A mum looks so young that she is often mistaken for her son's girlfriend when they're out together. Awkward.
Shimmi Munshi, from Bolton, says that when out and about with her 20-year-old son Ameen people often assume they are a couple or are siblings. And fair play to her, she does look very young.
Shimmi, who is somehow 41 years old, says that she has never undergone plastic surgery and doesn't waste cash on expensive skin care or treatments.
She said: "As an adult, I've always looked young. As my friends began ageing, I seemed to go in the opposite direction, but I've no idea why.
Advert
"As a teenager, I was one of the taller ones, so if anything, I looked a little older than my friends. But at 5'5", I stopped growing, and I had a very slim, petite frame."
At 20 she gave birth to her son and apparently stopped ageing.
"I was a single mum, juggling work and motherhood," she said. "And anyone would think the stress might have started to show. Instead, I seemed to stop ageing.
"I didn't notice it particularly, but all my friends did. They were all moaning that I'd discovered the secret of eternal youth and they wanted me to share it."
She says that even when her son was still in his teens people thought they were a couple.
"When my son was younger, people we didn't know presumed we were either brother and sister or a couple," she said.
"We were so close, because I had brought him up on my own, and so there was a special bond between us.
"Anyone who met us would just naturally treat him like he was my boyfriend. We went on holiday to Poland, and I had booked an excursion, and the tour guide wouldn't believe that we were mum and son. He kept insisting we were a couple and Ameen was so embarrassed.
"Another time, in Turkey, the locals thought we were brother and sister.
"At Ameen's prom night, people thought we were a couple too. It's very flattering and it made me giggle but it drove him mad."
During Ameen's school years other mums would stop her at the school gates, demanding to know her 'secret' but Shimmi insists there isn't one, saying: "They were gutted to learn I had no secrets. There was no mystery at all to the way I looked.
"I'd certainly never had cosmetic surgery. And my beauty routine consisted of baby wipes and whatever moisturiser was on special offer in the supermarket.
"I have never spent a lot of money on beauty products though of course, I take care of myself; I drink green tea and I don't smoke or drink booze.
"I'm a member of the local gym and I drink lots of water." She credits her youthful looks to good genes, which is sad for the rest of us.
Although Shimmi adds that it's not all fun and games looking so young and she is absolutely sick of getting asked for ID.
"I feel like the female version of Peter Pan - the girl who never grew up."
Shimmi says that despite the hassle of having to reach for her ID every time she wants to purchase booze, she is hoping that she's going to look 30 when she hits 80. I can see that, to be honest.
Featured Image Credit: Focus Features