Julia Ogden: I am now 40 and four days old
WELL my 30s are officially over... I am now 40 and four days old.
WELL my 30s are officially over... I am now 40 and four days old. I have also realised how stupid I have been to be so depressed about hitting this milestone, especially when you think of all the sick and dying people in the world who would love to reach 40.
I have therefore made a vow that I will try to celebrate every day I am fit and healthy - which I know is not always easy, but is a very good goal to live your life by.
I have also had some really nice comments sent to me recently from readers, who have reached this age and beyond, all saying the same thing "age is just a number".
One woman's experience really made me smile when she wrote about how she had been singing along to a rap song in her car one day, when her 14-year-old daughter exclaimed in horror: "Mum, I can't believe you know the words to this song!"
Being 40 doesn't mean you suddenly have to behave differently; that your interests in life change. My younger sister often comments, in a slightly critical tone, that my lifestyle hasn't changed since I was in my 20s. Well, why should it?
I really hate being told what I should or shouldn't be able to do because of my age.
I also think it is important for our children see their parents enjoying life and living it to the full.
I know too many people who, as soon as they have children, never seem to go out any more, or have a life outside their family. If they were happy with this, that would be fine, but most of them admit they are bored.
"I can't remember the last time my husband and I went out without the children," one friend told me. "It must have been three years ago. How depressing is that?"
Well, my answer is: Why on earth not? (I have even offered to babysit.)
When my husband and I were talking about starting a family we both said we didn't want to become the kind of couple whose live's completely revolved around our children. We felt it was important that as well as being 'Mummy and Daddy' we were also Julia and David, a couple, and Julia and David the individuals. Hence we still enjoy going out together and separately with friends.
At the end of the day it is important to remember that one day our children will grow up and move on and if we do not have lives outside them, we will be very lonely in later life.
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Tuesday 16 March 2010
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