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

It is not a derogatory term it is a fact, most of us are old ladies here, especially in the eyes of children and teens.

I wrongly tend to say young people when I am referring to 18 - 25-year-olds, they would just refer to themselves as adults.

An over-60 is well past middle aged so old is the only appropriate term.

Chestnut

There is a game called Greedy Granny which I refuse to play!

Granny loves biscuits! So much so that she's fallen asleep with a whole tray of them on her lap – what a Greedy Granny! Your mission is to take a biscuit of each type from Granny's tray as carefully and quietly as you can. One wrong move will wake her and send her teeth flying!

Anyone played this and not been annoyed? I think it's horrible.

I bet my Gdcs would love that! Tempted to look for it for 🎄, sorry!
(I’m not a great fan of biscuits anyway - hardly ever buy them unless guests are coming.)

Call her a 'little girl' ... children of that age don't like being called little. When she tells you she's a 'big' girl, I would just say, "But you call me an old lady so why can't I call you a little girl?"
You're not being cruel to her or insulting her, just teaching her how certain terms can come across to the recipient

Chestnut

There is a game called Greedy Granny which I refuse to play!

Granny loves biscuits! So much so that she's fallen asleep with a whole tray of them on her lap – what a Greedy Granny! Your mission is to take a biscuit of each type from Granny's tray as carefully and quietly as you can. One wrong move will wake her and send her teeth flying!

Anyone played this and not been annoyed? I think it's horrible.

It looks horrible - that is definitely ageist!

I'd bin it.
(But eat the biscuits first)

There is a game called Greedy Granny which I refuse to play!

Granny loves biscuits! So much so that she's fallen asleep with a whole tray of them on her lap – what a Greedy Granny! Your mission is to take a biscuit of each type from Granny's tray as carefully and quietly as you can. One wrong move will wake her and send her teeth flying!

Anyone played this and not been annoyed? I think it's horrible.

My teenage granddaughters think people in their thirties, are old so naturally they will think a grandmother is very old. They still ask me for advice or information so there's no problem.

I wouldn’t let it bother me.
A younger Gdd1, no more than 5, once said, ‘Granny, you’ve got wrinkles on your face because you’re old, haven’t you?’
‘Yes, darling.’

It was the truth, and never stopped her being very loving.
Now she’s a bit older, I’m sure she’s aware that it’s not advisable to make such remarks generally.

We also had to let her know that TV ads for creams that claim to banish wrinkles are a con!!

Yes, laugh it off. In her eyes you are an old lady.
Are you little? However short you are, you have to be taller than her. Just wait until they tower over you at 12 or 13 😁

This thread is developing nicely, giving a few giggles.

It reminds me of a time when one of my daughters, aged around 7 at the time, told me her teacher was ‘very old’. I was shocked to see she must have been around 25. All in the eyes of the beholder I think.

I'm in the ignore it camp. Think "out of the mouths of babes".

As you said, it's true, so she is just speaking plain truth. Encourage that. There is far too much silly obfuscation in the world already.

Just ignore it. You are old to her

I remember when we were 13 my friend announced she didn't want to live beyond 30 as she didn't want to be a burden to people!

I'm old. Why is it ok to refer to "young people" but not "old people"? Years ago when my DD was in reception I took my neighbour's child to school. I would have been about 47. Little girl's friend asked her if I was her grandma, no, she replied, I was the old lady who lived opposite. Out of the mouths of babes!

There’s not much you can say to the op other than, seriously?
🤷‍♀️

I don't think it is impolite - it is true!

Mine love to discuss how old they will be when I am 100; or when I might die - it is all fact finding for them. I answer accurately and take the chance to say how this is the cycle of life and it is fine to talk about.

I remember with affection the occasion when my granddaughter, aged three told Granddad that only girls were allowed to play in her bedroom. She looked up at him saying, 'Only little girls and old grandmas'. I was in my early sixties at the time. Granddad and I smiled at each other, but no comment was necessary. I went in to play, he went downstairs.
Years passed, we were celebrating my seventy ninth birthday. My family were teasing me that i would be eighty next. This same granddaughter, then about sixteen, remarked, 'Yes, but grandma doesn't think old'.
So, please say nothing whatsoever to your granddaughter. She is not being rude. I have a lovely relationship with my granddaughters.

Don't be offended by her comment, it's true!

Try agreeing with her, saying,
"You're quite right, I am a little old lady. And you are a little young lady!"

Then have a giggle about it together 🥰

(Though I wouldn't go so far as to say, "And Mummy is a middle aged lady..." 😂)

Children this age are still putting the world into context and understanding how language describes differences in people.
As long as she's not saying it to be deliberately rude I don't see it as a problem.

Of course you are an old lady to a five year old. The fact that you are a grandmother says that to a child. She doesn’t mean to be rude. She is just stating a fact as she sees it. Just because you don’t feel old doesn’t change anything. Children of that age are interested in the ages of people. I used to teach children of that age and I remember being asked how old I was. I told them the truth as I have got no time for this “I’m 21”lark. They would accept the answer with “Cor! you have beaten my mum”. They never said anything more. They asked a question and got an answer.

One of my granddaughters was running around the living room all excited about her presents. I simply told her to calm down and stop running around or she will trip and fall.
She ran into the kitchen to her parents. They were preparing the evening meal she referred to me as (the one with white curly hair and glasses) she was four at the time. I thought it was hilarious I wouldn’t even consider telling her off.

My friend’s grandkids say that to her and laugh Nodj so your not alone.Like me she’s only late 50’s and it annoys her.She says ‘cheeky monkeys’ to them.I would never have said anything to my Nan when I was young, you know they’re old but that’s part of their charm, they have time to play and listen to you.My Nan didn’t work tho, so really did have time.
To a 5 year old even a 35 year old is ancient🤣

I wouldn't be bothered about this.
Truth is, we all seem old after about 40 to a 5 year old!

When my uncle died at 44 I thought he was old. I remember thinking that it was only "old people" who died. I couldn't understanding why my mum was so surprised by it - though I did understand that we would all would miss him.

Why is it not polite?
How old are you OP?
Are children similarly “insulted” by being called “young man, young lady” perhaps.

Accept it and point out that with age comes wisdom, life experience, knowledge and Granny is always right so don’t diss old ladies!

Laugh it off.

Let it go, at 5 yrs old everyone is old, I remember my GPs looking very old when in fact they were no more than 60, the austerity and pollution in the 1950s had taken its toll. Most of us today are much fitter at 60 than GPs were.

Your granddaughter is being factual what’s wrong with her saying old lady although it depends how she uses it
If she says ‘ old lady can you come here’ it’s rude
If she says ‘as you’re a old lady were you once a child like me’ she’s being intelligent
I don’t think a five year old would understand you saying you’re grateful to be old …. age is only judged by her five years
she would have no understanding of sixty five years

I haven’t noticed any of the younger group calling us ‘ little old ladies’ it’s not happened to me except once when I was riding my bike past a group of young lads and one said ‘oh look granny on her bike’ I was a bit offended at first but realised although I see myself as a glamorous older lady that’s not necessarily how a kid would see me 🙄

Ignore it and she will stop!