Were you an "adult's child" and how did it shape you?
I'm just making that term up, but here's how I'd define it...
A kid that does a good job (and perhaps prefers) the company of adults. For ex. your parents have a BBQ and you don't get sent to a friend's house, instead, you mingle and talk about your life with adults who — in hindsight — didn't really care about your dance recital, but were so impressed by how well you were able to communicate with people older than you.
I definitely was — I think it was a big part of being an only child (and being the youngest in my entire extended family). I was pretty used to keeping up with the adults in the room and my parents always treated me like a peer. I had friends my own age, of course, and would spend time with them a lot doing normal kid things, but I wasn't afraid of being the first one up at a sleepover, hanging out with my best friend's mom in the kitchen for hours over chocolate iced donuts.
I was reading an interview with Jaden Smith (lol) who says growing up as Will and Jada's kid, he was an adult's child. He said, "I am very happy that I spent my childhood with more adults than I did with kids my own age, because I was picking up more things from adults than I was from kids my own age." He also said he'd respond to his peers w/ things like, "Dude, like, oh my God. Can we talk about the political and economic state of the world, right now ... Can we talk about what’s going on in the environment? Can we talk about other things?”
I would like to say, this is an insufferable Adult's Child. I do not claim him in the club of an Adult's Child.
To get to my real question... if you WERE an AC, how did it shape you? Putting my thoughts about how it shaped me in response! :)
I was def an adults child. Thinking back, I didn’t think anything of it which I guess was a plus! I was an old child For a while so I can relate to that in that sense.
Omg this is me! I'm an only child as well and also just the youngest person in my family until very recently, so I feel like that had something to do with it. Everyone always thinks I'm a lot older until they see me in person, I constantly get called "mature for my age," and an "old soul." Not sure if those things are compliments or not, but I'll roll with it. Idk I just get along better with older crowds.
That is such a funny perspective. I was a child’s child only because my mom wanted me out of grown peoples business. I didnt mind it because I wanted to stay a child as long as possible
Can you be an adult's child if your parents were babies when they had you? Or they never really grew up?
Not this gal. Though great with parents now, you would always find me hoping for a kids table.
This ain’t me! 😂 I didn’t really mingle with adults or especially enjoy their company. That saaaaid, I was always a teacher’s pet but I’m very much sure that’s because I was cute 💁♀️
Yes and for some reason it made people tell me all their secrets. Like I know literally everyone’s business. I was an adult child but I was quiet. To this MF day I know everybody’s tea and only spill about a tenth of it
Very much an AC - only child whose parents best friends had kids way before me. I was always the "mom" of the friend group who could talk to waiters and stand up for friends - and sometimes be a shitty know it all brat because of it.
I am a strong communicator because of it, but also an introvert so now makes less sense but got very good at deflecting attention.
I can’t say that I was an AC, but I do think I was an AT (“Adult Teen”). I made it my personal brand to be the Good Friend of everyone’s teen child, and could talk to adults and teachers for hours.
As an AT, I noticed when I went to college, I was far less intimidated by my professors (and, later in life, future bosses) because I felt I could present well to an adult.
I never really thought about this, but it’s so interesting! It does shape you to be confident around adults while young.
I’m also an only child, and definitely identify as an AC. Partly bc of my parents, partly because I feel like I was just surrounded by adults more. My parents and grandparents never talked to me like a baby — I was just a small adult.
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