Treat them mean, keep them keen.

[Shut_Out]

....

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

Keane is a pretty mean band...they rock.

 

[VanillaCreme]

Actually being an adult doesn't mean people act like one. Someone could be 14 and act more like an adult than a 40 year old. Age does not determine how one acts.

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

What determines an adult? Someone who likes childish things, or doesn't?

I was once told that I was a little kid because I played video games. I don't play video games anymore, but that's a silly excuse. I've taken on a lot of responsibilities over my life that another 30 year old would blush at.

 

[Locke]

What determines an adult? Someone who likes childish things, or doesn't?

To me, an adult is someone who is responsible, learns from their mistakes, and takes care of their self and the people they care about.

 

[VanillaCreme]

What determines an adult? Someone who likes childish things, or doesn't?

To me, an adult is someone who is responsible, learns from their mistakes, and takes care of their self and the people they care about.

My thoughts as well. Video games don't determine adulthood either. Whoever told you that just felt like you shouldn't play them anymore, so they said that. I play games still, and I'm far from acting like a kid. In fact, none of my peoples act like kids, and we all play games. We have fun, let loose a bit, but the ridiculousness doesn't carry into every aspect of our lives. Like I've said before, I've gone through stuff that some people twice, three times my age, would never imagine going through.

It's also a bit of knowing when to stop, and when to know when and how to cross that line.

 

[Shut_Out]

What determines an adult? Someone who likes childish things, or doesn't?

To me, an adult is someone who is responsible, learns from their mistakes, and takes care of their self and the people they care about.

+1

I'll add -

Acts appropriately according to the situation. In other words, knows when to let loose and be silly, and when to be serious when required.

 

[Locke]

To me, an adult is someone who is responsible, learns from their mistakes, and takes care of their self and the people they care about.

+1

I'll add -

Acts appropriately according to the situation. In other words, knows when to let loose and be silly, and when to be serious when required.

It's also a bit of knowing when to stop, and when to know when and how to cross that line.

Of course, +1 to you both for adding that! It doesn't matter if you have fun, as long as you take care of yourself. I spent 4 hours playing video games today. I spent a hell of a lot more time than that working last week so I could pay my electric bill.....so that I would have electricity to play more games.

There are two quotes I really like:

"When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."
- C. S. Lewis

"The creative adult is the child who has survived." - Ursula K. Le Guin

 

[Shut_Out]

To me, an adult is someone who is responsible, learns from their mistakes, and takes care of their self and the people they care about.

+1

I'll add -

Acts appropriately according to the situation. In other words, knows when to let loose and be silly, and when to be serious when required.

It's also a bit of knowing when to stop, and when to know when and how to cross that line.

Of course, +1 to you both for adding that! It doesn't matter if you have fun, as long as you take care of yourself. I spent 4 hours playing video games today. I spent a hell of a lot more time than that working last week so I could pay my electric bill.....so that I would have electricity to play more games.

There are two quotes I really like:

"When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."
- C. S. Lewis

"The creative adult is the child who has survived." - Ursula K. Le Guin

Oh oops, I didn't catch VanillaCreme's point - that's what I get for skimming! Iow, what she said, lol!

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

I shouldered adult responsibilities pretty well.

I gave up an apartment and a social life to take care of my dying grandma. Then I gave up a social life to take care of my sister's kids, who didn't appreciate it.

Now I'm busy taking care of myself and my mom. Trying to pick up the pieces of my life and start from there. Put myself through college, and have a future, because there is no future in music for me (although I still record and write.)

No, I don't agree that it's video games, toys, or...whatever. I've met some pretty childish musicians and people into sports, too. People who have alcohol and drug problems, too. When you do something so much that it takes over your life, and damages relationships, that's when I think you are acting like a child. If you accept that you've made mistakes, learn from them, try not to do them again, and accept that you can't change everyone and that you have to live with other people's perceptions...that is being adult, IMO. Also, accepting that every mistake you make makes you a better person.

I have to live with the idea that people don't like me. For whatever reason, my glasses, because the sky is blue, because they have misperceptions, whatever.

 

[African_weasel]

I shouldered adult responsibilities pretty well.

I gave up an apartment and a social life to take care of my dying grandma. Then I gave up a social life to take care of my sister's kids, who didn't appreciate it.

Now I'm busy taking care of myself and my mom. Trying to pick up the pieces of my life and start from there. Put myself through college, and have a future, because there is no future in music for me (although I still record and write.)

No, I don't agree that it's video games, toys, or...whatever. I've met some pretty childish musicians and people into sports, too. People who have alcohol and drug problems, too. When you do something so much that it takes over your life, and damages relationships, that's when I think you are acting like a child. If you accept that you've made mistakes, learn from them, try not to do them again, and accept that you can't change everyone and that you have to live with other people's perceptions...that is being adult, IMO. Also, accepting that every mistake you make makes you a better person.

I have to live with the idea that people don't like me. For whatever reason, my glasses, because the sky is blue, because they have misperceptions, whatever.

Some people just don't realize that at all for some reason. Sometimes, you have to make a person learn before you can teach them anything if they need to be taught with little to no help at all. I need to do that with some people apparently.

 

[VanillaCreme]

I gave up an apartment and a social life to take care of my dying grandma. Then I gave up a social life to take care of my sister's kids, who didn't appreciate it.

No, I don't agree that it's video games, toys, or...whatever. I've met some pretty childish musicians and people into sports, too. People who have alcohol and drug problems, too. When you do something so much that it takes over your life, and damages relationships, that's when I think you are acting like a child. If you accept that you've made mistakes, learn from them, try not to do them again, and accept that you can't change everyone and that you have to live with other people's perceptions...that is being adult, IMO. Also, accepting that every mistake you make makes you a better person.

I have to live with the idea that people don't like me. For whatever reason, my glasses, because the sky is blue, because they have misperceptions, whatever.

They're kids. Kids often don't appreciate much. More often than not, they take everything and anything for granted, because they have not yet developed that sense of appreciating things. If adults act like this, then (to me) that's what makes them childish.

Sometimes people can't help it when something takes over their life. It doesn't make them childish. Drugs for example, many people would have never thought that they'd have a drug problem. Whatever reason they have for falling into it, many people try very hard to break the cycle. It's difficult to do, and older habits die even harder. Just because you see someone with a problem - drugs, alcohol, gambling, whatever else - doesn't mean they were being childish about life. And it doesn't mean that they aren't trying to do right by themselves. They know their mistakes, and they may even know how to correct them, but it's actually doing it to make it right that's so hard.

There may not be a reason. Some people like you for no real reason. Some people dislike you for no real reason.

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

They learned that behavior from their mother, my sister, who acted just like them. In fact her 12 year old daughter acted more mature than she did, and she is in her mid 30's.

 

[ladyforsaken]

I gave up an apartment and a social life to take care of my dying grandma. Then I gave up a social life to take care of my sister's kids, who didn't appreciate it.

No, I don't agree that it's video games, toys, or...whatever. I've met some pretty childish musicians and people into sports, too. People who have alcohol and drug problems, too. When you do something so much that it takes over your life, and damages relationships, that's when I think you are acting like a child. If you accept that you've made mistakes, learn from them, try not to do them again, and accept that you can't change everyone and that you have to live with other people's perceptions...that is being adult, IMO. Also, accepting that every mistake you make makes you a better person.

I have to live with the idea that people don't like me. For whatever reason, my glasses, because the sky is blue, because they have misperceptions, whatever.

They're kids. Kids often don't appreciate much. More often than not, they take everything and anything for granted, because they have not yet developed that sense of appreciating things. If adults act like this, then (to me) that's what makes them childish.

Sometimes people can't help it when something takes over their life. It doesn't make them childish. Drugs for example, many people would have never thought that they'd have a drug problem. Whatever reason they have for falling into it, many people try very hard to break the cycle. It's difficult to do, and older habits die even harder. Just because you see someone with a problem - drugs, alcohol, gambling, whatever else - doesn't mean they were being childish about life. And it doesn't mean that they aren't trying to do right by themselves. They know their mistakes, and they may even know how to correct them, but it's actually doing it to make it right that's so hard.

There may not be a reason. Some people like you for no real reason. Some people dislike you for no real reason.

+1
Basically what Nilla said.

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

I just think that it's up to the parents or parent to teach their child responsibility. An 8 year old or a 13 year old doesn't steal, without having some twisted sense of morals.

It's clear that Vanilla has the viewpoint of "let kids be kids." I disagree. If a kid is disrespectful, they need to be called out on it. It is not appropriate to treat adults as lesser than you, especially when they are the ones who provide for you.

 

[Sci-Fi]

Please don't turn this thread into another +pages of arguments. Lets not read more into what someone said than what is posted, and not make up what isn't said. That just may not be true.

 

[EveWasFramed]

Children are still developing a sense of right and wrong, even into their younger teen years. An eight year old that takes a pack of gum from a store does NOT have "twisted morals."

 

[VanillaCreme]

I just think that it's up to the parents or parent to teach their child responsibility. An 8 year old or a 13 year old doesn't steal, without having some twisted sense of morals.

It's clear that Vanilla has the viewpoint of "let kids be kids." I disagree. If a kid is disrespectful, they need to be called out on it. It is not appropriate to treat adults as lesser than you, especially when they are the ones who provide for you.

Children are still developing a sense of right and wrong, even into their younger teen years. An eight year old that takes a pack of gum from a store does NOT have "twisted morals."

Exactly, Eve. No, I don't have the sense of "let kids be kids." That's not even what I'm saying. I'm saying that the majority of kids will act like so. There are a few rare exceptions where there's a young one who acts exceptionally mature. I think the whole "twisted morals" is thinking in black and white. There are many grey areas, especially with kids. Teens and even young adults are still developing. Just because you would expect them to act a certain way because of age, doesn't mean they will. There's a lot of variables with young people.

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

Do you honestly believe that children who steal and commit crimes will be better when they become adults?

This isn't me getting defensive, but there is a reason for the juvenile criminal justice system. If your crime is bad enough, you can be tried as an adult. Some causes have surfaced like that recently.

I'm not suggesting that every child who steals, say, candy will become a hardened criminal. All I'm saying is, you need to look to the child, and the influences on the child, to realize where that is coming from. And you need to correct that behavior, before it becomes a million times worse. They need to know what they did was wrong.

Jeffrey Dahmer was killing animals and decomposing them in his father's garage at the age of 8. Maybe if he had been caught then, he wouldn't have done his crimes later? And you have to put some of the blame on the parents, because they mistreated and abandoned him, and as a result, Dahmer felt angry and alone. He used his anger to commit murder.

 

[EveWasFramed]

Do you honestly believe that children who steal and commit crimes will be better when they become adults?

I didn't see anyone suggesting that.

I'm not suggesting that every child who steals, say, candy will become a hardened criminal. All I'm saying is, you need to look to the child, and the influences on the child, to realize where that is coming from. And you need to correct that behavior, before it becomes a million times worse. They need to know what they did was wrong.

You might think you have enough experience with children from the limited experience with your sister's children, but I can assure you that a child's behavior is not 100 attributed to parental influence.

Jeffrey Dahmer was killing animals and decomposing them in his father's garage at the age of 8. Maybe if he had been caught then, he wouldn't have done his crimes later? And you have to put some of the blame on the parents, because they mistreated and abandoned him, and as a result, Dahmer felt angry and alone. He used his anger to commit murder.

You're using an EXTREME example that applies to very few. You can't really compare a misfit kid to a serial killer.