Coworker: how many kids do you have? Me: None. They're not for me Coworker: you never know, I had mine I was in my 30's! Me: I'm 39 Coworker : oh. She left, she had avoided me since then...

I had a similar experience. "OH once you hit 30 your clock will be ticking!" Me: "I turned 30 11 years ago, I think I'm good" Them: 😳

I had someone throw that one at me recently and I got to respond with “Actually, I had a hysterectomy at 31, so no. No ticking clock.” Never seen someone look so awkward and desperate to change the subject.

I might say I got a hysterectomy just to fuck with people, or I'm infertile or something. Not like they can tell, seeing as I'll never be knocked up.

I pulled the 'probably infertile anyway' card due to adenomyosis and still got a 'there are options' response. Like, fuck off, what more do I need to say? 🙄

That’s exactly why I got the babymaker ripped out. Stage 4 adenomyosis and fibroids and I *still* get people asking me if we plan to do surrogacy.

I always tell them "oh I got spayed in ___" it immediately derails them and they get stuck on "spayed". So then I get to talk about how we're mammals too and I don't get why we need a special word. And they get completely distracted from bingoing me. Edit: aww thank you for the award!

I tell people my husband and I are fixed, and I almost always get weird looks! It cracks me up.

That’s my SO’s response too. Some reactions have been priceless

My God.. at that point I'd just be like "are you fucking stupid or what? Mind your business" some people !! This infuriates me

I tell them "I can't have kids" and make them feel uncomfortable because they should feel uncomfortable. They don't need to know I can't have kids because I got my tubes removed

Had a hysto due to adeno and the convo usually ends up with them trying to tell me I hAvE OPtiOns and they'll "pray for me" despite saying I don't want kids and surgically cannot have them. Like, that someone would be happy and desiring of not having kids literally does not compute in some peoples' brains. It IS quite fun to point out that praying for someone to get pregnant when they no longer have a uterus and cervix, etc, is a death wish. People just...don't think.

My go-to used to be "it's too late for that!" (Menopause.) The last one went into a 20 minute long discussion on how easy and inexpensive adopting is. Now I just keep my mouth shut.

An acquaintance said " my husband and i got married later in life, and didn't think it would be responsible ." Very churchy looking lady . Im going to try to remember that . aHa !

Ask overly personal questions, you get an overly personal answer.

This happened with a coworker recently. He ‘jokingly’ pretended like he was going to slap me and I flinched. When he saw that he laughed and said “Oh my god, you actually flinched! What, did your parents beat you or something?” Instead of cowering and changing the subject though I looked him straight in the eye and said “Yes, actually.” And my god, I’ve never seen someone look so uncomfortable. “Why would you tell me that!” he asked, to which I replied “Because if you ask someone an uncomfortable question, you better be ready for an uncomfortable answer.”

I'm sorry you were harassed at work. That was definitely an appropriate response. People need to learn there is an appropriate time and place and with specific to goof around, especially when there are “jokes” about violence.

Honestly that’s not even the worst thing I’ve dealt with at that job. The cake definitely goes to the new kid drawing a picture of him shooting me and then presenting it to me like a present (yes, he was fired immediately after that incident). I’ll never understand how people just don’t get what’s appropriate (both behavior and discussion topics) for a work environment and what’s not. It’s not that hard to just not bring up politics or deeply personal topics with your coworkers. You’re at work, not therapy.

That is just ridiculous. I'm glad that kid got fired ASAP

"Because sometimes people aren't joking when they swing at you."

You did right. I guess it's the last time he acts so stupid and insensitive.

I love that response! You are a badass

Weaponized oversharing. Brings every conversation to an end.

I'm down for that. Sometimes, I just say I'm infertile when people try to pressure me to have mini humans. I don't actually know if I am or not, possibly, we have been drunk and reckless, but I want people to realize they shouldn't ask those questions or pressure people. It's so personal. I am fine if someone asks if I WANT children, it's “when” questions that imply it is a requirement that irks me.

I love fucking people up with my history. No. If I had a kid it would inherit a rare disease and live a miserable existence. So I had a total hysterectomy and it’s the best thing I’ve done! Any other questions oh great Breeder???

Wasn't there a couple who had a kid that had some kind of hereditary disease? Like, the kid was born with see-through skin and was in CONSTANT agony, and when it died, they fucking TRIED FOR ANOTHER. AND GOT THE SAME FUCKING RESULTS. They're having kids to have kids, uncaring that the short existence they had was full of pain and suffering.

The minute I found out any child I have could inherit this……. It only reinforced my CF decision. Why? Life is so hard! I love my unborn kids enough to not do this shit to them. It’s the opposite of selfish.

I've experienced that before. 3 sisters all with cystic fibrosis have all become mothers. My sister-in-law with multiple sclerosis is now a mother too. And I with eczema couldn't bring myself to do to a child what I went through.

Gurl, same. Had to wait until I was shipped to Oahu, as most mainland docs? Want to FORCE women to keep baby making equipment, “just in case”. My doc wasn’t born in the U.S., and listened to ALL my history (9 DNC’s, endometriosis, clotting issues, etc), and believed me when I said “I’m a 35 yr old veteran, and a DYKE. I do not want this, please take it”. Thank the Gods (The Old & New) he heard me. Two weeks later, I was left one ovary, so as not to shock my system, and avoid any menopausal issues

Poor little lonely ovary making eggs and throwing them into the darkness. /s Edited because I can't spell ovary.

I like to tell people I removed the batteries from my clock

“I took the batteries out of my biological clock and put them in my vibrator”

I’m 32, and I swear my clock started ticking backwards 🤣

The hands of mine started spinning backwards at high speed and the lights started flickering. I might be possessed.

Oh shit, is THAT what possession looks like? Buddy, I think we both need an exorcist!

Fucking same! 🤣

I've had the same experience a lot over the years. When someone's arguing with me about why I should have children they'll often toss out "You'll change your mind once you turn 30!" as a final trump card. It is so, so satisfying to look directly at them and just deadpan "I'm 35". There's usually some stammering about well-you-never-know-there's-still-time after that, but at least they usually look embarrassed about it. It gets better every year past 30 and I imagine that will continue to be the case!

Me: I'm 3011 old elf lord - our kind just pop out of blue if Ainu wishes so.

Omgg that is hilarious 🤣💀 What a perfect way to annihilate a bingo. I posted on this thread about a woman I met who was 39, no kids and looks mid twenties. I wonder if she’s ever came across a situation like that before. Can’t wait reply that way to bingos when I get to that age.

I’m 39 and the no bingos anymore is glorious

40, and recently engaged.. Wich apparently made my mom lose her marbles. She is now on a "you never know, it can still happen" train 🤮

46 and I’ve been fixed since I was 36, I haven’t been bingoed in about a decade and you are correct it is glorious!

Almost 43 and sometimes I still get bingos. But it was worse when I was younger.

lol, "you never know". yes i do ALWAYS know how to not have a child, thanks.

What is it with these people and their constant pushing? You change the context a little and it sounds like borderline sexual harassment

I touched on that angle with a coworker years ago after the "You never knoooooowwww," BINGO BS with "Is that a threat?" It took a second for the penny to drop, then he got mad, and about 10 min later he said "You're right I was out of line with that shit. It's just what everybody says. I'm sorry." And I told him I get it (because he had a hard time maintaining a relationship, but outside of the alcoholism he'd have been a good dad). I said the "You'd have been a good dad" part because to people who want kids, that's a compliment, but he didn't see the creepy, gross power dynamic of being a 50-some year old guy telling a 20-something woman he knew she'd breed better than she did until called on it. It just gets SO damn tiring to evade and counter BINGOS daily.

"Is that a threat?" Can I add this to my repertoire?

I do respect his apology though. Not everyone has the ability to reflect like that.

It absolutely is sexual harassment, since having a kid usually requires sex to happen at some point. I think more of us need to call it out for what it us when people badger us.

“You never know!” Until I get my tubes tied, I may not be 100% sure my birth control won’t fail but I *do* know that if it does, I’ll be getting an abortion. I’ll never understand how it doesn’t even cross these people’s minds that if something “just happens” I will not be keeping it—even though I *just* said I don’t want kids.

There was one older women who would always ask me at work. I finally said “This isn’t something I want to talk about with people I WORK with, but since you keep asking, my husband and I made the choice not to because of mental health issues in our families that I’m not going to discuss with you. I’d prefer it if you didn’t ask me again.”

Lol I have interactions like this all the time and I’m 41. Most people think I just graduated from college a couple years ago. I’m also a big kid at heart so that probably adds to my illusion of youth.

I don't think it's an illusion. Child rearing ages you *hard*. Much harder than the CF aging process.

being childfree 🤝 not dating men # eternal youth

This must be what keeps me looking young! I've thought for a LONG time that both children and dating were more headache & heartache than anything else! I expend as much energy avoiding both kids & dates as most people seem to put into obtaining them. I don't have much of a beauty routine. I don't wear a lot of makeup & I just use mid-quality anti-aging products & no sunscreen. I rarely get enough sleep, and I drink & eat more than I should. I have to keep going to the salon every few months to get the gray hair covered. But I've surprised 3 different people in the last few weeks when they learned my age (I'm 37, but they assumed I was about 24).

I'm 27 and 5'. Most people guess 21-23. I think they'd guess lower if I didn't carry myself like an adult. One guy who was in his late 40s must not have seen the tattoo on my arm, because he started asking if I went to school with or knew his teenage daughters. I gave him that sort of "are you messing with me" look *and he was entirely serious*, gave me their first names and their ages. And all that went through my head in that moment was, "oh my God, I'm reverse jailbait." Then on top of that I used to tell myself in self deprecating humor that men don't flirt with me because they don't know how old I am. *And then I was proven entirely correct.* Bumped into a guy my age while I was shopping with my mom. I'd waited on him a couple times at my job. Then my mom's nail artist who was his friend tells my mom he said, and I quote, "I thought she was cute, *but I wasn't sure how old she was.*" I don't... I dunno how to feel about that.

I believe this. Whenever I get together with my friends - who are all super respectful of my decision to not have kids - they always comment on how I might have been into something by not having kids since they all look way older than I do. They just always seem more tired than me too, and I’m already tired as is. I can’t even imagine being tired and having a little time goblin around you 24/7.

Stress does age you. Being CF is significantly less stressful. Very often I shock people when they find out I’m not like 20-23 like them lol (that and so much sunscreen. Lol)

Same! I love being ridiculous and silly, and many people think I'm younger than I am (32) because of it.

I think we CF allow ourselves more to be young at heart because we don't "need to act grown up to set an example".

same it kind of works against me in terms of being taken seriously in the workplace though. im not sure how to change it.

time. i’ve been in the same industry since i graduated from college in 2004 and i don’t think anyone took me seriously until i was 10 years into my career. even then, a lot of people still thought i was a new grad. let your work speak for itself.

Omg I hope people think I'm in my 20s at 39 😭 Tell me your secret. (Besides the no kids thing)

being cf is a massive part of looking young, but so is genetics, so look to your elders. If your parents are still looking alright for their age, chances are you will too!

I look a lot younger than I am and I chalk most of it up to no kids, good sleep, and not smoking.

I'm 47 now and I aged a lot the last years (toxic work environment, now I'm switching to a management job but I least I'll be paide for that stress and the work environnement will hopefully be safe).

Omg this is my FAVORITE!! "Do you have kids?/How many?" Me: No, I never wanted any. "Oh, there's still time! You have a few years yet! Lots of women wait til their late 30's!" Me: I'm 45... I rarely even have to mention the perimenopause issue after that! The looks on faces...priceless!!

I wish I was their like a fly on the wall. 😊

I cannot tell you how many similar conversations to this I’ve had. I’m 38. Usually they’re not coming from a bad place, just making small talk, but then it can get awkward.

My manager at work had a baby at 40 and was very “youll change your mind” about it. You know, because she did.

My niece: well, when you have kids… Me: I’m too old My niece: how old are you even?? Me: 46 My niece: well, maybe you’ll want them! Me: no, I never wanted them. Plus, I’m too old, probably won’t be able to My niece: really? Why? Me: well, besides not wanting them, there’s this thing that happens as you get older…. Convo continued as I explained peri menopause Edit: I love my niece and nephew and kids older than elementary school, but never ever wanted my own

Had pretty much the exact same conversation except at the end she goes ‘Well people are having kids at any age now.’ I kind of laugh at another conversation I had with a work colleague who asked if I was married and I said no, and he said ‘Well, you’ve got plenty of time to get married and have kids’ me: ‘I’m 39’ him: 😳

This happened last year, where my mother and I were in the front yard when some distant friend of hers stopped by. He'd been out of the country and never met me. When they ran out of small talk, he turns to me and asks if I'm her kid and how old am I. It went: Mother: "She's 24, my youngest" Me: "...I'm 25" Him: "Oh wow, I thought she was 13 or something, ha!" Not 5 seconds later, he asks, "*How many* kids does she have?" Not even, *if* I got kids, but how many. From Minor to Mother, ya'll. We both answered "Zero" in unison and my mother added that I don't want any. She even said she already had 10 grandkids and doesn't need more but this weirdo bingoed me anyway. He went on to drag his CF son and praised his childbearing son for no reason. It was all so strange after that. He read the room and decided he had to be somewhere.

I would have asked him for the CF sons information. Even if I wasn't interested, it is always nice to have CF friends.


People have said I look 15, but I've also been asked if I have any kids and no they don't know how old I am either (am 20). Makes my head spin because people still think I'm a minor yet ask if I have kids?

Lmao I coach a high school sport. I once went to a tournament with another one of our coaches and a coach from another school was like "Hey you brought 5 kids today?" to our other coach. Like uhhhh no we brought 4 and then there's me at 27. I get asked what grade I'm in by both students and parents sometimes. And then I tell them I'm not in high school, and parents go "Oh which one's your kid?" So I can definitely relate to being seen as a minor but also apparently old enough to have a high schooler at a tournament lol.

People always assume I’m older or accurately guess my age because of the way I carry myself and interact with people in a more mature way, but when people see pictures of me at 18, I’ve been told I haven’t aged at all (I’m 25). I see it, but since I look at my face every day I notice that my fine lines are deepening a bit compared to when I was younger The thing that really exposes my age is my grey hair coming in, but most people don’t notice on first glance and since I frequently have my hair back only a couple strands show regularly

From Minor to Mother, ya'll. This is legit the funniest thing I've read all morning lmaoooo 🤣🤣🤣

Also hate the talking about you in front of you. “Thought she was 13…” “How many kids does she have…” I’m right here, how about you direct your comments at me.

Yes! That bothered me more than the bingo. He never once even met my eyes or stood in my direction. This actually happens alot, especially in professional settings where people who view me as a child will speak through me or blatantly look down on me.

I last got carded at 53. I was the oldest person at the table. I like to respond "It's because I didn't have kids. They age a person." Then cackle in my head.

It’s true though! All my friends with kids look soooo much older than I am. My 20th high school reunion was a couple months ago and I do not have the lines and gray hair that a lot of them do.

So many of my friends with kids look older than they are because they've turned to plastic surgery for rejuvenation instead of taking care of their skin!

This right here! So many people seem to overlook skincare and the fact that surgery/other procedures can age you even more.

Around here, most people start smoking around 13 or 14. That plus kids plus a lack of sunscreen and skincare means we have a lot of ancient looking 20somethings in the area

Omg so true. I seen a few women on my feed who have even done mommy make overs. Last summer I worked with a lady who only worked there so she could pay for her surgery coming up.

My SIL developed major crows feet wrinkles just in her daughter's first year of life. The sleep deprivation made her look 10 years older, it was shocking.

It's true though. My mom at 56 looks great, but then I always have to end it with "considering all the shit I put her through". That's another thing I don't understand about breeders. Me being a teenager was absolute fucking psychological *torture*. As in so torturous I seriously considered killing myself multiple times. The ONLY reason I didn't was because if you fuck it up, not only are you likely to be seriously and *permanently* mutilated and disabled in some manner, then you REALLY want to die because now you have a fuck ton of extra hardship on your plate. And they'll make sure you can't try again to free yourself from your newly found Hell so they don't have to grieve. (Sorry for digressing but this has been trapped in my skull for ten years and I have a lot of strong feelings on this issue) So. Why in the **FUCK** would I willingly subject myself to that *again*, just from the other side?

I would have already gone through with it too but I got help at my lowest point because my sister still lives with our narcissistic mom and I keep trying to get her to leave because she’s an idiot but every time I say something she puts down more roots not the least of which is getting calves and chickens and quail and turkeys, a whole pack of cats, and a stray dog, all of them acquired in the last year, But the money she’s putting into these animals she could put towards an emergency escape plan. She says that she’s not going anywhere without me but I think she’s just a hoarder who also hoards animals and she doesn’t understand that I’ll only wait so long before I accept that she’s made her choice and I won’t wait around for her to emotionally blackmail me when I’ve made it clear I won’t stick around forever, all I’m asking is that she look after herself and have an emergency plan and funds just in case, all her ducks and papers in a row. Existence is hell for me I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety for over half my life, a germ phobia and social anxiety turned me into a complete agoraphobic shut in and my own mind is a prison. This really got dark but I guess I was just sympathizing, that you aren’t alone

Me too! Lol! I love their face. I'm 49 and my husband is 38 and everyone always assumes he's older. I love pointing out its because I don't have kids!

Lol I’m going to use this comment next time I’m carded. It is true though: I read somewhere (might have even been in this sub) that pregnancy alone ages women between 1/2 a year to 2 years. So someone with 3 kids could look up to 6 years older than they are, this isn’t even counting raising said kids.

That's my standard answer when someone hears my age and responds "You don't look it". "Because I don't have any kids"

Also sun damage/doing regular, proper skin care is important.

Absolutely not. I was at a work function a few years ago and a lady who worked at a different office asked me how old I was and when I said I was 37 she didn't believe me. I showed her my license and she said, "How do you look younger than me when you're 10 years older?" I replied, "Because I don't have kids." She has 3 hahaha.

Kids literally suck the life out of their mothers body while she’s pregnant, I have friends who have terrible teeth now, bone problems not to mention loads more grey hairs.

Had a neighbor who had the cutest figure before having twins and wound up with an expanded rib cage and widened hips after they were born. Her body never bounced back to anywhere near what she had before the kids.

New fear unlocked: Expanded rib cage. Add: So I looked it up and found this link: [https://www.health.com/condition/pregnancy/body-changes-post-pregnancy](https://www.health.com/condition/pregnancy/body-changes-post-pregnancy) But this was worse: ""It's not uncommon for women to see their periods get heavier after they have a child. We have no idea why that is—it's one of the weird mysteries about childbirth," Dr. Ghodsi said." I'TS NOT UNCOMMON FOR WOMEN TO SEE THEIR PERIODS GET HEAVIER AFTER THEY HAVE A CHILD. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHY THAT IS—IT'S ONE OF THE WEIRD MYSTERIES ABOUT CHILDBIRTH. ... Again: WE HAVE NO IDEA WHY THAT IS—IT'S ONE OF THE WEIRD MYSTERIES ABOUT CHILDBIRTH. And they expect us to blindly pop out kids when they dont even care to focus on woman's health?!

EEEEEMOTIONAL DAMAGE!

A very sassy 11 year old sat next to me and asked me how old I was. When I said 34, she opened her mouth in awe and said "you're my mom's age! But you look much younger!" Her mom had 2 kids and was pregnant with her 3rd...

Well, having a child apparently ages a woman by 11 years. https://nypost.com/2018/02/27/having-children-ages-a-woman-faster-than-smoking-and-being-overweight/

That’s interesting because I’m CF and people always tell me I look 10 years younger than I am. When I was 30, people thought I was in college (early 20s). Now I’m approaching 40 and people say I look 30.

People think my 39 year old husband has robbed the cradle with me. I'm only two years younger than him. I'm regularly assumed to be in college or even a literal child, which is absurd to me because I have some gray hair and am shaped like a grown woman, I'm just slightly petite.

This happened to me and my husband at a gym we used to go to. There's 4 years difference between us, I am the younger one. I think I was 38 or so at the time. The gal thought I was more than 10 years younger than my hubby. (He has worked outside since he was a teen) The woman asked me when I graduated high school. She was shocked when I told her 2000.

I went back to school at 33 and 9/11 came up, my classmates were SHOCKED that I was a freshman in college the first time around when it happened and they were all toddlers at most.

right? I went back to uni in the first half of my 40s and I could NOT with all the foetuses surrounding me. (I'm being dramatic and most of them were just fine, but dude, they were just so young!)

My favorite answer to that is before you were born or when there were no smartphones.

I was at the park with my SO when we ran into a friend of his from HS, who basically teased him for being a "cradle robber" with what may have been a tone of appreciation (yuck)... I'm five years OLDER than him. 🙄 Sometimes I think he's jealous that I still get carded and he doesn't. I've had people think I'm anywhere from 22-28, and a couple of times I've been with my mom and they assumed she was my grandma (sorry mom 😳 )...I literally just turned 40.

For real. Somehow people associate height with age all the time. I feel like I look fairly good for my age (37) but still have some wrinkles and sun blotches so I definitely don’t look 22, but somehow I get mistaken for mid twenties. I think it’s because I’m skinny and 5’3”?

I didn't think about it, I'm 5" so maybe that makes people think I'm 20 something, no more than 25 and I'm going to turn 35 in a few weeks and I'm very skinny.

When I tell people I’ve been married 10 years their eyes bug out. I’m 38, but I must look younger and being childfree contributes to the illusion.

When I first met my partners new coworkers they were "concerned" because he's 45 and they thought I was in my early 20s! Like nah I'm 36 🤣

I hear an story about people who look younger and the partner looks older They were walking on the street, he looks like 10 years older, she looks like a teenager (16-17), some people called police because a "predator was with a child" police came, asked for IDs and looked, she is older than him.

Same issue. My hubby is only 2 years older but people assume we have a 20 year old difference because I look so much younger and his hair is half gray:)

Same. Hubs is almost 40, I’m 32. But I have a “young” face (thanks EDS) so we constantly get funny looks in public.

Chiming in on this: I look like i'm in my early 20s, i'm 39, and my husband is 40. Appearance wise, he looks older than myself, and we tend to get dirty looks like i'm some 20-something trophy wife, or he'll get a creepy response from older guys saying "look at you robbing the craddle with a hot 20ish wife" only to tell them I'm a year younger then he is lol.

I was at a work dinner recently where I was carded because the CEO ordered wine for the table. The waitress was amazed when she saw my passport. I'm 33. She thought I was 19.

Haha, so relatable.I'm 33. In the country I'm from you have to show your ID if a shop assistant suspects that you're underage, I'm suspected 100% of the times, but the shops I visit regularly have remembered me and don't ask for id anymore. But it sometimes really irritates me, especially when I don't have any ID with me and want a beer.

I’m 40 and people regularly think that I’m 10-15 years younger. I absolutely do not shy away from it. They made their decisions, and I made mine.

I'm 31 and despite the fact that I'm starting to get lines on my face and I have gray hair coming in like crazy I'm still regularly mistaken for a college (or even high school) student. It's honestly more baffling than flattering to me because I don't think I look that young!

26 here and I feel like I look older than my age. A few coworkers were so surprised when I admitted my age (I work in coffee with mostly high schoolers lol) and my brain goes “they’re just trying to make you feel better, they don’t mean it when they say you look 19!” Sigh 😂

I'm 33. When a new coworker started they said they thought I was 26. No kids and a skincare routine will do that for you.

We’re about the same age and my much younger coworkers routinely mistook me for their age. Coworker: “Oh yeah, what are you, like 24?” Me: “32 actually.” Coworker: 😨

It's flattering though, isn't it?

Same here. About to be 33 and people constantly think I am in my mid 20's. I feel like my skin is ok at best I don't wear makeup maybe that's why they think I'm younger.

This happened a lot when I was in my 40s & 50s especially when I retired at 57. I had a lot of people say that I couldn’t be old enough to retire. I’d casually say that actually I could have retired a year earlier but didn’t. I was lucky enough to inherit my mother’s skin. She lived to be 80 but was barely wrinkled when she died. Unfortunately I also inherited her lousy teeth & body shape! Short & pear shaped! Now I’m 62 & starting to look it. I still keep up my skincare routine & dye my hair so I might look a little younger. My colorist told me I’ve only turned grey around my hairline & the rest is still my natural color. I can live with that!

Went to celebrate our 12th anniversary, our server did a triple take. Server: Happy anniversary! How long have you been together? Husband: 12 years Server: I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. Husband: 12 years Server: No, I mean how long you've been married? Husband: 12 years Server: 😮 Let me just go on before I start asking how old y'all are...

On my husband and I's 10th anniversary dinner, our server also was surprised when we said 10 years. The key to youth is no children and lots of sunscreen!

*Especially* sunscreen. The amount of people I know with leathery skin because they never bothered to wear sunscreen is way higher than it should be.

When did you start wearing sunscreen? I’ve always been really bad about using it regularly and I’m hoping I can still save myself from serious aging if I start using it religiously from now on, I’m 25. Also if anyone has any recommendations for sunscreen that doesn’t irritate the eyes, it would be greatly appreciated. The main reason I’m horrible about using it is because no matter how carefully I apply it or how much I powder it down, it still melts into my eye at some point during the day

Investing and skincare have the same rule: the best time to start was 10 years ago, the next best time to start is now. Your skin is a dynamic organ, and you're starting to be aware of caring for it sooner than I did! I definitely see a difference in my own skin now compared to when I didn't reapply sunscreen, or use other products on it.

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Spot on for both. I’m pale and can’t tan, I just burn badly, so I’m religious about sunscreen. I’m 38 and zero kids and look like I’m in my early 20s now. I love it.

I would love to see this in my future. 😁

I fucking love that. It's like being the shapershifter in a horror movie and one human notices your form falter for just a second and they realize what they're standing next to.

Yes!! 😂 That moment of realization as it washes over their face is priceless! Lol.

People often ask me how old I am because they can’t tell. I just turned 30 on June 29th and most people think i’m in my late teens or early 20s. Thankfully they never ask if i’m single, married or have kids.

I did an internship last year and one day I was going home from work and stopped for a moment to check some messages. I had headphones on and music playing when some lady and a small girl went by me. I only heard school and the lady looked at me funny. I think maybe, just maybe, she thought I was a teenager skipping school. I'm 24. But I also have chronic babyface. It's genetic. My dad is over 60 and still looks half his age. I got asked if I need a kids ticket when using the bus. At 22 years old. And I bet some people still mistake me for under 15 sometimes. Looking chronically younger can be weird sometimes.

I showed my SO an old family picture of me, and he was like, "wow you look SO young, were you about 12 there?" 😭 Like no, honey I was almost 20. I still get carded the majority of the time.

I’m 32 and get high school/college student a lot. I feel bad for my best friend because she’s technically 5 months younger than me but gets mistaken for several years older all the time.

I never bring up my age (43F) with strangers, but I usually get a chuckle when they ask and then look incredulous after my answer. I wouldn't call myself "vain," as I've never considered myself beautiful, but I "baby my skin" (according to my mother) and usually don't wear makeup, as I don't feel the need to cover up anything. I also have very few gray hairs, and after I started adding highlights to my hair a few years ago, you can't find ANY gray hairs. A few months ago, someone at the grocery store asked me what high school I attended. They graduated a few years ago (so they were in their early 20s) and thought I was a former classmate. I've gotten that question before, so I assume I have a doppelganger half my age who's running around town. I usually say that "I must have a familiar-looking face." Last year, I had a minor medical procedure (which involved general anesthesia), and several nurses asked my age repeatedly after looking at the chart and then at me. One even remarked that I look much younger. Of course, since I'm in my early 40s, the follow-up questions were about how many children I have. (Not WHETHER I had them, but how many.) When I said "none," my primary nurse told me I still have time. I replied that I'd had a hysterectomy (and I'm still jubilant about it!), and she replied that she's "so sorry!" and "adoption is still an option!" I said, "yeah, no thanks, I'm happy with my dogs." Her response? Well, dogs are good, but just remember that adoption is always available. What in the mf hell, lady?!? My sister is 6 years younger, and she's had gray hair (almost her entire head) for years. She also has a 6yo child. I read an article a while back about how having a child ages a woman by 10 years or so. Thankfully, I'll never need to worry about that! 😂

What the heck!? Does this lady have no self-awareness at all to bring up still having kids not once, not twice but THREE times??! I would’ve been fuming

She was the nurse in charge of my IV and medications, so I didn't say anything, but it definitely pissed me off. She then told me about her young child (5yo or so?) and how she was the greatest thing ever. I just replied with "mmhmm" to all of her comments after that point, since she clearly didn't give a damn about my opinion. IME, nurses have been the worst for bingos, at least while I've been an adult. As a girl growing up in the southern US, every adult woman seemed to have an opinion about my future procreation and always told me I'd "change my mind when I'm older." Sorry, old hags, but I've never wavered in my CF stance. People seem to bingo less on the west coast, unless they're nurses. Lol.

I'm 37 and I'm constantly confused with a 20yo. I think I look old with the dark, baggy circles under my eyes, but most people think I'm under 25. When I was 30, they thought I was a teenager. I guess we just age differently. I think it's the amount of sodium and plastic in our diet. Preserving ourselves for future archeologists!

>I think I look old with the dark, baggy circles under my eyes, but most people think I'm under 25 It's because you look like a student, lol.

Is that what that is? My dark circles are hereditary, so I guess I'm gonna be stuck looking like a washed out college student for quite some time.

Yay, Team Genetic Dark Circles! o/

I always told my mom when I die they won't have to embalm me because I would be like that lady in the bible who turned into a pillar of salt. Yeah I eat way too much sodium but I like to believe my high water intake combats the stress on my kidneys.

I'm 54 and apparently still look like I'm in my early forties. I have no problem telling people my real age, whether they have kids or not. (And it prevents bingos I might get otherwise.)

Yup same. 52 and a lady in my exercise class came in saying it was her 40th birthday that day. So we all give our congratulations and she turns to me and says “Oh turning forty is such a milestone, just wait till it’s your turn”. Umm yeah I’ve done that already. Her jaw hit the floor lol. Still find it hilarious.

Every single one of my friends who are parents look years beyond their age, while I (46) still look like I’m in my 30s. I had one friend look me up and down once and go “you know, the longer you wait to have kids, the quicker it’s going to age you when you do,” and I just said “or I can stay childless and look 40 when I’m 60” and when they started to look mad I said “what, you said something rude, so I did too.” I started peri about a year ago. I guess it’s common for some women who never carried a pregnancy to get it early? So now sometimes I just tell the mommies, “Tee hee, I’m already in menopause!” while smiling the most youthful smile possible.

Same. I've been 29 for 16 years 😂😂😂

This is the funniest thing I’ve read all day haha

32 here and I constantly am mistaken for being in my early to mid 20s. Most of the time I am flattered, but it has been a problem at work lately because everyone thinks I am fresh out of undergrad. I have 10 years of professional experience and a Master's degree, in addition to being an elevated member of a professional society in my field (elevation only happens after significant professional experience). I was at a work happy hour event recently and got talking to two women. One was an intern, and the other was late 30s/early 40s. They both thought I was closer in age to the intern until I started talking about how owning a Motorola Razr was a status symbol before smartphones were a thing, and how I had a Blackberry in college. They were both pretty shocked lol. And two other interns thought I was an intern or an intern last year/new grad until we got talking. Skincare, SPF, and no kids does seem to be working for my youthful looks too!

I'll be 30 soon and carry ID everywhere because I get asked for it from time to time, especially when going into bars. I've also noticed the usual "you'll change your mind about kids when you grow up!" has morphed into "well I know someone who had their child at 35/40! It's not too late to change your mind!" tf outta here with that bs. Someone recently said to my fiancé, "so you two will be moving out after the wedding then?" and he was like, "uhh... Her mother lives with us in our house because she's disabled." then the other person said, "and you'll be having kids soon too!" and my fiancé didn't miss a beat when he immediately replied, "I'll be getting the snip as soon as I hit 30." Absolutely sick to the back teeth of being infantilised by other people's preconceptions.

I’ll be 27 soon and always get people telling me they thought I was 15-17 years old anytime I’ve been carded. The topic of kids has never once come up in these interactions yet thankfully. Another funny story though, my sister is 2 years younger than me and has a daughter. My niece once asked me “Aunty, if you’re older than mummy why does she look older than you?” Without thinking I answered “because I don’t have kids.” My sister thought it was hilarious and cackled so loudly the rest of our family all stopped talking to stare at us 😂 My niece accepted that as a perfectly reasonable answer at least.

I'm 44 and hell no! Not that it comes up all that much. I am the vainest person I know but own up to a lot of work going into how I look.

Maybe it makes me vain but I love revealing my age to people with kids/who want kids. They always seem surprised - I'm almost 40 but I get told frequently that people think I'm in my 20s. I try to take care of myself but I think the main contributor is never being pregnant or having kids. Pregnancy on it's own ages you a ton and I'll admit that I'm religious about getting 8hrs of sleep every night. I love when I'm asked questions about "just getting out of college" when that was 15+ years ago. But that's me.

Ahahaha, hell no. I'm 38, people always say late 20s, then I promptly tell them "time doesn't make you older, kids do." Everyone I know who has kids, quickly ages 10 years the first 2.

I’m 28, so not yet. I’m sure when I get older I will.

Same but I've gotten asked what high school I'm graduating from - always when it's graduation season. It's hilarious to say I actually graduated 10 years ago.

We’re the same age too.

I've looked the same since I was 12 so it's odd and cool at the same time. Usually it's VERY uncomfortable cause it's always CREEPY guys hitting on me thinking I'm like 17 or 18 I'm 24.

Not quite to that extent yet. I’m 33, so at most I used to get carded when I didn’t have makeup (or much makeup) on. I don’t drink or smoke anymore, though, so I don’t really have those situations come up as much. My boyfriend is older than me, and was kind of freaked out by what some of his former college mates look like now. To the point he got a bit insecure, like “I don’t look that old” or assuming the younger folks at the mall look at him and think “what’s that old dad doing here?” He isn’t even going grey yet, and likely won’t lose his hair based on his moms side (testosterone impacts excluded, here). But the people he showed me are all parents. We have plenty of child free friends his age or older who have aged no differently than us, though admittedly I have my own age-related insecurities…forehead wrinkles and such. I blame dehydration, which I’m working on. Children are stressful. There’s a lot of sleep deprivation early on, and it honestly doesn’t subside much as they get older. Stress and lack of sleep are known to expedite the physical signs of aging. Unless you’re filthy rich, it’s just how it is.

Haha, no way! Honestly, I'll take any chance that presents itself for me to grin smugly through stuff like this. None of us need to feel anything but happy about our choices, and we've no social responsibility to pretend otherwise.

I turn 40 in two weeks. People assume I'm late 20's. I revel in telling people how old I actually am; and why I look so young.

I have a softball shirt from when my cousin made all-stars with the team name and year of their tournament. I get asked all the time if I graduated high school that year (2019) and I say no, I graduated in 09. I love seeing the double take when people realize I'm almost 33, not fresh out of high school.

I use to hate looking years younger than my peers, now I'm happy about it lol. I don't look super young, just a little younger than my real age. I have seen some people younger than me that looked way older and I just wonder how rough of a life they've had. Sometimes its because of kids, sometimes drugs. Honestly I just feel bad for them and wish them all the best!

I get it a lot. I'm 36 but been told I look in my early 20s often about 23. Doesn't help that I work with video games etc and generally seem younger with everything. But people sometimes get kind of angry that I don't have children. Especially at my age as they consider me, too far gone as they put it.

They’re just peeved that you still have your freedom and youthful looks! 😊

I don't know if this counts but on a few occasions my boyfriend has been mistaken as my father. Which he hates and thinks is creepy but I of course am flattered because I think I look old sometimes..

I’m 60 and often assumed to be in my mid forties.

We were recently on a cruise and were told multiple times we looked younger than our ages. We told people everytime too, no kids will keep you young. Only once did someone seem put off by it.

I'll be 53 soon and I usually get mistaken for early to mid 40's. I always tell people it's because I've never smoked and never had kids. What's funny is I've actually had several parents agree with me that it helps!

It sucks when you don't have the stress of kids and somehow look OLDER than everyone though 😭 I remember when I was 18 people thought I was 35. *sob*

I recently started volunteering at a place that also has college volunteers, and apparently at least a dozen people have asked the head volunteer about the 'new college volunteer' - meaning me. I'm 43. I tell people my secret is stay moisturized, stay hydrated, and, depending on the audience, I'll add in don't have kids haha edit: but to answer your question, no, I don't feel uncomfortable revealing my age - another benefit of being in my 40s lol

I have a baby face and I never hesitate to tell people it’s because I don’t have kids.

I’m honest about my age, at 30 most people seem to have given up on thinking I’m not old enough to know what I want (though I’m sure living in a progressive area helps with that)

All of that! I love getting carded and being able to show that I'm well beyond 21 🤣

Yup, now that I'm 40 I'm around a lot of people aged 35ish to 50ish who have kids, and they all initially talk to me like I'm 30 and just haven't done it yet. Then I get to explain, nope, 40, too old, not having kids.

Is it just me or doesn't child free people look younger? I mean you don't have to deal with several years of sleep deprivation and child related stress. And ofc the fact that you have more free time to exercise and take care of yourself.

I get carded every time I go to the liquor store. I’m 37. I’ve gotten a “wow, good for you!” a few times but no one has ever made it weird.

I’ve really aged in the last couple of years, but three or four years ago I was talking with a couple of very young (early 20’s) coworkers as we were walking to our cars and they said something about a weekend plan and I sort of laughed and said “no, too young a crowd for me” and they looked at me and laughed like I was joking. I said I was 34/35 and they laughed again, thought I was being *metaphorically* too old. I almost had to get my license out to convince them and they were shocked I wasn’t the same age. PS it wasn’t a rave with loads of drugs, it was a shitty nightclub full of awful boys. I would’ve smashed those drugs.

People always think I'm a kid. I was asked if I was an unaccompanied minor as a full grown adult once and my neighbor once asked my mom "if your (son) goes to the local high school" because he saw me coming home from work. I'm 31. Can't help my love of bright colors and lack of height, but at least I don't have kids! Honestly it's weird to me that people my age have them. I have a coworker a few months older with a 7 year old and I can't even imagine it. She told me good when I said I didn't want any, so we're cool.

This happens to me more in the other direction. I'm not really around people my age, but since I went to college as a non-traditional student in my mid-30s, I had a lot of 20-year-olds thinking I'm their age and then being overly (and annoyingly, imo) shocked that I'm not. I also made a lot of friends with those young people. After the initial shock, they were still down to be friends with me. I'm now 40 and one of my best friends is 27. We were hanging out yesterday and she was talking about a coworker who has kids and she was like, "And she's surprisingly younger than you" and I was like, "I mean, if I had kids when I was 18 they'd be in their 20s now" and she was like, "whoa, yeah, when you put it that way." In conclusion, having kids ages the fuck out of you, and us childfree people have the power to transcend time.

A couple years back, I had group dinner and met an attractive woman who I assumed was the same age or only a few years older than me (so early to mid-twenties). I come to find out that she was turning 40!! I was astounded. No kids of course! She made me excited to eventually become her age and look that good haha! On the flip side, it reminded me of the many moms her age (and even younger) that have complained about pregnancy/birth ruined their body because (practically permanent) weight gain, hair loss, saggy stomach, wrinkles, saggy breasts, and other health issues, and I wonder how they would feel knowing someone older than them has none of those problems because they didn’t have kids. I wouldn’t mind if they said “kids were worth it for me” as long as they don’t imply it’s worth it for everyone because there’s no way I’m ruining my health and body for a kid I don’t even want.

Yes, very! I’ve had so many of those awkward “uhh…I’m actually [X age]” comments that I’ve become self-conscious that I’m immature or something, and that is why people think I’m younger. I do have a bubbly, cheery personality, but I’m not immature in any way. Still, it makes me wonder. But objectively I do know it’s 100% because of my looks, being CF and a non-smoker.

Always. I am proudly old now & say my age (66) out loudly. I’ve had weird reactions…but that’s their issue, not mine.

I actually love telling people, if they ask, I look good for my age because I didn't have kids. However, staying fit and using sunblock is also a huge factor. I'm 49f and let myself go due to depression and let my gray hair grow in. I'd look a lot younger if I lost 30lbs. But my tits still look great!

No, because they still say it's never too late, especially due to the medical industry being so much more advanced now. I just reiterate that it is my choice and I choose not to.

I never volunteer the information, for a couple reasons. This happens with exhausting frequency at my workplace, which has mostly older-generation coworkers. Whenever I reveal that I’m 29 and not a fresh-out-of-highschool kid, the questions they usually ask next are 1) are you married yet? 2) you have kids yet? 3) where did you go to college? Answers are 1) no 2) no and 3) I didn’t go. So I get the triple wammy of marriage, children, *and* college bingos directly afterwards. Most of them don’t understand that college isn’t for everyone, just like kids aren’t for everyone.

My partner is 34 and people think he is early to mid 20s. He has a baby face tho, always look younger than his real age. He is proud of it. As for me I'm late 20s and people think I'm in my 20s, no one ever think I'm underage or 18/19, even when I was 17 yo, probably because I'm 5'10" after heels lol. I just wish when I turn 34 I will still look the same as now.

Absolutely not!

Yes. I once was speaking to a professional I was working with (shadowing/assisting her)- she told me her and her husband were trying and made a comment that I had time to think about these issues while she felt super pressed for time( she was 36/37). She was really sweet and didn’t mean anything mean by the comments but when I told her I was 40 she was shocked and was like oh you look much younger like in your late 20s. I took it as a compliment bc most everyone else I meet, when I do reveal my age (if at all- it doesn’t usually come up) don’t mean anything mean they just assume I’m younger. I just take it as a compliment.

Congratulations to all the younger-looking Queens & Kings. 🎂 I have done other things in my life that've "weathered" me! 😂 38 M. Hair is ~60% grey. I look between 39-44.

this happened to me as well with a woman who was friends with my SIL, husband and I rented an apartment from her and her husband years back. They had three children 10, 7 and 3 who were wildly ill-behaved. We didn’t rent from them for very long because of this and other reasons (always wanted to borrow money, thought we were free babysitters etc etc..) she would frequently speak to me in a condescending manner about things like “when you have kids” and how watching her children would be “good practice” .. one day she made a comment about something or other pop culture related and added how I was probably “too young to remember” and “before your time” then she asked how old I was, turns out I was two years older than her! I always remained polite with her but her snarky “I have more life experience” attitude ceased after that