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To be delighted I'm retiring

199 replies

Vengefulpomegranate · 09/10/2026 13:33

I will be retiring from my coal face NHS job in April 2027. Ive done nearly 40 years, full time except for my preganacies and short mat leaves (5 months longest at that time). Im just finished, I have nothing left to give. My mother started on about 'all my training' and I'm 'still young' - I'm almost 62. For context she retired from her part time secretarial work at 54. ... taken the shine off it a bit from me ...

OP posts:
BunnyLake · 09/10/2026 16:07

BatchCookBabe · 09/10/2026 16:01

So sick of these 'hard done by' BB who have no empathy for any other generation

Me too.

A lot of women the OP's mother's age very likely never worked full time, many probably didn't work that many years at all, and many very likely never went out to work til their youngest child was in their mid 20s. Very few in the OP's mother's generation HAD to work full time because she couldn't afford not to.

I don't like babyboomer bashing, and not ALL of them were/are privileged, but sometimes the criticism is justified. Also, Gen X women are the most screwed over demographic in my opinion. A generation of women who HAD to work whether they wanted to or not, and who were made to feel less than if they weren't high achievers at work, with employers pushing training and 'bettering yourself' on them.

Also only 14 weeks maternity leave, and being expected to still achieve high at work when you're a mother, and side-eyed and slated if you needed an hour off to be with your child. Also, no help with childcare fees, no tax credits, no free school meals for their kids (as they worked!) and no empathy if you had post natal depression, or were really stressed, with 'you women fought for equality so suck it up' yelled at you.

I will be SO glad when I've retired, and will do so at 64 if I can... GenX here, can you guess?!

I don't know why some mothers are so coarse and critical. My mother was the same @Vengefulpomegranate laid into me for getting married 'young' (25!) even though she was 19 when she got married, and sighed and rolled her eyes when I said I was pregnant 3 years later, even though she'd had 3 DC by the age of 25! Also, when I said I was going part time (when my DC were born/were toddlers.) she shook her head and said 'that's lazy that is, you're a bad example to your kids only working 22 hours a week!' even though SHE never worked until she was 42, and that was only part time - 16 hours a week, then she retired at 60!

.

Edited

I think people forget that ‘boomers’ covers a wide age range. I’m a boomer but might as well be Gen X because I was a toddler when Gen X started. Everything you experienced in your generation most likely so did I. Yes there are some boomers who are infuriating in their smugness but they are likely the older end of the range (80 not mid 60s) but unfortunately we’re all painted with the same brush.

handsdownthebest · 09/10/2026 16:13

I'm also 62, early retired at 58 and living my best life.
Enjoy yours xx

Autumngirl5 · 09/10/2026 16:17

I am one of those crazy people who love working for the NHS! I am 70 next year and mulling over retiring after Christmas. I only work part time now though.

dreamingofgoodhair · 09/10/2026 16:17

lazyarse123 · 09/10/2026 14:40

Could you just give this shit a fucking rest. You can be supportive to the op without having a go at retired people. You have no idea how hard or how long someone else has had to work.

Edited

She’s talking about OP’s mother who retired at 54

TheBrunswick · 09/10/2026 16:19

Bjorkdidit · 09/10/2026 14:07

It doesn't, it sounds like yet another baby boomer with a short memory who forgets that they've not had to work anywhere near as much as younger people to enjoy the same standard of living.

OP, just say that you've already worked 8 years longer than she did (and the rest due to being PT) so are retiring.

Op is boomer and her dm would have had op aged 18 or younger to be a boomer so try again with the bitter ageism.

Kevinbaconsrealwife · 09/10/2026 16:20

Congratulations on your forthcoming retirement and thank you to you and all your colleagues who have saved my life on more than one occasion…enjoy every minute and be proud of your working life ( and sod your mum…sorry ..) xx

Greedybilly · 09/10/2026 16:20

Congratulations- enjoy every minute!
How old is your mum? Find her a full time volunteering role to keep her busy?
Enjoy! X

Calling · 09/10/2026 16:22

Many congratulations on your retirement!!!

ItWasnaMeGuv · 09/10/2026 16:23

Vengefulpomegranate · 09/10/2026 13:33

I will be retiring from my coal face NHS job in April 2027. Ive done nearly 40 years, full time except for my preganacies and short mat leaves (5 months longest at that time). Im just finished, I have nothing left to give. My mother started on about 'all my training' and I'm 'still young' - I'm almost 62. For context she retired from her part time secretarial work at 54. ... taken the shine off it a bit from me ...

I'm same age as you @Vengefulpomegranate and could, I suppose, retire too, though a bit early (67 now Angry). However I love my job so am sticking with it for another few years (still fit and healthy). Enjoy your retirement and I hope you have many years of pleasing yourself. You deserve it.

K90 · 09/10/2026 16:24

Vengefulpomegranate · 09/10/2026 13:33

I will be retiring from my coal face NHS job in April 2027. Ive done nearly 40 years, full time except for my preganacies and short mat leaves (5 months longest at that time). Im just finished, I have nothing left to give. My mother started on about 'all my training' and I'm 'still young' - I'm almost 62. For context she retired from her part time secretarial work at 54. ... taken the shine off it a bit from me ...

I retired from the NHS 10 years ago and its the best thing I ever did. I loved my job but I had like you done 40 years and had enough. Retirement is brilliant and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. You deserve it and don't let anyone say otherwise. Congratulations!

blondeseaside · 09/10/2026 16:27

I don't understand all this bitterness towards the Boomers? My parents were Boomers (well, Dad was a few years older) and they worked their arses off their whole lives. They never had a penny in handouts and when younger often had to skip meals so the kids could eat. The working week was long. They had few mod cons. There was no free childcare, no handouts, no time off given because you had a heavy head. They both worked till 65. I can't think of one thing they had, that I haven't had. I'm Gen X.

Catpuss66 · 09/10/2026 16:30

Vengefulpomegranate · 09/10/2026 13:33

I will be retiring from my coal face NHS job in April 2027. Ive done nearly 40 years, full time except for my preganacies and short mat leaves (5 months longest at that time). Im just finished, I have nothing left to give. My mother started on about 'all my training' and I'm 'still young' - I'm almost 62. For context she retired from her part time secretarial work at 54. ... taken the shine off it a bit from me ...

I had the same but was able to go at 55. I felt so poorly at the time, now stage 5 ckd & multiple autoimmune diseases. My parents at the time really didn’t want me to retire I did 36yrs full time they made a difficult decision harder, they worked until they were 70 & dad had prostrate cancer I was at the time taking them both to hospital appts on my days off difficult times. Plus I was at a hospital that had been in the news bullying was rife. Best decision I made. not sure how I would have survived.

Wordsmithery · 09/10/2026 16:41

I'm envious at anybody retiring before 67 (I have a few years to go) but honestly a lifetime working for the NHS deserves its rewards. So go off into the sunshine and enjoy every second of it.
Congratulations!

Iliketulips · 09/10/2026 16:45

Congratulations. State pension doesn't kick on until 67, but I think a lot of us are burnt-out physically or mentally before then. DH retired at 59, I've given up my two part-time jobs in last year and am now 59. Neither of us regret it. We've got more time together, can see family/friends more, enjoy our hobbies more, as well as taking on new interests and maybe volunteering. I used to feel under pressure to have household done at a certain time each week, now I don't care. If I want to read, it can wait!

After a couple of weeks, it's a bit odd as it feels like a permanent holiday - just enjoy it though.

brownbootsandhats · 09/10/2026 16:46

Parents always worry about you - will you have enough money, will you be bored, what are your plans, will you regret it, will you lose friends … you mum is being a mum

and I suspect the idea of a retired child makes them feel ancient

Itiswhysofew · 09/10/2026 16:46

Congratulations & welcome! It's a great place to be. I retired at 57, now 60 - very lucky.

I think your mum's proud of you 😊

pusskins06 · 09/10/2026 16:47

I retired from nhs this year having qualified as a nurse in 1981 🙂Part time for the last few years as both parents developed dementia 😕
I no longer have any "caring role" and really don't miss it one bit
Enjoy your retirement op It takes a while to adjust to the "no pressure"

lazyarse123 · 09/10/2026 16:48

shhblackbag · 09/10/2026 15:18

Also, it doesn’t help your argument to call people cunts. But you know that.

Yes I do know that but it's so depressing all this negative attitude towards boomers, which in itself is an insult. The idea that life was so easy and we didn't work hard gets wearing after a while especially when it's not true. I apologise for swearing.

Seashorewaves · 09/10/2026 16:49

I retired from the NHS at the same age as you. I was counting down the months from 60, I was so exhausted and stressed. Enjoy your retirement. I felt at least 10 years younger once I left.

DorsetKnobBiscuit · 09/10/2026 16:58

BatchCookBabe · 09/10/2026 16:01

So sick of these 'hard done by' BB who have no empathy for any other generation

Me too.

A lot of women the OP's mother's age very likely never worked full time, many probably didn't work that many years at all, and many very likely never went out to work til their youngest child was in their mid 20s. Very few in the OP's mother's generation HAD to work full time because she couldn't afford not to.

I don't like babyboomer bashing, and not ALL of them were/are privileged, but sometimes the criticism is justified. Also, Gen X women are the most screwed over demographic in my opinion. A generation of women who HAD to work whether they wanted to or not, and who were made to feel less than if they weren't high achievers at work, with employers pushing training and 'bettering yourself' on them.

Also only 14 weeks maternity leave, and being expected to still achieve high at work when you're a mother, and side-eyed and slated if you needed an hour off to be with your child. Also, no help with childcare fees, no tax credits, no free school meals for their kids (as they worked!) and no empathy if you had post natal depression, or were really stressed, with 'you women fought for equality so suck it up' yelled at you.

I will be SO glad when I've retired, and will do so at 64 if I can... GenX here, can you guess?!

I don't know why some mothers are so coarse and critical. My mother was the same @Vengefulpomegranate laid into me for getting married 'young' (25!) even though she was 19 when she got married, and sighed and rolled her eyes when I said I was pregnant 3 years later, even though she'd had 3 DC by the age of 25! Also, when I said I was going part time (when my DC were born/were toddlers.) she shook her head and said 'that's lazy that is, you're a bad example to your kids only working 22 hours a week!' even though SHE never worked until she was 42, and that was only part time - 16 hours a week, then she retired at 60!

.

Edited

We've sort of established OPs mother must be about 82 and born in 1944.
So she would be the silent generation, not a 'boomer'.
She likely left school at 15 - so in 1959.
When she started work she had to wait until she was 26 for the Equal Pay Act.
She was 31 before the Sex Discrimination Act came in.

She was also 31 before paid maternity leave of six weeks was introduced.
She'd have waited until she was 31 to get a mortgage without a male signing on her behalf.

She was 21 before contraception became freely available on the NHS. Before she was 21 abortion was illegal in the UK.

She was 47 before marital rape became illegal.

No women in history ever had an easy time.
Pitting the generations against each other doesn't help women at all.

Bjorkdidit · 09/10/2026 16:59

lazyarse123 · 09/10/2026 16:48

Yes I do know that but it's so depressing all this negative attitude towards boomers, which in itself is an insult. The idea that life was so easy and we didn't work hard gets wearing after a while especially when it's not true. I apologise for swearing.

I also apologise for using the word boomer but not for saying that someone from that generation really doesn't have room to talk or guilt trip the OP when they retired from part time work at 54, with no indication that she'd worked full time or done anything more arduous earlier on.

A lot of women of that generation never worked full time, if at all, after marriage. And of course had their own struggles, but also certainly had a lot of advantages over previous and younger generations, which often get brushed aside as insignificant.

NimbleTaupeTiger · 09/10/2026 17:00

Best thing we ever did was retire early. Good luck to you, hope you enjoy it.

Blackbird2409 · 09/10/2026 17:01

I’m 54, working in a coal face stressful job, working with people. I would love to retire. Celebrate and congratulations!

Empress13 · 09/10/2026 17:02

You lucky thing enjoy your retirement!

PowerRangerGoGo · 09/10/2026 17:03

It must be some sort of jealously from her ! Ignore her and celebrate
More to life than working to death!,congratulations