Best response to 5 year old calling me an old lady?

My GS told me that he wouldn’t be able to play with me when he was 10.
I asked why and his reply was “you will be dead by then”.
I simply replied that I might be but I hoped not.
Then we carried on.
Actually I have it on video and replay it occasionally to have a giggle. I have already outlived his expectations!

I just laugh if my DGD says that. It is true and my walking stick makes me look older. They have no concept of age. My DGD thought I was tenty one!

recklessgran 😁

I was told by a six year old DGD that I'd be able to skip round the garden like her when I'm older.

One day I was snuggled up on the sofa reading books to my little DGD who was five at the time. She was listening intently [or so I thought] whilst gently stroking the back of my hand in a distracted kind of a way when she suddenly said "Granny, why does your skin feel like a chicken's - you know, when it's dead?" I laughed my head off but couldn't think of a reasonable explanatio for that one! So, yes OP I'd just laugh at a 5 year old just being 5.

Out with Dd and DGS 2 & 7 we were joined by her friend and her 4 year old. I was having a bad day with my hip so was using a walking stick
The children were playing a counting game.
How many people this room ? The 4 year old quickly shouted “ 5 and an old lady”. His mum was mortified . I laughed and asked how old the children thought I was. and the concensus was that I must be about 52. ( I’m 69 )
Small children have little concept of time. A week is soooo long in their short lives.

I know quite a lot of Eastern European people and one in particular, about my age, always calls me Missus.

I've asked him to use my first name but no, I'm Missus 🙂

A five year old might also be trying their hand at humour, to make you laugh. It happens. It’s a phase and it’ll pass.

grandtanteJE65

I don't remember ever being insulted as a child by being called or addressed as young lady - young woman signified that I was in hot water!

I was thrilled at the age of sixteen when a shop assistent asked me, "Can I help you, Miss?" I felt so grown-up.

But that is the point, isn't it? All children want to seem older than they are and are looking forward to the day they will be grown up.

No older person wants to be considered "old" or "elderly" these days, so we tend to be hurt or take offence.

In no European country is it considered polite to address anyone as "Old man" or "Old woman", so if your granddaughter speaks English, just say, "Please say Grandma, (or whatever she should call you) when you want to attract my attention" and then ignore it. It is a term of respect in many Asian languages, and to a lesser extent it may be in some Slavic languages as well, but I doubt this is relevant here.

At five, she may be deliberately trying to rile you, but is more likely just experimenting with words, so ignoring her until she addresses you as you want her to might be the best policy.

But ask yourself, is it really worthwhile to make an issue of this?

In a lot of countries, if people don’t know your name, they will call you sister, brother, uncle, auntie, grandmother, grandfather, according to age and sex.

In Oman and Kenya when a lot younger I was often addressed as ‘sister’ - I thought it was lovely.

Funny I’m a nursery teacher and 63. When I told a little girl I was a nana she said I couldn’t be because I was her teacher!

Just agree with her and say Yes I am old. When I asked my GS aged 4 how old he thought I was he said 23. Lovely boy. I'm 76.
At 5 your GD doesn't understand age yet so don't let it bother you.

I don't remember ever being insulted as a child by being called or addressed as young lady - young woman signified that I was in hot water!

I was thrilled at the age of sixteen when a shop assistent asked me, "Can I help you, Miss?" I felt so grown-up.

But that is the point, isn't it? All children want to seem older than they are and are looking forward to the day they will be grown up.

No older person wants to be considered "old" or "elderly" these days, so we tend to be hurt or take offence.

In no European country is it considered polite to address anyone as "Old man" or "Old woman", so if your granddaughter speaks English, just say, "Please say Grandma, (or whatever she should call you) when you want to attract my attention" and then ignore it. It is a term of respect in many Asian languages, and to a lesser extent it may be in some Slavic languages as well, but I doubt this is relevant here.

At five, she may be deliberately trying to rile you, but is more likely just experimenting with words, so ignoring her until she addresses you as you want her to might be the best policy.

But ask yourself, is it really worthwhile to make an issue of this?

There’s some appropriate comments on this thread. Yes we are all old and praise be for that. Be thankful the child can think, reason and talk. Best of all they are visiting you. Be thankful and show love nor criticism as with disapproval, you will still be old but lonely. Give her a hug and tell her you love her. That’s what grandparents do!

Ignore her when she calls you an old lady and only respond if she calls you granny/nanny ornwhatever your prefered name is.

I would ask her why she says that and then ask her if she would like you to call her little girl instead of her name. Just in a matter-of-fact way.

Just a thought do her parents say something like this to her? "Granny can't do that that we she is a little old women" it not meant to be nasty more descriptive.
Get some photos together of yourself from a young age then talk to her about yourself when you were her age and what you used to do in school or hobbies, is there anything you have in common , do you share a passion for animals or do like dancing etc. Get her to realise that even though you might seem old now you were just like her once.

A boy aged about 8 once nearly ran into me on his bike. He managed to steer away then said to his big brother: 'I need to get new brakes - I nearly ran over an elderly lady.' I was in my late 50s and thought it was funny - of course I'm going to look ancient to him. I suspect he was brought up to say elderly rather than old and lady rather than woman.

Cabbie21, I do remember the face (shock horror) of one granddaughter - when she realised we all progress through those stages (baby, child, adult, oldie).

I don’t think my grandchildren ever said that to me, but I have used opportunities to share with them the idea of the generations, by showing them photos of me when I was little, with my parents, then their mum when she was little, with me. They were fascinated. It really helped them to get a perspective on age and growing up.

Just thing of it as “love”. Mine have gone through the “why is your skin like that.” And touching it gently. “Why is your hair white” to “Nana I want you to live to be 100, I don’t want you to die” I wasn’t ill! I answered that one by saying how old would she be when I was 100 because they’d be looking after me 🤣 I just bless that they feel comfortable to chat and … as yet … haven’t said “Nana why are you fat / are you pregnant” I remember my daughter asking, that of a lady in the street when she was small, but didn’t have a small voice 🤣

Thinking about the car questions One of my grandsons when little asked if I was around when the dinosaurs were I thought it was hilarious
I think you ve blown this out of proportion and taken offence when none was meant

she's just telling the truth.. to be encouraged

It's not something worth even mentioning. Of course, we're little old ladies - to anyone that young. Stating the truth isn't being rude. The problem lies in kidding yourself that you're not old - but you'll find plenty of company on here. There's nothing wrong with being old - is there?

My 8 year old gd recently asked if there were cars when I was little or did we go around in carriages
😁

Love it!!

DH's Gran did remember when a man walked along in front of cars waving a flag! I thought she was very old when I met her (having lost my grandparents before I was five) but now DH is older than she was then.

Why do we hate being referred to as 'old'? (and at 82 I am old and it still gives me pause!). After all, it's something denied to many. I remember 16 years ago my then 3yo DGD was traveling up by train for a visit. Apparently she was telling everyone that she was coming to Scotland to see her Granny and she was very old and had white hair!! Do the maths. And I was blond!!!

For goodness sake! She's 5. Anyone aged over 10 is old to her. Don't say anything unless you want her to feel she can't speak freely to you.
My 8 year old gd recently asked if there were cars when I was little or did we go around in carriages