My little boy started school today and I wore a gold dress to celebrate

This morning my little boy started in his new reception class at the age of 4 and a half. To mark the occasion, I wore a very sparkly gold sequin dress.

Why though?

When I was a few months pregnant with my third child, someone said to me “but you’ll be 47 when the baby starts school!!!” and the comment has always stuck in my head. I had, of course, done the mental calculations of certain stages of his life, but it didn’t worry me. The only worry I had at that stage was having a healthy pregnancy and enjoying being pregnant. The fact that I was going to be 47 when the baby started school was a good thing, I thought.

I have to say, the thing that surprised me most, was that the person who said it obviously was judging me and my age. At the time I was shocked that she had said it, but because I am polite I brushed it off and got on with my day.

But the comment stuck and I found myself thinking the following things:

1. Why would someone focus on my age?
2. I felt great!
3. What if something went wrong with my pregnancy?
4. I would never say anything like that to another pregnant woman.
5. Was she happy for me? Did she care?
6. What is a 47-year-old women supposed to look like?
7. Why do women judge each other?
8. I’m excited to see my baby grow up.
9. How can I change the narrative around women and age?!
10. Why can’t people focus on the good stuff and say “congratulations!”

Five years have passed since that comment, and as I’ve watched my son grow, I have wanted to mark the occasion of him starting school. I asked myself over and over what could I do to show that being 47 at the school gates is not a bad thing.

And then it happened! A few months ago I was invited to be part of the panel at the Mums That Rave summer party and I wore a fab gold dress to the do. I talked about being an older mum, how others had judged my age, my blog and I asked the audience if I should wear the dress I was wearing on my son’s first day. Everyone said YES! I had to do it didn’t I? And so, today, on my son’s first day at school, I put the gold dress on at 8am.

All that glitters is GOLD

Ready for the school run!

I wore the dress today to say:

1. Thanks for your (unhelpful) comments, but we did it!
2. You do you!
3. Why does age matter?
4. Refrain from judging others for their choices/lifestyle/life.
5. Older mums rock!
6. Mums rock!
7. Stop caring about what others think of you.
8. Put sequins on and have a great day!

I started this blog and writing about being an older mum five years ago, to help change the perception of older mums. As I began this journey and connecting with other older mums, I started to hear the real reasons why women have babies later in life. I also heard about some of the judgments women are facing when pregnant over 40. I called the blog geriatric mum to stand out, but in no way shape or form do I think it is a good term. How about just mum, instead.

School run done!

I hope this has inspired you in some way.

Lucy aka Geriatric Mum

Follow Geriatric Mum on instagram @geriatric_mum – facebook @geriatricmum  and twitter @geriatric_mum