There’s no question that there is unfairness with the standards of an adult versus a little kid. There are so many expectations and rules that need to be followed once you hit a certain age or else society suddenly looks at you with a funny look and blacklists you from the “normal” club. Here’s 10 things that you might have been able to get away with as a child, but are frowned upon in the grown-up world.
1. Fall asleep literally anywhere
When you’re four years old, it’s totally fine to take a nap no matter where you are. School? Here’s a blanket. Church? Please, lie down on the pew. Restaurant? No problem, nap away. Too bad you can’t do this when you’re older. We’re forced to stay awake during the most boring of times and expected to look alert when, really, our minds are drifting away to dreamland.
2. Make weird food mixtures
Kids make the strangest combinations of food and they’re probably delicious, but we wouldn’t know because mixing Nutella with every food known to mankind is unacceptable as an adult (unless you’re drunk, in which case suddenly nothing is weird).
3. Throw tantrums when you hear “no”
Sometimes screaming and crying while pounding your fists on the floor seems like the perfect way to express your anger when something doesn’t go your way but too bad, you can’t. You have to nod your head in an understanding and walk away as if you aren’t burning with rage.
4. Be brutally honest
Why is it that when a kid says to his/her mom that she’s ugly it’s sort of cute, but when I accidentally let it slip out that my mom’s outfit doesn’t go together I’m suddenly a demon with no heart? Unjust? I think so.
5. Constantly ask mom and dad for money
This one is pretty understandable because kids can’t work and earn money for themselves, but that doesn’t mean college students should have to be terrified of asking their parents for $20 to buy snacks from the grocery store because school food just doesn’t cut it sometimes.
6. Wear pajamas in public
Being able to walk around everywhere in your comfiest clothes is possibly the biggest luxury of being little. When you’re an adult, you need to look professional (or at least like you haven’t given up for the week) up until the time you can actually crawl into bed.
7. Eat junk food all day
A slowed metabolism is the bane of every adult’s exisistence. When you’re a child, pizza and chicken nuggets for every other meal is just an ordinary diet where you’ll probably also have the time to burn off the calories playing outside until the sun goes down. Now, it’s kale smoothies and low-fat everything so that we can try to squeeze back into those jeans you bought back in freshman year.
8. Pick apart food
Speaking of food, it used to be okay to take off the bits and pieces of your meal that you didn’t like. Now, if you’re at a restaurant with coworkers, you better suck it up and eat those tomatos that are chopped up in your salad and act like it doesn’t make you want to gag.
9. Go to bed at 8 p.m.
Kids definitely don’t appreciate their bedtimes when they really should. Sometimes there’s nothing more than an adult wants than to jump into bed and stay under the covers at 8 p.m., but when you’re over the age of 10 this behavior is seen as weird or lazy. Sleep is a beautiful thing that shouldn’t be dictated by age!
10. Remain ignorant to the real world
The world is a cold and scary place to live in when you realize just how much messed up stuff goes on. Kids are allowed to live in a sheltered bubble where everyone holds hands and sings Disney songs together but when you get older, it’s your responsibility as an adult to stay informed and try to make a difference. This isn’t a bad thing at all, but it sure does make us miss our innocent days from time to time. So, kids, appreciate your childhood and try not to grow up too fast.