Lately I’ve been pondering the question: What do middle aged women worry about?
“They” say that to do well in this blogging game, you should write posts about what keeps your readers up at night.
It’s really got me thinking!
This is the list I have come up with so far:
Middle Aged Men: I couldn’t help sniggering at this one, but it’s true.
If you have a partner, you naturally worry about them and whatever they are currently going through, whether it be a midlife crisis, work, or health problems.
And if you don’t have a partner, you may be wondering when and if that “someone special” will come along – or what it you are suddenly back in the dating game?!
Career: Common midlife worries include wondering if being more mature could be a disadvantage in the workplace; or whether a career change is in order, after so many years of the “same old, same old”, or now that the kids are grown.
Health: When I met up with a group of friends recently, we noticed that most of our conversation was devoted to the various health issues we were all experiencing! Ahh, the joys of ageing.
Jokingly we declared that in future we will limit any health talk to the first 10 minutes of any catch up, and that’s it (don’t know if we’ll be able to stick to it though!).
Looks: We live in a culture that idolises youth, so it can be tough to adjust to what we see in the mirror. Do we need to lose weight? Should we colour our hair or go grey? What about botox?! Not to mention the fear of being “mutton dressed as lamb”!
Kids: They might be grown up, and have even flown the nest, but that doesn’t mean we stop worrying about our kids. Are they eating right? Happy at work? Looking after themselves? We worry about their love lives, their finances, and so much more.
Retirement: Personally, I love what I do so much I’m in no rush, but the hubster is keen to retire at age 60. That’s only 12 years away folks! How will we manage financially? Like many middle aged women, my own superannuation is looking pretty sad, as I spent several years raising children away from the paid workforce, and then as a casual employee (with no requirement for super). Thankfully the hubster’s is in a better state, but still …
Parents: It can be hard to watch our parents growing older, and dealing with the numerous health problems which tend to arise. We worry about them, as we begin to realise that they won’t be around forever.
These are the things that keep me up at night (occasionally – I’m usually too tired to fret and worry!). It’s enough to turn your hair grey (if it isn’t already!).
But am I a typical middle aged woman? Have I missed anything?
Can you help me conduct my blog/market research by commenting with your answer to my question: What do middle aged women worry about?
Money, when will I be able to retire? If I have to work until 67 will I be healthy enough to keep going? Family their health and my son, will he get thru uni and onto a good job.
Hi Donna, having enough money for a long life, and yet still be able to enjoy retirement is pretty important. Our 22 y.o. son started uni this year, happily he has taken to it like a duck to water because we used to worry about his future a lot!
Finances is probably the only other thing I can add. And the general way of the world, ie, how it will be for my children etc.
Money is a big one. Let’s keep buying those lotto tickets 😉
It’s funny, I don’t have anything that keeps me awake at night – my kids are grown, flown and doing great, my husband finally(!!) has found work he loves and it suits him. I’ve changed jobs and really like where I am. Life is really good atm and I love this hiatus of rest before the stresses/health worries, that old age brings with it, start.
What a great way to be Leanne! I must confess I am pretty blessed in this stage of life too 🙂
Obviously with my recent breast cancer scare my greatest worry is my health and long term survival. My children are still quite young and dependent on me. I want to stick around and see them grow up. I still have all the everyday parenting stuff to worry about, plus my boys future. I also worry about my parents aging and eventually passing away. There’s quite a few worries when I when I think about it. No wonder I prefer to focus on cake!
Cake is a much nicer thing to focus on! x
gosh, I think I’ll be nearing retirement before I have time to start worrying about these things! That’s the downside of having kids at a “mature” age, I guess.
LOL or maybe a good thing?!
This person is actually passed middle age now and I am 66. What I worry about could fill the page but that’s because I am a worrier by default. I worry about the grandkids (as their parents left our nest waaaaay long ago) and how they are doing as a few have health issues and I can’t make that go away..the worst kind of worry!! I worry about how I will manage Dad’s eventual (sigh) passing and all that entails for me and my brother as that is the end of the generation and we will be the elders!! OMG. I worry about where the hell we will live next and will it work out..I will stop now. Denyse x
According to my research you are only JUST out of middle aged Denyse – it lasts up to 65! Our worries are quite similar but I don’t have any grandkids yet!
I worry about lots of things but lately I would have to say a big one for me is the worry about my aging parents and the fact that the day where I lose them looms closer. I worry how I will cope with the loss.
I have no idea the state of my super. Probably not good after so much casual and contract work. Now that I have permanent job, I tried to combine it earlier this year into one fund, but the effing system lost it all and I’ve been too cranky to try again haha. My husband probably has next to no super. Basically neither of us will ever retire – but then again our goal is to work for ourselves, so who says we’ll want to?
And none of that is probably helpful to you 🙂
I think I worry the most about my kids even though they are both grown up and have good jobs. My son has recently started up his own business so I worry about whether he will have enough work to get by and my daughter has recently taken 6 months off (she is a doctor) to travel the world. When they have relationship or health problems I really feel for them and want to be there for them to give them a big cuddle. They will always be my babies!
Hi Janet
What I worry about as a 57 year old retired “middle aged mama” (Hubster still working for a couple more years) is…
•My two 20-something year old kids, their relationships, their financial situations, their health
•my self-value/worth at this stage, my usefulness to the world. Where do I ” fit”?
•my husband… His work stress, his health
• my health… mainly menopause issues & ageing