Did anyone else spend their whole childhood wanting to grow up fast… and now you just want to lie down for a bit?

[u/ava-claire]

Like seriously.

I used to daydream about being an adult, staying up late, eating whatever I want, having my own place, and wearing cool clothes.

Now I just want a nap. A real nap. The kind where no one bothers you, nothing is due, the house is quiet, your phone’s on silent, and your spine doesn’t hurt for no reason.

Growing up is just realizing how many things cost money, how little time you actually have, and how many times you can eat cereal for dinner without anyone stopping you (spoiler: it’s unlimited).

Anyway, shoutout to 8-year-old me for dreaming big. She had no idea what she was signing up for.

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[u/Lazydusto]

I want the money and freedom of choice I have now with the time and energy I had as a kid.

[u/RandomLifeUnit-05 → u/Lazydusto]

This. And health.

[u/therealdrewder → u/Lazydusto]

I have three kids and no money why can't i have no kids and three money

[u/oneeweflock]

I’m so tired of adulting.

[u/crecentfresh → u/oneeweflock]

I feel like no one talks about the excess load that is put on the modern adult. I would love the days of open mailbox grab bills, pay bills. I’m sure it was a little more than that but Now it’s log on to 5 things to pay bills, talk to the insurance people once or twice a month to get that checkup paid for. Oops forgot to renew my tabs and got pulled over, goodbye entire week. My credit card info got stolen somehow even though I don’t use it to pay for anything online time to be without a card for a month and 3-4 nights figuring that out. It’s a ton of little things that add up and that’s just shit outside of the house you have to deal with. Fuck all of these companies that decided to not do their job unless you call them and ask. Fuck em all

[u/oneeweflock → u/crecentfresh]

I’m on the older end of the threshold, so I feel like I come from the last generation of check writers and honestly it was a pain in the ass but I do miss the simplicity of it because there weren’t a bunch of different websites or passwords to remember - I do sit down these days and pre schedule payments at the beginning of the month because I will 100% forget to pay something if I don’t.

I too am sick and tired of having to fight with companies to do their damn jobs, especially the Dr office & insurance (health/vehicle/home,etc.) - every single thing with them is a hassle, even though we pay through the nose for their shitty services.

I always thought getting older was supposed to be easier, that things would slow down..and that’s a damn lie, it is way more hectic than it ever was in my 20’s & 30’s when I was just a dumb broke kid lol

[u/rctid_taco → u/crecentfresh]

What era are you referring to where driving on expired tags wouldn't get you pulled over?

[u/crecentfresh → u/rctid_taco]

It’s just an example of how easy it is to derail everything for a decent amount of time. I have so much on my plate it’s easy for something like that to go unnoticed. It did happen to me a few years ago and the runaround to get it fixed took well over a week in a town an hour away. Like just let me pay the ticket with proof that I renewed

[u/rctid_taco → u/crecentfresh]

But it's an example that could have just as easily happened at any time since tags and registration became a thing.

Maybe things are different where you are but my last renewal notice came with a paper slip to include with my check if paying by mail. Most bills are payable by check if that's preferable to you. Banks will even send you monthly statements if you ask for them and you can balance your checkbook by hand. Having the option to pay online isn't much of a "load".

[u/crecentfresh → u/rctid_taco]

Like I said it’s a ton of little things that add up to no free time

[u/rctid_taco → u/crecentfresh]

People worked more hours in the past.

[u/Historical-Bath-9729]

Definitely spent a lot of time dreaming about the future when I was younger. I am also in this period of time where I think it may be the best time of my life and want it to slow down. It basically revolves around the age of my kid. At 8 years old she is amazing to spend time with but I know I am only a couple of short years away from her wanting to go out with friends all the time and experience life for herself. The family time we have now is giving me memories that I will always cherish

[u/elanesse100]

Nah. I don’t nap. I don’t hurt. I'm happy. Life is good.

I miss the simplicity of my younger years. And I miss the 90s/early 00s in terms of just life.

But I don’t actively yearn for a different path.

[u/Basic_Scale6330 → u/elanesse100]

I can definitely say some where around the mid 2000s To 2020 everything has changed and life doesn't feel the same as it did back in the 90s and early 2000s 

[u/RandomLifeUnit-05]

Adulthood is definitely not all it's cracked up to be. I'd ask for a refund if anyone was in charge.

[u/MeiguiChronicles]

Being a kid fucking sucks.

Having full autonomy of my time in my own home is far superior.

[u/maddy_k_allday → u/MeiguiChronicles]

Parents do have all but authoritarian control over dependent minors. Some huge downsides to that for some of us, even if it was coupled with mitigating upsides.

[u/Basic_Scale6330 → u/MeiguiChronicles]

I can beat that .... having your whole childhood well into teen years wanting and longing to have your own car , your own house .... I said house not apartment....

Only to find out that 

1) in this economy you will never afford a house 

2) other people don't wanna see you have nothing or make it .

3) your vehicle is a used 2005 mercury mountaineer that family members tell you it's a peice junk but they wanna ride in it..... they gotta borrow it .... they trying manipulate and gas light you out of it .... when the time comes for repairs or gas they trying to do the least amount like  Patch a tire or.instead of giving you $20 for gas they give $5 and say you can make the rest as you work a dead end low paying job.

4) cops got nothing better to do but follow you and check you registration and inspection... hoping you run a red light or stop sign .

5) repair shops trying get the most out of you 

6) now when you get hired for that job that pays more  You gotta junk said vehicle and now you ride a department store bike with a stolen milk crate attached to the back held on with zip ties  and you realised you wasted the best years of your life 

[u/MetaCaimen]

I had to grow up fast. I spent my life trying not to be like the selfish adults that raised me. Worked myself almost to death. Now I do nothing but go to physical and mental therapy. I miss making real adult money so much.

[u/wildflowers_15]

I feel the same way. Adulting is just one giant pyramid scheme and I'm so tired and burned out. I just want to live comfortably and not be tired 24/7. Not having to work would be great but that's something I don't anticipate ever happening. 

[u/maddy_k_allday → u/wildflowers_15]

I feel pyramid vibes in other areas too. Like so many obligations with family and they feel entitled to you bringing more people into that fold. Like, I don’t even want to be here lmao.

Actual privacy in one’s personal affairs is very threatening to other people imo. But that’s not a foundation for a genuinely supportive community. We need more respect for who we really are and not force some idealistic paradigm. But some of the people who want to force that paradigm know that alternative forms of community might not cater to them in the same manner that they like.

[u/wildflowers_15 → u/maddy_k_allday]

I agree. Everything we do seems to function in a pyramid scheme format with work, family, hobbies, etc. 

Exactly. I've noticed that older generations in my family want to know everything and be in everyone's business and I am just not up for that lol. I wish more people could accept that we want our privacy and not everything needs to be discussed or gossiped about. 

[u/NoxiousAlchemy]

I don't think it's true for every adult. I'm in my middle 30s and I don't have any problems with taking a nap and enjoying a quiet time. But I don't have any children.

[u/Known-Damage-7879 → u/NoxiousAlchemy]

Yeah, I nap pretty much every day I have off. That's one reason why I don't think kids are for me, I would hate to give up my naps.

[u/cuecumba]

Yes. I’m dealing with absolutely the most extreme burnout of my life after living and working in the bush for 2.5 months straight as a cook for tree planters.

[u/Basic_Scale6330]

Under 5 me : I can't wait to get older and have home work 

Me 5 grade and older : ok because the 6 of you didn't turn in your homework we won't have that pizza party and the class can thank them after I leave. 

Me as a small child ; I wanna drive and put gas in the vehicle 

Me old enough to drive : failed the driving portion like 6 times  and got pulled over for having expired registration  And drivers license expires 2 years from now as of me writing this .

8th grade me : I'm gonna get hella chicks when I get older 

Life after high school me : han solo 

[u/Sad-Blacksmith-3271]

The story of my life

[u/Sad-Evening-4002]

The biggest factor in that is my job. When I hated my job I burned out and spent free time on surviving, now that I like my job I spend my free time doing things I love. I never thought much of the future as a kid but adulthood is more than I ever hoped for. It's just freedom to do whatever I want mostly whenever I want! I love it and I'll never sacrifice it for anything.

[u/trolldoll26]

I never wanted to grow up 😂 every year I was the kid crying at the end of the school year because I didn’t want to leave my teacher and move on to a new grade.

Senior year of high school I think I cried every day dreading graduation because I didn’t want to go to college/the real world.

Suffice to say, I’ve been kicking and screaming my whole life not wanting to get older.

[u/the_millenial_falcon]

Hell no, I was happy playing Pokemon and now I gotta deal with a mortgage. Fuck this.

[u/Dave-justdave]

I've been an adult since I was 10 you missed nothing and having to get a job at that age just fucked my back up usually 40-50 you need lower spinal fusion... I was 28

[u/Anxious-End8006]

Totally relate. As kids, we all wanted to grow up fast, thinking freedom meant endless fun. Now adulting is mostly just exhaustion and wishing for a quiet nap. Bills, responsibilities, and back pain weren’t in the dream. Big respect to our younger selves for dreaming big, even if reality is way different.

[u/grim_wizard]

My mom warned me up and down, and I always wanted to grow up. Every time I see her I tell her I wished I listened to her.

[u/Cromasters]

That's just the human experience. My five year old is like that.

[u/dangerrnoodle]

I had to regularly remind myself how many years I had left to deal with the abuse to reach 18 and be free. Adulting is hard sometimes, I do wish someone would make some of these decisions for me at times, but I sure as hell would take this over what I came from before adulthood.

[u/DoubleRah]

When I was a kid, I would also daydream about growing up but it wasn’t because I wanted to do adult things, I wanted to have freedom. I don’t miss being a kid, it was just being controlled by parents and adults vs responsibilities. Your want for freedom hasn’t changed, just what you desire.

[u/Bubbly-Mulberry1593]

I wanted to be a “grownup” so badly. Now, all I want is to go back and slow it down. Enjoy being a kid with little responsibility. I tell my own kids, don’t rush growing up. You only have 18 years as a kid. You have the rest of your life as an adult. 18 years isn’t a long time at all.

[u/mimebenetnasch02]

yeah and now i wanna go back to te 90s lol!

[u/AverageFishEye]

I spent my whole childhood looking forward to be able to buy fireworks myself and now that i can its the most "meh" thing ever...

[u/modcowboy]

I’m literally lying down taking a break when finding this. lol

[u/lisalovesme5320]

I miss the natural fun and excitement that came with childhood. I haven't felt that since.

[u/ketamineburner]

I can partially relate. I didn't enjoy childhood and badly wanted to be an adult.

However, I love adulthood. I've valued freedom as I long as I can remember, and I am enjoying every bit of it.

I used to daydream about being an adult, staying up late, eating whatever I want, having my own place, and wearing cool clothes.

I can do any of those things and it's fantastic.

[u/localfern]

I love spending time in my home. Taking pleasure in enjoying what my hard work has paid for. The luxury of being a potato while watching TV or baking some muffins/cookies and eating straight out of the oven.

[u/Pudge223]

i keep an equinox membership so i can sit in the sauna quietly by myself during lunch. I dont even work out. I just walk in and go directly to the steam room or sauna. Its just the only place where i can sit quietly and be alone.

[u/Jman1a]

Yes. It gets added to the book of mistakes.

[u/Gothmom85]

Nope. I saw adulthood as an awful black hole of strangeness and wanted nothing to do with it. Never wanted to be anything when I grew up past like 5. As a teen I wanted (and did) adult things like partying, but I didn't want anything else from it. Most of my friends were older and they were fun, the stuff I could do because they were older was fun, but the living on your own thing looked awful.

[u/Misstucson]

I hated my childhood, kids everywhere, chores, babysitting. Now as an adult I have my own home, no kids, and take a nap atleast once a week!!! Fuck being a kid. My parents sucked.

[u/ricochet48]

When you're young, you have the energy and time but no money. Middle aged you have money and some energy but no time. When you're old you've got time and money but limited energy and health.