When did you first realise you were an adult?

Grown Up?.............. Nope, don't know what that means. I'll google it and get back to you!!

At the age of five with an absent mother, a drunken father and three siblings I began to take on responsibility. By the age of eight I was lighting the fire on winter mornings and making a porridge breakfast for the two of my siblings who would eat it, then shopped for the evening meal when I got home from school. At ten I was doing all the above, but also helping to look after my baby siblings, feeding and changing nappies etc. and did the kitchen chores with two of my siblings. By thirteen I cared for my three younger siblings after school on 3/4 evenings a week while my mum was at work. At weekends I bought the groceries and cooked Saturday's main meal, then took over babysitting the little ones from my brothers for the whole day and evening. At fifteen I left school and went to work.

When did I first realise I was an adult? I don't honestly know as my 'childhood' didn't seem to happen. However, my own children lived out my Secret Seven/Famous Five informed dream of what a 'real' childhood should be like.

Ahem - I seem to have killed this lighthearted thread, sorry.

Thanks for sharing with us Grannyactvist, well done you for coping with such responablity at such a young age.I do hope you can enjoy some childlike behaviours even at the stage you are at now, be a little bit naughty & indulgent. I have visions of you paddling in the water singing I’m forever blowing bubbles,whilst blowing some??‍♂️??‍♂️Sorry couldn’t find any bubbles ?

I don’t remember seeing myself as an adult, but I do remember being in our local Co-op shortly after I got married ( I was 21), and hearing the young fellow who was serving me call to his colleague,” I’ll be over in a minute, I’m just servin’ this wumman”.
I had a call the other day from my 40 year old son, to tell me that the washing machine repair man had told him to,” tell your mum I’ve replaced the drum.”!
How we laughed!

arriving in London, from rural Switzerland- aged just 19 and holding my first full time job. Room with breakfast was 7.50- and salary 11.50- with a bust journey from Isleworth to Beecham Tower in Brenford. Never asked my parents for a penny.

When I had my 2nd DC.
Before that, I felt as if I had somehow sneaked into the adult world.

A lot later than most of you......when I was 52 and flew to Texas with just my DD age 12 who has Down Syndrome! Wasnt I brave??
I was a midwife in a previous life!

We are in the process of [tidying]threwing out stuff prior to moving!

When I was a child , apart from CC41 furniture, was the genuine 'orange box'. usually decorated nattily with some chintz.

Now the last of them resides in our front garden, no doubt for Himself to put on a bonfire, I did not know the was a pyromaniac when we married, but in our times in India he is fascinated by the rites and traditions of that country.

I too would like to die there, and my ashes thrown to a river, cheaper than here, and done with more respect.

Fat chance tho as health is not so good, but in my dreams!!!!