People who comment on your age.

WeAreGhosts

Just wondered what other opinions were on this, and how people deal with the question ...

I look young for my age (30). I know I look young, I can't help it; it's part genetics, part medical, and partly because I don't drink or smoke.

I keep getting people randomly asking my age. It's driving me mad!

For example, I am house-hunting at the moment and sometimes I take along someone older than me, so I suppose it looks like I'm their granddaughter or something. But they just come right out and ask me how old I am.

Is it me or is that just plain rude?

I had an incident this week where someone in a bank asked my age (I thought they were doing it for their info), when I told them, they said I looked about 12.

I shrugged it off at the time, but I'm a bit upset by it. I think I can pass for 16/18, but saying I look 12 is just ridiculous.

I suppose some people might think it's great to be told they look younger than their age ... but I don't think I'm one of them. It's getting more embarrassing the older I get!!

So how do you think I should answer people? Has anyone got any pithy, not rude, replies?
The only one I could come up with is "old enough to know it's rude to ask peoples' ages."

heuchera

A 30 year old does not look like a 12 year old, I'm sorry.

Gloomendoom

I had the same problem the other day. I was on the way to the post office to collect my pension and a policeman stopped me and asked why I wasn't in school.

Peter333

WeAreGhosts wrote: »

Just wondered what other opinions were on this, and how people deal with the question ...

I look young for my age (30). I know I look young, I can't help it; it's part genetics, part medical, and partly because I don't drink or smoke.

I keep getting people randomly asking my age. It's driving me mad!

For example, I am house-hunting at the moment and sometimes I take along someone older than me, so I suppose it looks like I'm their granddaughter or something. But they just come right out and ask me how old I am.

Is it me or is that just plain rude?

I had an incident this week where someone in a bank asked my age (I thought they were doing it for their info), when I told them, they said I looked about 12.

I shrugged it off at the time, but I'm a bit upset by it. I think I can pass for 16/18, but saying I look 12 is just ridiculous.

I suppose some people might think it's great to be told they look younger than their age ... but I don't think I'm one of them. It's getting more embarrassing the older I get!!

So how do you think I should answer people? Has anyone got any pithy, not rude, replies?
The only one I could come up with is "old enough to know it's rude to ask peoples' ages."

OMG not ANOTHER one of those 'I am so attractive and lush and have such perfect skin and such a great body and I am sooooooo young looking' claims.

It's annoying, it's boring, and it's been done before.

Fact is that NO-ONE and I mean NO-ONE looks more than 8-10 years younger than they are; tops! They can kid themselves that they do, or that people tell them they do, but they don't.

If you are 45 and someone does actually think you are 29 (and I find this unlikely,) it's probably because you are dressed young, and have a young-ish look, so you look 20-something at first glance. On closer inspection though, you WILL look closer to your age.

I have seen a few people in the past, who are 40-ish and I have thought they were late 20s. Then on closer inspection, I can tell they are quite a bit older. Your face will give it away, and your neck and hands too.

And as H said, you will NOT look 12 at 30. That's farcical.

As I said, the vast majority of people look their age, and virtually nobody looks more than 8-10 years younger... Even if they like to think they do.

Jagraf

I know someone who is 50 and looks 30 tops x

duchy

I honestly don't believe any bank employee would be stupid enough to tell a customer they look about twelve. I suspect the OP misheard them.

WeAreGhosts

duchy wrote: »

I honestly don't believe any bank employee would be stupid enough to tell a customer they look about twelve. I suspect the OP misheard them.

I have perfect hearing, thanks.

So does the person sat with me at the time.

elsien

I used to look young for my age but it's all suddenly gone pear-shaped. I asked for a senior citizen ticket for my parent and they gave me one as well. I was torn between being annoyed (ok it was a rough day, but not that rough) and my moneysaving instincts kicking in for a cheap deal. :rotfl:

lisa110rry

Well, not 30/12, but when I was 45 I got a lot of people stating they couldn't believe I had a 19-year-old son, and even more embarrassingly, thinking my husband (a mere nine years older than me) was my father.

I was in a restaurant with my son when he was 16 (he was dressed in a suit) and it was clear the staff thought he was my toy boy though, so that argues the other way.

Now, at 59, I occasionally get a comment that I don't look it, but I think that's mere politeness.

I have, in the past, met mid to late-20s chaps and lasses who I could have imagined to be just around puberty, so I don't dismiss this (used to work at a University).

dirty_magic

Fact is that NO-ONE and I mean NO-ONE looks more than 8-10 years younger than they are; tops! They can kid themselves that they do, or that people tell them they do, but they don't.

I know a couple of people who look a lot younger than they are actually. One girl I know is 29 and she literally doesn't even look 19. She's about 5 foot and really thin which doesn't help, but she's got two kids now and I bet she gets comments all the time! When she got married a few years ago the bridal shop asked her to leave because they didn't think she was old enough to get married!

Another girl I work with is 31 and she could pass for and under 20 too. Again, she's short and thin but even facially she looks young.

I always used to get ID'd for scratchcards but I rarely get ID'd now so I must have aged in the last few years! OP you'll miss it happening when it stops! :-)

Redacted

There are some medical conditions that can affect growth and development, which can make some people look much younger than they are. Given the op mentions genetic and medical reasons for the issue, maybe she has one of those conditions.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2946068/The-teenager-never-grow-19-year-old-looks-like-young-child-rare-condition-affecting-growth-hormones.html

Op, you can either ignore what other people say, calmly explain why you find the question rude or pointedly ask them about their age and make some comment about the answer. Unfortunately, you won't be able to stop random strangers from asking - your only area of control is how you respond.