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Confused ? why do people always think ? I am as old as them

(115 Posts)
NanaDH Sat 05-Sep-20 19:03:29

I am 61. I have very white grey hair ( Not dyed), since I was about 30. This problem has been on going since then but with the introduction of masks it is becoming a daily occurrence. Today was the worst, an older lady whom I was serving at work in the supermarket, said “of course you would remember that during the war, we got use to food shortages”! Last week I popped in to see if my daughter in law was back at work. The lady I spoke to told DIL “ an old lady came in to see you today”!! GS 12; when he realised it was me thought that was hilarious. I am the all modern, up and going NANA with 2 children, 6 grandchildren. What should I do or say when this happens? Any one liners? Welcome. ( that won’t get me the sack) Thank you ?

Toadinthehole Mon 07-Sep-20 17:31:57

she HAS, a lovely young face

LovelyLady Mon 07-Sep-20 19:06:14

I had my last baby when I was 29 and on my records I was recorded as an older Mother.
In the 70’s there were many strikes and where we lived (in the UK) there was no coal, no bread, no sugar, electricity was limited to a few hours a day due to strikes. In fact work was extremely difficult to find with Britain being on a 3 day week.
Fuel (petrol) shortages were the norm with long queues meaning public transport was the only means of travel. Milk was not regularly delivered. Many many factories we're shutting and never did recover. Hairdressers were only open a few hours a day due to restricted electricity. We had a deep freeze but limited electricity to run it!
This is forgotten by many and not known by the youngsters. Sometimes being old comes with knowledge.

Daftbag1 Mon 07-Sep-20 19:11:31

I love masks, they hide my 10 chins and those pesky hairs which only appear when I'm out, as I need specs, effectively not much of me from above my neck is visible!

123kitty Mon 07-Sep-20 20:33:23

This confirms my thoughts on letting my hair go grey and why I'll keep on getting it coloured

Kryptonite Mon 07-Sep-20 21:41:12

A bus driver had the cheek to assume I would remember some music he was playing from the 1960s. I was incensed at the assumption. I'd heard the songs, but not when they first came out. And I also detest the "at our age" bores. Speak for yourself if you must but don't drag anyone else down with you.

Musicgirl Mon 07-Sep-20 21:59:17

Polnan, a very dear lady at church shares my birthday. We call ourselves birthday twins although l am 55 and she is 91.
On a slightly different note, it is quite common for elderly people to ask me to guess their age. My reply is always that I am no good at guessing ages and that they will have to tell me. "I'm 88, you know," I'm told to which l exclaim, in feigned amazement, "Never!" They always beam at this response. I could, of course, have been thinking that they looked more like 98...they will never know.

coast35 Mon 07-Sep-20 23:56:37

I knew I must be getting old when I dropped something in M&S and a floor walker hastened to pick it up for me. I think he thought I’d never get up if I bent down. To be honest that wasn’t far from the truth!!

LovesToBake Tue 08-Sep-20 00:09:15

I was chatting with a much younger co-worker one day.
(She was around 30 yrs.; me 55). She says “I hope I dress as nice as you when I’m old”. I could only cringe.?

absent Tue 08-Sep-20 03:34:48

I wonder whether you are looking at this the wrong way round. Perhaps the people who are older than you have a mental image of themselves looking younger than they really are,

Grammaretto Tue 08-Sep-20 04:43:35

DH who's in his 70s, has been very ill recently - in hospital. When his dad phoned the ward to ask after him, a nurse came in to tell DH while I was there. She looked quite shocked and visibly she began to treat DH differently! No longer was he an old sick man, but someone's son.

My in-laws are a remarkable couple in their mid 90s, independent and interesting.

I find it hard to guess ages so try not to, it's safer. When I was 8, I was collected from school by an 18yr old friend. "Is that your mum?" I was asked. Poor girl was mortified. I was rather pleased as my own mum was 40 and grey haired.
Surely health and happiness are more important than looks?

Grandmamaoftwo Tue 08-Sep-20 11:27:50

At the weekend I ordered a set of kitchen knives online and I confirmed I was over 18. Yesterday I received this email.. I almost felt it was an accolade!

"This is a GDPR notice to let you know that you have been successfully age verified by AgeChecked, on behalf of: Robertwelch.com".

NannaGrandad Tue 08-Sep-20 13:27:54

I also had the opposite experience. Several years ago I was at the park with my very young grandson and the mum next to me thought he was mine. I was so proud to be a Grandmother that I decided to let my hair go natural so no one would make that mistake in the future.
My husband hated it so I now have bleached hair but I do miss my brunette.
Still very, very proud to be a grandmother and now have four little beauties to love and enjoy.

Saggi Tue 08-Sep-20 14:25:06

I’ve put up with it all my life nearly.....all my family starts greying at 14 or so , and by the time I was 30 I was totally grey. Never bothered me ...always had a young cut ....but I do know that people will always see the grey hair before they look at your face! Now at 69 ..... I actually look younger than I am.The last time I went to hospital with my husband , the nurse referred to me as his daughter, made me laugh but he was and is still furious about it. He said he wouldn’t go back ever again....and he hasn’t. I told him that if you refuse to look after yourself, don’t be surprised if people make the mistake. He looks 90 and is 73. Just make sure you keep a youngish cut , and being grey won’t bother anybody.

varian Tue 08-Sep-20 14:26:22

At my boyfriend's 21st birthday party someone asked me what I'd done for my 21st. I was 17.

When I was looking for a new job at the age of 50 I was advised by a young friend to lie about my age. She said I could take off ten years. Very flattered I said "Ten years? really? Is it my new hairstyle?" to be told "No, I don't mean you look younger. You don't look younger but you've got an honest face and people will think you wouldn't lie"!

When I was 61, someone told me she thought I was about 40. (She probably should have gone to Specsavers).