to think some retired people completely forget what it’s like to be working full time?

[cupofcup]

I know retirement is not always easy and older people can have health issues, caring responsibilities etc. But I do think some people genuinely forget what it is like to juggle work, commuting, childcare, housework and just basic life admin all at once.

My DM is retired and will often say how busy she is because she has shopping on Tuesday and a doctor’s appointment on Friday. That is apparently an exhausting week. She is in good health and active. Meanwhile most working people are fitting those things around 40+ hour working weeks.

My retired neighbour constantly comments on how awful another neighbour’s garden looks and how she should tidy it up. The neighbour she is talking about is a working mum with young children who leaves the house at 7am every day. My retired neighbour has a gardener.

Obviously NOT ALL retired people are like this at all. Some are incredibly understanding and helpful. But others seem to completely lose perspective on how relentless working life can be, especially with children.

Luckily I do not work for an archaic organisation!

Who judges you on you decisions

Every generation thinks they have it harder than previous generations. I'm not sure I agree with you that today is harder for families than previous generations.

I find this thread distasteful tbh. (and I'm not retired). I have never been criticised by an older person for not doing something, nor have I found that they have forgotten what its like to work. The biggest judgments I have received are from fellow parents, or teachers, or colleagues. And no, @coulditbeme2323 it isn't the same as working to be a full time parent of 3. Many mums work and parent at the same time.

Report it then.

Maybe report the 76% of people who agreed with me as well 😂

Well it feels like a full time job to me! A good one mind!

Yeah but no one needs to be making up-invited comments about single working mums. It’s great you’re retired, but it isn’t a free pass.

Evasion again. You are allowed tucked away at home and possibly tucked away in a single user office.

But you can't answer the question whether you would be able to do it in an open plan office, because obviously the answer has to be no.

It isn't only archaic bosses that want their staff to work the hours they're paid for. I'm curious what job you can do effectively with the amount you've been posting today unless you will be doing extended hours unpaid. It would seem that you actually only have half a job to do a lot of the time.

I have answered all your silly questions.

I have an office to myself and have done for years. Yes I can post on MN. Not sure why you are so miserable about it 😂

Judge all you want. Like I said I do not work for an archaic organisation or boss 😂

This is actually funny how concerned you are 😂

I think some time we do all forget the challenges and difficulties of a different season of life.
I am retired (earlier than most) i worked as a nurse,commuted to central london and raised 3 children,i retired early to care for my terminally ill husband,after he died i didnt return to work. I have my own health challenges,i dont have the energy i had when younger and sometimes get bogged down with the minutiae of life and think im super busy when im not compared to the challenges of earlier but i am compared to my current energy levels!
I don't think this is necessarily to do with retirement or age perse. Sometimes we can all be self focussed .

Agree. And learn not to be so affected by others words or let them eat away at our self worth. Or if they do, have the courage to remove our self from the conversation rather than try to win it by proving them wrong. It doesn’t get us anywhere.

Agree op. My mother will moan if the home help comes a bit later. Im thinking you doing nothing else.... but yes I def find with retired friends they think you on flexi time. Im not as I do school bus help so Ive tied times. Its annoying though.

I suppose she means she’s busy in the context of her normal day, not in the context of the world at large.

I might say I’ve had a busy day when, in comparison to someone who works full time and has young children, it isn’t that busy at all (I work very part time and kids are adult).

Agree I also think they forget that when they were young you could typically have only one parent working.

My mum goes on and on about how we need to get on top of cleaning, cooking, garden etc. but doesn’t appreciate that’s quite hard when you’re working all week! When we were children she didn’t work! Which I get is hard work looking after children but we went to pre school and then school etc. so she had a lot more free time.

Onion its difficult. Full time jobs theres no time to do anything. Traffic crazy now too. I think when you out of workplace people forget how busy it is

Same. My DM is wondering why my decorating is not done and how she keeps on top of all her house jobs. But when we were young, we didn't go to any after school activities. DM was also a SAHM so had more time. I get criticised for not helping with the PTA like she did.

No we don't forget it and we thank god that we are not doing it anymore. What you don't appreciate and will one day is how much more tired you get as you age. It's not as if you retire with the same vigour and verve you had at 30 - if only !

Bless.
I worked full time with children... somehow I also managed to keep the garden nice and you know... feed everyone.
I'm sorry you're finding it hard at your age.....

I'm nearly 65 and working full time as MD of my own small management consulting business. I have a minuscule personal pension and no way in hell of thinking of retiring - although most of my friends already have. I am knackered most of the time and really need to watch things like my sleep so I don't appear like a clapped-out old crone on Teams calls. It's not a picnic being older. And the secret that no-one tells you is that it feels like about ten minutes since I was 35. I love the fact that my colleagues don't treat me like a geriatric, though, and wouldn't give up work for anything. It makes me sad when I see posts like this which treat older people as if they lived on another planet.

Also, 'when I was young' I worked full-time, and so did MY mum when she was in her 30s. Modern life didn't begin in the year 2015.

How old are the "they" that you are referring to out of interest?

Well the example I have is my parents my mum is 63…

Sometimes I think I don't blame them. They've 'done their time.' I'd want to forget, too. Besides, retirement is not a walk in the park for many people.

Tbf to your mum, she probably doesn't have as much energy as she used to if she's getting on/has health issues.
I'm only mid 50s, in shape and can easily do a nice long 10 mile hike but no way do I have the energy levels I had in my 30s or even my early 40s.

Tbf to your mum, she probably doesn't have as much energy as she used to if she's getting on/has health issues.
I'm only mid 50s, in shape and can easily do a nice long 10 mile hike but no way do I have the energy levels I had in my 30s or even my 40s.