When most people were little, so many of them couldn’t wait to grow up. I was not one of those kids. I dreaded growing up. I was not one of those kids that wanted out of the house, to be independent, or to be living on my own without my parents. Obviously, though, we have to learn at some point how to live on our own and fend for ourselves and this is a part of growing up.
My problem as a kid was not with this natural cycle of becoming more and more independent (though I must admit I’m a pretty helpless young adult who calls her mom 24/7 for the stupidest questions). It’s not the physical growth either that bothers me. It’s this idea that we must act like an “adult” when we grow up.
To most people, being in a successful job as an upstanding, independent citizen and making enough money to live a comfortable life is the overall goal to be a good adult. Another expectation people have, however, is that you are supposed to “grow out” of things. This is where the problem lies.
Why must we give up something we are passionate about for the sake of being an adult? And why do we have to give up something for fear of being labeled “childish”?
I have always loved animated movies. I’m in love with Disney and I’ve been a fan of anime for 10 years now. There’s a stigma surrounding animated movies, however, that it’s for children. Now that I’m suddenly a “grown up”, am I supposed to just suddenly stop liking something I’ve enjoyed for half of my life? It just doesn’t work that way! Sure I actually have stopped playing with dolls or maybe I don’t watch the exact same shows I used to, but here’s the difference: You’re not “growing out” of something, you’re “growing disinterested” in something.
Your interests can change overtime. You can slowly change what kinds of shows you like and certain hobbies can come and go, just like how maybe your friendships change as you move schools or grow apart from someone. Society shouldn’t, however, be able to dictate what you grow tired of and when. Personally, I may not be as obsessive as I used to be with a lot of things I like, but I still like them! Should I feel guilty for liking them? No!
Becoming an adult by hitting that magic age shouldn’t change everything we like for the sake of being more “adult-like”. We shouldn’t have to lose or hide things that we enjoy just because we enjoyed them as a kid. As long as it doesn’t get in the way with your work or your responsibilities, what’s so wrong about still enjoying video games or that sport you grew up playing or watching Disney Princess movies? I definitely haven’t become interested in any “adult-like” hobbies yet, so why should I stop doing what I love?
The stigma surrounding keeping childhood hobbies and hobbies that mostly children enjoy is honestly silly and groundless. I shouldn’t have had to grow up worrying that I wouldn’t be able to like the same things I do now, and that I would have to be a kid forever
