks me out all the time'

I've heard of worse problems to have

Op you do know its against MN rules to have a baby under 35 😂

I wish we could have a FFS button on here. 🙄

I am 33 with an 11 and 9 year old and have been told this as long as I've been a mother. At around 30, people stopped saying it in a snarky voice like I was scum... Now it tends to seem like a compliment (or I have gained the confidence and grace to always presume it is one anyway).

Most recently, at work, I was met with 'what! You're a mum! I thought you were a teenager or something' - it was by a child though, and I suspect a reflection on my ability to play tag and somewhat childish dress sense 😆. Ignore or take as a compliment as you please OP, maybe hand out a few odd compliments of your own. There will always be snarky arses and occasional weirdos, no point giving them head space.

WTF are they on about? AT 32, how can you POSSIBLY look 'too young to have children?' You can have children literally from around 12-13 years old. No-one of 32 looks too young to have children!

Also, you look stylish and chic (apparently) but also look too young to have children??? Really?

I reckon they're pulling your leg @HT340 Trust me you DO look old enough to have children.

Join the club, l swear to God if someone tells me l look Like Elle McPhereson one more time I'll swing for them. How bloody dare they?

😅😅

Now THAT I can believe. At 37 you could look 29-32, and your kids (20 and 21) could look mid 20s. (So it could look like you are only 5-7 years older than them - at first glance especially...)

But for someone to say 'you don't look old enough to have children' when you're in your 30s' is just farcical and ludicrous. Of course you look old enough FFS! You would look old enough to have children if you were in your mid to late teens, or your 20s!

!

Calm down some of us do look young.
And its
20 21 in may and a 19 year old i only have 2 children not 3.
And i said i get told i dont look old enough to have ADULT children not that i dont look old enough to have children.

Shame you haven't

Errrrm, did you not read my post properly? I said I believe you! (That people think you - at 37 - look too young to have adult children - in their 20s.)

Try reading my post again. I believe someone of 37 can look as young as 29-32, and if you have children in your 20s, you may not look old enough to be their parent (at that point.)

However, saying someone looks too young to have children - at all! - in their 30s, is just ludicrous, and untrue. Of course they don't look too young.

And I never said you have 3 children. You are responding to someone else's post here! 😬