To think she thought I was 10 years younger than I am

[Mairzydotes]

I was at the dentist yesterday. The receptionist asked my date of birth first, and I gave it , and she then asked my name. She then quiried if it was the ' somethingth' or the 'twenty- somethingth' and I confirmed the correct one. ( I referred to the month by name).

She said there was nobody coming up. Then she asked if I was at the correct dentists. I was because I always go there. She asked me if I was sure I was I was actually registered because they had no patients with that dob 1993. I was born in 1983. She finds me , and I have my check up.

Then I've been thinking, she didn’t check the year at all, so she must have took me as being 31, 10 years younger than I am .

But according to mumsnet, nobody can ever be mistaken for 10 years younger than their actual age, in the real world.

I feel like a dentist's receptionist just goes on whatever DOB you give and that she simply misheard you on this occasion. It makes no difference to them what age you are/look, merely that they get the correct person.

I'm 57 and was IDd when I was 56 I'm sorry to say. It's just autopilot on their side

Being asked for ID doesn't mean anything. They just have to do it regularly and don't really look at people.

Oh come on, don't be silly. She just misheard you. She does this all day, she'll be asking for DOB from people on autopilot without even looking up.

You probably just mumble your words indistinctly or don't speak loudly enough.

Because she didn't really engage her brain. She just typed it in. People don't really look at customers they just go on autopilot

This isn't about me but I have several friends (we are all, ahem, older) who generally look a good 10 to 15 years younger than their actual age.
Three of them are in their early 80s, one looks as if she is in her early 70s and the other two look to be in their mid-60s.
We all marvel at how great they look, and they are definitely not the types for 'tweakments' apart from hair colour.
One is platinum blonde and always has been, she's tall, slim and fit, one has had a silver pixie cut for several years and has good facial features so it really suits her. The third has mid brown hair and is always busy and active with her great-grandchildren!

If she had assumed your birth year rather than misheard it, she probably would have made a comment about you looking much younger.

It's really because people look better now. When I was young, a woman in her 50s looked far older than they do now. Better nutrition, more leisure time, more self care and better cosmetics mean that women in their 60s and 70s often look younger than their counterparts in previous generations.

I’m regularly taken for younger than I am - but funnily enough it’s only ever men who have guessed ten years or more younger 😄

My mother had an accident a few years ago and the nurse treating her said “There must be some mistake - the chart says you’re 63”. She said it was worth getting concussion just to hear that 😆

I get this from strangers as well.

Besides, I can't imagine five or six of my friends saying exactly the same thing, especially when I hadn't even mentioned wanting reassurance about looking old.

But of course, if you want to believe I'm making it up for attention, feel free.

I always have a laugh when I’m age checked for buying alcohol at the supermarket.
It only takes a glance to work out I’ve passed 18 at least three times over!

Everyone thinks I'm 5 😂

You're lucky, when I go into a café they get out the high chair!

I've no idea but OP, I think it was just a typo and not thinking about it, she wanted to get you checked in.

You may look young for your age but, who would know? What does a 20/30/40/50/60/70 year old woman look like? Who is the decider of these things? Is there a blueprint that we should be comparing ourselves to?

I'm 55. I'm careful with my skin being very pale so out the sun and plastered in factor 50. I probably look every bit 'my age' but I do know that I look better after I've had a nap.

😁

Also, on mumsnet there are lots of people who claim they or their mum doesn't have wrinkles

Hehe yes. I've seen people swear blind their 93 year old gran has no wrinkles whatsoever. Perhaps she doesnt, but I can guarantee she still looks elderly and not 21- wrinkles are not the only signs of age on a person lol

If you're getting this from strangers then something's amiss. Are you wearing a t-shirt with "Guess my age and please be kind"? That is an extremely personal thing to say to a stranger and I would think them to be inappropriate and back away.

Friends do say things like this. They are hoping for return compliments also. It can be a bit of a faulty echo chamber if you're not careful.

I used to look very young for my age. At 40 I could have passed for 28. However, I know look every one of my years and more!

You've been watching 'Cat Among The Pigeons', haven't you? It was on this afternoon.

It's usually that people assume I'm younger than them and then express surprise that I'm quite a bit older than they thought.

I have an active social life so I get chatting to random people a fair amount.

But again, if you don't want to believe it, don't. It's no skin off my nose if you want to make assumptions when you can't even see what I look like in the first place!

None of my friends, husband or sister who is younger than me ever get IDd, so I don’t think that’s the case at all.

Well, quite…
Stop buttonholing complete strangers to tell them your age @Deludamol
It won’t always end well.

"Young lady, over here pls"

Sorry but, what else can they say to get your attention? "Old lady" would get them a reprimand. "Lady" sounds aggressive. They picked the only phrase that wouldn't get them fired.

I'm all for having a healthy appreciation for oneself but best not to take it too far.

Deludamol ... is that a cunning play on 'delude them all'?

@Deludamol seems to have chosen a very apt username.