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

[HazelMaker]

The 1990s

Having a dog...

Living in France.

Living abroad.

Applies to looking after an unwell husband too. Lots of people think it's kind to tell me I'm 'wonderful'. I'm not, I'm pissed off. And I don't want to be wonderful, I want our normal life back.
I love my DH, but I challenge anyone to be unfailingly kind and gentle after years of broken nights and constant need.

This

Going out with someone in a band

SpringSunshineanddaffodils

The people I know who were one of 5, were very selfish. They wouldn't pay keep at home in their early 20s, dodged chores in a shared house. They wouldn't take responsibility for anything. My mother said they had to fight for every scrap of attention and food, and this made them selfish.

Human soup !!!!

A lot of this shatters people's dreams. We need to have something to get us through life!!!

That's me and i love it...why don't you?

Living in Australia

Omg this!!! It's BS. Something has got to give

I love it too.

Why is everyone so down on having twins? I have six year old twins and they are amazing! I love being a twin mum.

And I'm a lone parent as well. So not even saying that from the luxury of loads of help. Twins are the best.

Another vote for university.

My whole childhood and teenage years were built around me going to university. My hobbies were chosen to look good on an UCCA form (UCAS now), my GCSE and A level subjects were chosen for me. I had to save all my Christmas and birthday money, plus money I earned doing part time jobs. All 'for university '.

I was constantly told how wonderful the experience would be (by parents who hadn't been).

It was OK. I made friends but not ones who I stayed in touch with. I didn't really find any clubs that interested me, although I joined several and really tried. I ended up with a crap degree from a wrap university.

I know my parents meant well but it makes me sad that I wasn't allowed to be myself or make my own choices.

Holidays abroad with young children. Especially kids under 5.

Me too! I wanted to join the army instead 😁

Got to disagree about the hot tub. Use mine daily. Absolute bliss. Coffee and book in it each morning. Sitting in it as blossom falls down. You just got hot tubbing wrong.

Going abroad with under 5s is daft and pointless.

If someone is romanticising a travel MLM (or any other MLM) they are one of three things; a victim being recruited or newly recruited who has fallen for the lies, someone trying to make it work and being told to fake it until they make it and present positively or they are someone who has realised that it’s not about travel it’s about recruitment and attracting victims by romanticising the “supportive” company and the “six figure income”.

This. I loved having dogs, really miss them can't have any more not through my choice. But get a dog because it will lower your blood pressure, be LOVELY for the kids, get you out for lovely healthy walks, get people talking to you is bollocks, all bollocks.

The last decade before social media and screens took over everything though. Up until about the mid-2000s the internet was niche and phones were just for texting.

It was the decade popular music really went down hill though.

Being a doctor.. on Tele looks all glam, saving the day, making tricky diagnosis ( looking at you House).. the reality, bloody exhaustion, endless paper work,no lunch, struggling to make time for a wee … and an endless procession of “I’ve done my own research’… yeah, at the University of Facebook.

This. The odd sweet moment but nothing gives me the rage like somebody with teenagers telling me to ‘relax, enjoy it’ when they’re at least a decade on from the grinding lack of sleep, constant hyper vigilance, endless bum and nose wiping and not even being able to wear a nice outfit before somebody smears something on it.

Not to mention the 24/7 demands of your attention ‘look at this! Mummy! Mummy where are you! Why are you on the toilet? Mummy come here. Mummy he hit me. Mummy what are we doing today? Mummy I’m hungry. Mummy I need the toilet. Mummy I hate this TV programme. Mummy I’m hungry again. Mummy look at this. Mummy where are we going? Mummy when will we get there? Mummy I’m cold. Now I’m too hot. Mummy stop wiping my face. Mummy I’m thirsty. Mummy I need the toilet again. Mummy come and play with me. Mummy are there dinosaurs in heaven? Why not? You said everything goes to heaven. Mummy what are we doing tomorrow?’

The overstimulation is insane and doing it on no sleep can be torture

Oh and - giving birth.

I have had 2 nightmare vaginal deliveries complete with drips, vomiting, actively shitting myself, screaming, blood, stitches and eventual iron tablets for the anaemia through blood loss.

Seeing first time mums on here dreamily plan their ‘chilled out waterbirth’ makes me hoot. Yes of course some people have a great experience but 75% will end up in heavy intervention.

I used to think that until I had a kid who needed to go to hospital quite a lot and is anaphylactic. And needed the fire brigade who are just round the corner (or three) Give me town or suburbs close to facilities.