When did you first realise you were an adult?

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!!!!

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!

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

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.

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!

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 ?

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

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.

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

When I joined the army!

I'm not an adult. I don't ever intend to be. I had to be responsible beyond my years from early in my life and I have no intention of being that responsible ever again. To be an adult you have to choose to be responsible. In fact the words 'responsible' and 'adult' are often appear in the same sentence. You rarely see the words 'irresponsible adult'.

When both of my parents had died,though I was in my 50s by that time. I thought, there's no one now who will always be there for me whatever I do.Not that I ever intend to do anything really bad,but I felt like It was up to me and I finally had to always be an adult.....

At the age of 34 when my Mum took an overdose (she survived) and my Dad had a stroke from the stress a fortnight later. I realised that, from then on, I was looking after them rather than the other way round.

My parents named me Elizabeth and insisted on my full name, no short forms. From eleven years old, friends at school all called me Liz. On my 18th birthday, my dad called up the stairs, "Liz, telephone call for you!" I was astounded but it was his way of acknowledging that I was now an adult and could choose how I wished to be addressed. My mother never called me anything but Elizabeth!

Getting a mortgage, and talking about surveys, insurance, and other grown up things which went with it.

Having thought very hard about it I think it was the day I sat my Higher Geography exam. I had left school to go to work at 15 but continued to study at evening classes. A year later I was given a day of work to sit my exam in my old school, with my old classmates and the other extra-mural students from the evening class.

I wore my highest heels, best business suit and full make-up. Best of all my Tutor (and current boyfriend) who was the young 'heart throb' teacher at the school, whisked me off at lunchtime, in his red mini, in full view of the school pupils.

Still waiting....!

When I kept stamps in my purse without having a letter I needed to post immediately.

Never really given that question any thought before now. I can’t remember a particular defining moment but I suppose I have swung between childhood and adulthood off and on depending on circumstances. Quite capable of doing adult stuff but still prefer to act like a big kid especially with the little kids

When my father died. I was 17. I was not only grown up I was free from his permanent intefering in my life.

At a family funeral when I looked around and all us "young ones" were now the old ones. There was no one left in the family older than us. Average age about 50 at the time. We'd all moved up a level without noticing. Very sad feeling.

When I first got a mortgage, aged about 26, I felt so grown up moving out of a rented flat into a house.

Probably when I started teaching aged about 23 and all the pupils called me Miss (surname ). Also when I had my first child aged 27 and collected a prescription for the baby . Because I had to sign it as the patient's mother! But I still felt a fraud and like others still don't think I' ve really grown up!

When I got on a train from Essex to Liverpool Street and walked into a job as a shorthand typist aged 16. Mum made me go. Had to give half my wages to the family and used the rest for driving lessons and passed my test at 17.

When callers to our first house stopped asking if my parents were in!