Ageing gracefully: how to say "no" without sounding like a wimp

As Kate said, arthritis pain can come and go and cold, damp and low air pressure can make it worse. Accuweather gives scores out of ten each day for arthritis risk which is handy for knowing whether to take a painkiller in advance.

Children, in my experience, see you as they remember you from their youth. BC (before COVID) I had a hard job convincing my elder son that popping over to Texas for a week was out of the question.
I feel you need to sit them down and explain you are in pain and cannot do a lot of the things you used to do. Be straight with them and consistent. Do not force yourself to do things to please others.
You might also want to check with your doctor if it is too late to go onto HRT. Lack of oestrogen is the cause of a lot of osteoarthritis.

Test=rest

Oh dear but I understand. You probably need to be 'loudly subtle' in asking to sit in a higher chair, if expected to lift ask for help, if you need to sit just do it and say 'I need to sit a moment'. Really time to say 'I'd love to decorate etc but find I cant at the moment' These are your joints...you know what you can and cant do....and you need them to keep moving! People should understand, you are not whinging by mentioning you cant run around anymore. Please look after yourself.

Welcome ! You just have to stand your ground I'm afraid and repeatedly refuse to engage in any activity that causes you pain. If you say no often enough then the message will get through - but it has to come from you.

Only by being honest. Adult children want us to be the super mums we always have been. It takes them a while to get the message. On the arthritis front, you may find it comes and goes. Fingers crossed for the going! Apart from that, test and turn down invitations when you have to and keep active when you can.