What do you wish people would stop romanticizing, because you’ve lived the reality of it?

[HazelMaker]

The 1990s

Teenage relationships

Marriage

Giving up 9 to 5 and opening bookshop or cafe

‘When I was a child we had to scrape the ice off the inside of the windows. No central heating back then!’

It was bloody miserable living in a draughty old house with minimal heating.

Gretna Green

This, and children, and family. So much hard work and little reward.

Working in a bookshop

Multigenerational living.
Global nomad lifestyle
SAHMing

Christmas.

Anything that suggests times were better when we could all have a bit of racist, sexist or homophobic "banter".

Motherhood, wifehood, daughterhood.

Family Christmases

Giving up work to start a little crafts business.

Frugal living.

Having a touring caravan

Oh god yes this!

University

That's sad. I have three children and the rewards are huge.

“In other cultures, families look after their old people”

Being in a mental health hospital. Some people seem to think it is just a little break away from your responsibilities

Moving to Cornwall.

Bohemian childhoods.

That old houses are better than new ones.

Socialist societies

Being in your40s - life starts at 40, 40 is the new 30… no!