Anonymous wrote:OP here...my post got eaten.

Not getting at anything, just noting something I find striking. I'm thinking part of it has to do with cumulative sleep. I don't have anyone who is working 80 hours a week in my small sample.

I guess I noticed a little difference in my 30s, but now in my 40s it's like HOLY MOLY-big difference. The gap is increasing!

I have the first world problem of wondering who the hag in the mirror is .

OP, if you're so happy and well-adjusted, why start such a divisive thread?

Anonymous wrote:Please girl, I noticed this when I was 28 at my high school reunion. Everyone who moved away and was still single looked fabulous. The people who stayed in town, got married and had kids looked ten years older than the rest of us. Ten years later, at my 20th reunion, I was still single and childless, and got hit on left and right. Now that I am a mom, I look old and fat like everyone else.

Yeah, I too was aging pretty well when I was single, now..not so much.

I know this post risks getting into stereotyping and I'm sure it isn't all single women, but I've seen enough single women without children in their 40s who could easily pass for 30 that I'm thinking this is a real thing.

I think we all have stress-just different stress. In-law issues and parenting definitely aged me, but EVERYONE has some sort of stress in life.

Anonymous wrote:Not at my office. They are dried-up, bitter, nasty hags.

You've got to come up with a new word other than hag. You are probably the only one who uses this word all the time. Yeah, it's you.

I'm only 32 but the difference between how I look now after 2 kids and how I looked 4 years ago before kids is quite noticeable. Stress and too many sleepless nights are definitely the culprit. The missed sleep can never be undone.

I'm single and childless and just turned 40. People usually think in a good 5-10 years younger than I an and have for many years. I suspect my agree well start to catch up with NW eventually though. I like it because as a child I was tall and looked 2 yrs older which I hated. I've noticed since my 30k that childless women trend to look younger.

OP here...my post got eaten.

Not getting at anything, just noting something I find striking. I'm thinking part of it has to do with cumulative sleep. I don't have anyone who is working 80 hours a week in my small sample.

I guess I noticed a little difference in my 30s, but now in my 40s it's like HOLY MOLY-big difference. The gap is increasing!

I have the first world problem of wondering who the hag in the mirror is .

Anonymous wrote:Not at my office. They are dried-up, bitter, nasty hags.

While the above is extreme, I agree that some appear like they need some work organizing their lives.

Yes, having kids and raising kids really does age you.

No. The one 40-something childless and single gal in my school is definitely not the most relaxed. Quite anxious and controlling. What I have noticed is the 40-something moms at work are actually the most relaxed and best looking, myself included.

Please girl, I noticed this when I was 28 at my high school reunion. Everyone who moved away and was still single looked fabulous. The people who stayed in town, got married and had kids looked ten years older than the rest of us. Ten years later, at my 20th reunion, I was still single and childless, and got hit on left and right. Now that I am a mom, I look old and fat like everyone else.

Not at my office. They are dried-up, bitter, nasty hags.

Of course - they have no-one else to worry about but themselves.
What are you getting at?
Obviously they are going to have less stress.
Unless the stress of being childless and un-marrried makes them miserable..............

Yes!

No, I have not.

Look the youngest and most relaxed. Seriously, my friends. coworkers and even just people I knew who never married and didn't have or adopt kids look about 10 years younger than the rest of us who married and had kids. I noticed that with my parents' single friends back in the day. I have no regrets with my life choices, I just am always surprised by how striking the difference is. These are not people using botox or getting plastic surgery either.

Have you noticed this?