At what age does a person become a grown up?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
M

Miri

Guest
#1
Just wondered as I’m 50 and I still don’t think I’m there yet!


 
R

RodB65

Guest
#2
I'm 53, ... Some say I'm not there yet! :whistle::coffee:
 

Blik

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2016
7,312
2,428
113
#3
I'm 93 and I am still working for maturity.

I'm in assisted living so I have time for study and I need every minute I can manage for it.
 

Mel85

Daughter of the True King
Mar 28, 2018
10,910
6,897
113
#5
What is even a “grown up”?
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,418
9,404
113
#6
Four thoughts. One is a song, three are xkcd comics.

"I love little children
They are more my style
I love little children
Because I'm just a child
And as a child I'm growing up
Some folks say it's showing up
Lord forever let me be a child"




(1-that shopping cart is full of Airheads and 2-I will probably die at 41 of what the Airhead company spokesman will call "probably natural causes.")

And the most relevant one:


Remember when we were kids and adults were defining "adult" as "really successful at business and making money"? How about further back when we were kids and adults were defining "adult" as "free to have sex with anybody and do a lot of drugs if we want"?

Well now it's OUR turn. What are you going to define "adult" as today?

Today I defined "adult" as going to church, distributing, collecting and collating sunday school attendance and offering, driving the church bus, then coming home and playing SPAZ (Space Pirates And Zombies) for the rest of the day.
 

Blik

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2016
7,312
2,428
113
#7
My daughter died at 21, she was grown up. She was content, happy, educated, loved the Lord etc.
My Mother died at 91, she was a discontented child.
 
Aug 2, 2009
24,646
4,305
113
#8
I think one thing that makes a person "grow up" at any age is having to deal with tragedy, adversity or extreme hardship. There was a study done and they found that young teens who had gone through diffcult tragedies in their lives were much smarter and more responsible than their peers and their thought process was more like an older adult's.
 
H

Hamarr

Guest
#9
I have flashes of feeling like an adult. It’s a bit jarring when people point out my age. I went in for new glasses last week and it felt like I was play acting as an adult as we were discussing the effexts of age on eyes and focusing. I feel much more like a kid than 40+.
 
M

Miri

Guest
#10
I think one thing that makes a person "grow up" at any age is having to deal with tragedy, adversity or extreme hardship. There was a study done and they found that young teens who had gone through diffcult tragedies in their lives were much smarter and more responsible than their peers and their thought process was more like an older adult's.

I’ve been through a lot, too much to list. But.....I’m still a child! Lol
 
M

Miri

Guest
#11
I have flashes of feeling like an adult. It’s a bit jarring when people point out my age. I went in for new glasses last week and it felt like I was play acting as an adult as we were discussing the effexts of age on eyes and focusing. I feel much more like a kid than 40+.

Ha ha I thought you were saying you were going through the menapause, then I
realised you were a man!

(Case in point, I’m still a child!)
 
M

Miri

Guest
#12
Maybe it’s not a bad thing to still feel child like


Matthew 18:2-5 NKJV
[2] Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,
[3] and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become
as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
[4] Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven. [5] Whoever receives one little child like this in
My name receives Me.


There are times when I see a big pile of leaves, that I still want to
kick them everywhere. Come on admit it, who still does that.

 
Aug 2, 2009
24,646
4,305
113
#13
Maybe it’s not a bad thing to still feel child like


Matthew 18:2-5 NKJV
[2] Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,
[3] and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become
as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
[4] Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven. [5] Whoever receives one little child like this in
My name receives Me.


There are times when I see a big pile of leaves, that I still want to
kick them everywhere. Come on admit it, who still does that.

It's a good thing. We shouldn't lose touch with our inner child. I believe being grown up means being responsible and making well thought out decisions. One can do those things and still be excited about stuff like a child. :)
 

17Bees

Senior Member
Oct 14, 2016
1,380
813
113
#14
Kind of a interesting question. I've thought about how God made us compared to how we actually act. The actual age that a male and female reach "adulthood" ie, puberty is quite young compared with how we treat the males and females. I don't think God made a mistake. The female is usually capable of having children at 12 or 13 and males reach puberty at around the same age, but they're still considered children by us and are treated as such until they reach 18 or later. Usually later - like anywhere from 18 to 30.

So bottom line is that once a child reaches puberty they pretty much have to suffer through the pangs of denied sexuality until they reach at least 18 and more normally 21 or older to get married and have children. Frankly, if you think about it, that's a lot to ask and usually, the "children" will "act out" their sexuality way before they're married. And these are OUR rules we're putting on children. We're intentionally holding them back until they reach a certain age.

If you think about it, this "holding back" children is a fairly recent phenomena. A few centuries ago 15 and 16 year olds got married. The jewish bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah for boys and girls was celebrated at 13 and 12 as "coming of age".

I'm not saying children of 12 or 14 are mature enough for marriage now - but that may be because of they way they're treated by us and not the way God intended. So - I'm just wondering if "children" are coddled too long, treated like a child for too long and whether we're doing this right? The way God intended? I know that children marrying at 15 sounds weird - but it's society that makes it sound weird, not the way God made us. Like I said, I don't think God made a mistake here and children "coming of age" has not changed in the thousands of years since we've been created. I just can't help but wonder if the way we treat young people is the right way. Don't get me wrong - I understand our rules from a human perspective - but I don't think it's from God.
 
H

Hamarr

Guest
#15
It's a good thing. We shouldn't lose touch with our inner child. I believe being grown up means being responsible and making well thought out decisions. One can do those things and still be excited about stuff like a child. :)
This is one of those things I have been learning as I go. For too long, I tried to surpress that inner child thinking that would make me more responsible. Instead I am finding if I indulge that inner child I end up being more responsible. Like letting it have its fun quiets it down so I can do more grown up stuff.

I spent this weekend having fun and am now looking forward to going to work today for the first time in a while. It’s really helped with that burnt out feeling.
 

Kaps89

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2018
219
305
63
Kent, England
#16
I feel literally no different now at the age of 29 than I did when I was 16. However I figured out I was an adult the day I bought a vacuum cleaner.

T
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
25,489
13,797
113
#17
"Grown up"... when you take responsibility for your past, present, and future.

Please pass the Froot Loops.
 
S

Sweetmorningdew78

Guest
#18
"Grown up" ...:unsure: I don't think that fits me ;) people who doesn't know me at all say that I am childish...yeah... I know i have still some growing up to do ...I act by impulse sometimes ,who doesn't..? maybe there are those who are perfectly living a grown up life but girl maybe they feel so mesirable inside...I don't know it is my opinion only... :unsure: I maybe wrong...

Many more people who doesn't know me personally will think i am immature....yeah I am :p but hey it is ok to be silly a lil childish you know...😉


I don't let others take that fun side inside of me :giggle: as long as I don't hurt others,I don't disrespect others. I am happy and i am at peace. This is me and i am me 😉 I am only enjoying this precious life the Lord has given me 😊
 

VincentG

Prodigal son
Aug 25, 2018
1,757
922
113
#19
Just wondered as I’m 50 and I still don’t think I’m there yet!


I think when you have understanding and strong conviction between right and wrong.
 

VincentG

Prodigal son
Aug 25, 2018
1,757
922
113
#20
Maybe it’s not a bad thing to still feel child like


Matthew 18:2-5 NKJV
[2] Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,
[3] and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become
as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
[4] Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven. [5] Whoever receives one little child like this in
My name receives Me.


There are times when I see a big pile of leaves, that I still want to
kick them everywhere. Come on admit it, who still does that.

Ohh noo what I've got to look forward to when my puppy grows up. :LOL: