Anyone find looking young a curse?

[279cupcakes]

So glad this thread exists!

I'm early 20s and was flying recently and the woman at check-in thought I was 13. My 15 year old brother was next to me, felt great hearing apparently I look younger than someone in secondary school
I also get it a lot from my friends and coworkers, I remember someone saying to me 'I thought I looked young until I met you... '
My parents keep telling me I'll reap the benefits when I'm older (my dad's coworkers thought he was late 30s when he turned 50) but it's frustrating in the moment.

 

[Puffin_island]

I'm 37 and often get mistaken for early 30s. I think because I'm quite "childish" and have a 2 year old, people assume I'm that age. Whereas at work, most people my age have teenagers so have been doing "responsible grown up stuff" for years already and makes me the anomaly.

 

[Magnolia4]

The postman rang the bell today as he had a letter my husband had to sign for. As I opened the door he asked if my dad was home.


I get it. I look young, I’m 155cm which also doesn’t help. Still f*cking frustrating, annoying, embarrassing. I’m 32 years old I feel like I’ll never be taken seriously

 

[Kim Mild]

Bit of a rant incoming - been celebrating my 40th and people have just been telling me they don't think I look 40 rather than saying happy birthday

 

[Warriorqueen]

Bit of a rant incoming - been celebrating my 40th and people have just been telling me they don't think I look 40 rather than saying happy birthday

Annoying isn’t it. I’m 44 and look more like late 20s early 30s. I am paranoid people think I’m a bit ‘mutton dressed as lamb’.

 

[Kim Mild]

Annoying isn’t it. I’m 44 and look more like late 20s early 30s. I am paranoid people think I’m a bit ‘mutton dressed as lamb’.

It's so annoying at the best of times but when someone is talking about a recent or upcoming birthday surely the obvious response is to wish them a happy birthday.

 

[watermelon sugar]

I’m 27 and got ID’ed in Tesco for paracetomal. Started a new job a few months ago and mentioned my son… someone asked what it’s like being a teen Mum I was like er I don’t know I’m 27

 

[Tangent Tiger]

I used to look much younger than my age but I think I'm fairly grizzled now so can't join in here

 

[ILoveMyBrick]

Oh ok. One time I did get annoyed when I was accompanying my other half at supermarket. He was buying himself beer, and they asked for my ID. I wasn't the one buying it and i didn't have my ID with me (we were mid 20s). They refused to sell it to him. I've never worked in retail so I don't know the rules, but I didn't realise you couldn't buy alcohol if accompanied by someone underage..

In the UK, the accepted rule for cashiers serving people wanting age-protected products in supermarkets is to always ID all customers in groups (from groups of 2 upwards - even obvious partners) where the cashier is not absolutely certain that both/all of the group are definitely over 25. It is not unheard of, for example, for one of the group who has ID to attempt to buy alcohol for one or more under-aged members of the group not possessing ID - known as purchase by proxy; hence the rule that everyone in the group needs to show their ID or no sale.

 

[keepyourpeace]

Got idd at the bar at Twickenham and the guy went oh jesus christ when I handed it over.
I'm 30 He told me I don't look as old as that!

 

[Kim Mild]

I got asked for I.d in the supermarket today cos I bought wine in my weekly shop.
I thought I must now look old enough not to be asked any more because they usually just press the yes without checking.

 

[JustHereForTheAgriculture]

I really thought I had outgrown looking young. The last time I got ID’d for alcohol I was 26.
But a few weeks ago I was at my mother’s doctor with her, chatting to the receptionist. She, the receptionist, was talking about her son and how he was in his last year of school when Covid first hit. How it was hard for him with starting college during lockdown and trying to get out into the world etc.
And then she says to my mam ‘I’m sure your daughter was the same’

I was 27 when Covid hit

 

[Kim Mild]

I really thought I had outgrown looking young. The last time I got ID’d for alcohol I was 26.
But a few weeks ago I was at my mother’s doctor with her, chatting to the receptionist. She, the receptionist, was talking about her son and how he was in his last year of school when Covid first hit. How it was hard for him with starting college during lockdown and trying to get out into the world etc.
And then she says to my mam ‘I’m sure your daughter was the same’

I was 27 when Covid hit

I feel like I'm never getting past it and that I'm never seen as being adult enough.


It knocks my confidence and affects my self image. I'd been feeling better about myself lately too, but since the other day I've had a set back .

 

[Sibz]

I'm early 30s and usually still get IDed a lot, but I was at a festival recently and getting a drink at the bar, they asked me to take my sunglasses off instead of asking ID and just looked at me and said "ok" guess my crows feet gives me away now!!

 

[Magnolia4]

I feel like I'm never getting past it and that I'm never seen as being adult enough.


It knocks my confidence and affects my self image. I'd been feeling better about myself lately too, but since the other day I've had a set back .

I can totally relate to this. I also think it massively affects my credibility at work with colleagues I don’t know since I look so young still (I have a senior position, keep having to prove myself).
Plus I have 2children and when we’re out people stare, probably judging me as a “teen mom”. I’m 32

 

[Sharkfan]

Just discovered this thread and find it quite annoying looking younger when I’m trying to get people to take me seriously, especially at work/uni. I’ve found that since starting uni and entering the adult world lots of people think I need babying because I don’t look my age. The worst is when people my age or younger talk down to me!
One of the staff members at my first placement school consistently talked to me as if I was one of the kids and once wouldn’t let me into the staff room to warm up a heat pack. I’d understand being mistaken for a student in a secondary school but this was a primary school!

 

[ILoveMyBrick]

Almost as bad as looking young, I find, is sounding young. Despite being a middle aged woman I still have a young sounding voice which hasn’t aged over the years. I have lost count of the times I have been ‘spoken down to‘ on the phone by people who no doubt assume that I’m at least three decades younger than I am & adopt a really patronising or condescending tone with me. On the odd occasion that they actually find out my date of birth their attitude changes completely and they no longer talk to me as if I’m lacking in any sort of sense, intelligence or wisdom.
*Edited to remove superfluous words

 

[Deeznutslol]

In the UK, the accepted rule for cashiers serving people wanting age-protected products in supermarkets is to always ID all customers in groups (from groups of 2 upwards - even obvious partners) where the cashier is not absolutely certain that both/all of the group are definitely over 25. It is not unheard of, for example, for one of the group who has ID to attempt to buy alcohol for one or more under-aged members of the group not possessing ID - known as purchase by proxy; hence the rule that everyone in the group needs to show their ID or no sale.

Some of them are ridiculously OTT with it though.
I remember being in the supermarket with my dad as a kid, I must’ve been about 13/14 (so very obviously a child), and he was browsing the beer section jobsworth comes up and starts asking him if both of us had ID and saying she wouldn’t be able to sell it to him unless I did!
It was so cringe because they had a bit of back and fourth where my dad was like are you seriously not going to let me buy beer coz my kid is with me? Then her manager then turned up and called her off and let my dad buy it in the end.

 

[Kim Mild]

We went to a retro / nostalgia event today. There was a local business involved, and they are having their 40th anniversary (next year, I think ) and they had one of their products from that time, and workplace things like a telephone and a typewriter, and some toys that kids could play with.
They lady said all these things are from 40 years ago , even older than your parents. I don't think it was necessary to say anything like that . She could have just asked if we remembered things like that . Then she was saying some of the stuff other people have was from the war so it is even older than your grandparents . Well it isn't cos my parents were both born war time.

It's passed me off cos she could have stated the facts , without making assumptions . I'm 41 now , and I don't think how others perceive me has increased as I age.

 

[Ilovemusic]

Don't despair! I'm 5'2", was very skinny and looked much younger, even at 28 I was refused service because I looked under 18. It was very frustrating and annoying but I'm having the last laugh now, my friends are somewhat envious as they tell me I still look ten years younger!