40 things that can trigger Grumpy Old Man syndrome

I have always maintained that typical men have two modes – teenager and fuddy-duddy – and that it doesn’t take much to make them switch from one to the other!

A British survey interviewed more than 1000 dads in the UK and discovered (quel surprise) that a quarter of them admit to being cranky most of the time. According to the the Daily Mail report there are many things that can trigger a bout of Grumpy Old Man Syndrome.

Inspired by the research, we have developed our own (non exhaustive) list of things that turn a man from a loving husband/father/grandfather/friend into a GOM (grumpy old man). Some will not apply to all – perhaps your personal GOM has his own unique triggers – do share them in the comments so we can compare notes!

1. People leaving the lights on
2. Traffic jams
3. Bad drivers
4. General bad manners
5. Cold callers calling in the evening
6. Footie team losing… again
7. Not getting enough “alone time”
8. The Kardashians
9. The cost of petrol
10. Grown children who still need support/feeding/somewhere to live
11. Losing the remote for the TV
12. Not knowing which remote is which
13. The front or back door being left open
14. Having the heating on too high or the air-con on too low
15. Grandkids who spend too much time indoors
16. Reality TV shows
17. Doors being slammed
18. People stomping around the house
19. Being woken from a nap
20. Kids that don’t say ‘please’ or ‘thank you’
21. Being told to clean the barbecue
22. People stacking the dishwasher incorrectly
23. Houseguests
24. Christmas decorations being put up too early
25. Grandkids spending too much time on phones/tablets
26. MasterChef
27. The cost of petrol
28. Unexpected guests
29. The neighbour’s cat
30. Pop music
31. Dance music
32. Techno music
33. Any other modern music
34. Always getting socks for birthdays, Christmas or Father’s Day
35. Socks going missing
36. The state of the nation
37. Elections
38. Stupid people
39. Stupid people in power
40. Bad customer service

What sets off your Grump Old Man (or Grumpy Old Woman)? Share your favourites in the comments!