BellaOnline Forums Family Midlife Relating to Younger People

Way to go Jilly - age is but a number

I am age 52 and still YOUNG (lol)

I can relate to any age if I put my mind to it. Just keeping an OPEN mind and listening, not judging makes the process a whole lot simpler. I never use to be this way. And actually enjoying my interaction with the students at the university I am working at. They are silly at times and bring a smile to my face.

You know it's funny I have always been the youngest of my group but now that I'm in my 40's and have kids in their teens and early twenties I feel like I am still the same as I've always been. In fact having kids kept my young since I listeded to their music and introduced them to ACDC and other bands they hadn't heard of. I think that respect is the foundation of all relationships no matter the age. If you respect the younger people in your life you'll find that the generation gap doesn't occur. That doesn't mean that you act like a kid. Act your age since someone acting like a 20 year old when they are in their 40's is not a good sight. But keep a youthful look about things and try not to become judgemental. My kids still think I'm cool even though I my 22 year old knows I hate the "shots..shots...shots..." song.

uh oh....I don't know the "shots...shots...shots" song. Gulp...you KNOW what that means. LOL.

I'm not so much concerned with age perse as I am with maintaining my health and vitality as I age (I'm a Gen Xer). However, when I hear people talk about age discrimination when it comes to work, I do worry a little, but there's nothing I can do about it, so I try not to give it too much thought.

In terms of relating to younger people, I'm always amazed that I could have a child as old as some of my co-workers--who are in their twenties. When my mother was my age I was 25 and married! Meanwhile my children are barely pre-teens.

I had my daughter when I was 37 and I always thought that kept me feeling young. At the time, I did home daycare and all my moms were young but I was still one of them.

Now it's the grandkids that make me feel young. There's nothing like having a tea party with a 4 year old to make you feel like a kid again!

All the kids recently got iPhones and sit playing games on them, which I don't really see the purpose to. However, I did get text messaging because they seem to respond better to that than a phone call.

I'm aging backwards. I feel as though I'm getting younger every day.

Like Asha, I do remember being the new kid on the block at the office. Some of the older hens sorta resented the fact that I took on a high position straight out of college and had to supervise them.

Now that I'm older, I do miss the social perks that young women seem to enjoy but--darn it--I now create my OWN perks.