1. Doing things “all by yourself”

As children learn to walk and develop the ability to express themselves, they start wanting to do things independently of any adult help. It is hilarious to watch a toddler attempt to eat food, tie their shoelaces or brush their teeth on their own. It is such a great accomplishment for them to do things by themselves. As adults, on the other hand, we are constantly searching for all the help we can get. “Look, Mommy, I did that all by myself!” versus “I had to do that all by myself! Can’t ever get any help around here!”

2. Cleaning your plate

Kids are not usually interested in eating for some reason. I guess they have too much going on in their creative and brilliant minds to worry about food. This is why it is extremely impressive when kids clears their plate, even if they slipped a couple bites to the dog. However, when you grow older and find yourself constantly munching and you’ve “cleared” your third plate, it's not so great of an honor anymore.

3. Taking naps

If you’ve ever babysat kids, then you know how much energy is balled up in these mini humans. When they finally take their nap(s) during the day, it is the greatest thing. Meanwhile, we adults are at school, in the office or at home nodding off for the gazillionth time!

4. Buying things with your own money

It’s rough being a kid when all your little life, you have to be looking up to your parents or other adults to buy you things.

“Mama, can I get this remote control plane? Please, please, please? I’ll be good the rest of the week. I’ll clean my room for a million years.”

“Boy, if you don’t put that back!”

“Aw man!”

That is usually how it goes at the store as a kid. When kids get some birthday or Christmas money, they are so excited to be able to buy themselves any candy, toy or snack they want. As an adult, however, you really wish you could have someone else take care of all your expenses. You may have college books, car payments, bills and groceries, and you critically evaluate the worthiness of each purchase when it is your own money. I know personally, I have no problem spending my parents' money, but I think very carefully before I spend mine.

5. Ability to do chores

Most likely out of the need for attention, kids like to help with everything that they see adults doing, even certain things that they obviously cannot handle like chores. They want to help sweep (even though the broom is bigger than they are), do laundry (even though the machine could swallow them whole) and do dishes (even when their head barely reaches the base of the sink). As a child, I would always try to help my mother with the dishes and folding clothes. Now, legend has it that if a person even mumbles the word "dishes" in my presence, I may pass out.

6. Successful doctor visit

There are so many incentives for going to the doctor when you are little. They give you candy, books, stickers and small toys for surviving shots, X-rays or just a regular checkup. However, as an adult, a successful doctor visit may mean you are now recovering from a surgery, have received your third shot in a year or still feel the sting from when the doctor swabbed your nose. Furthermore, the only thing you leave with (if you’re lucky) is a prescription for a bottle of earwax-flavored pills.

7. Growing older

Say the word “birthday” to a kid; it’s like they automatically lose their minds. Birthdays as a kid means a party, cake, candles, ice cream, possibly a playground and pure delight! Most importantly, though, it means one step closer to being what every kid aspires to—being a teenager. Kids are extremely proud to reach the double digits as they creep slowly toward adulthood and “freedom.” Meanwhile, we adults chuckle nervously as we divide our actual age by two in order for the candles to hold on a cake. We wish that time would slow down before it dumps us in the triple digits!