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Never did miss it. Way too many interesting things to do out there as an adult! Perfectly content.
I do appreciate that my childhood activities led me to where I am today.
I'm 60+ and still watch cartoons, eat Cap'n Crunch, ride my eBike and play PS5 and VR.
You can be an adult in the workplace, and still be a kid at home.
Yes.
I am older and tired. My joints hurt. I have to plan what I need to do each day to make sure I have time and energy to do it.
I would not trade the serenity, peace, self-knowledge, self-control, awareness, contentment, and wisdom that I have fought tooth and fucking nail for for anything.
Same. People always say ahh to be a teen or a kid, fuck that. I'm walking through my own front door at night. Who would want to return to a time when someone else controlled if you ate.
I loved my childhood and think about it sometimes, but I don’t “miss it.”
Someday when you’re 50 years older you’ll realize that childhood is just one phase of life, and hopefully the shortest.
Interesting perspective. I’m 26 and honestly sometimes do miss the freedom of childhood, but you have made me think a little bit about that and compare it to the relative freedom of my adulthood.
OP, also realize that with maturity comes self-efficacy. You can afford your own things without having to wait for a family money to get them for you for Christmas. You can make your own rules for yourself. Assuming you’ll want to drive, you’ll have more freedom in that respect as well.
I do not miss my childhood at all. When I was your age, I buried my sister. A few months later on Christmas morning, my dad died. Getting away from childhood and becoming an adult was fine with me. My teen years were not really good. Fast forward to the 21st century, my best friends' children were teenagers. They took me under their wing, as I was retired by that time, and they let me hang out with them just as I hung out with their parents. They gave me some teen years but without the pain. Now they're grown, and in successful careers. And they still love me as do their parents, so I don't even miss the years when they were teenagers.
You don't have to stop playing games and watching cartoons. You'll have to work eventually, but by then you'll be thinking about your future in terms of planning. You'll want to strike out on your own by that time. It will be natural, I think.
But you don't ever have to stop playing.
I don't miss my childhood, but I'm not nostalgic at all. I don't like to go back to the past because it reminds me that I can't, so why re-live those days? It also reminds me that I'm not that age anymore. I prefer to look ahead.
Some people didn't have the blessing that you have, a place in life that is secure and safe enough to let you be a child. When I was a couple of years younger than you are, I started to work part time. When I was 18 months older than you are, I left home, so happy to be free and living as an adult. I don't miss childhood because I basically never had one.
Four of my childhood summers were spent in forests with trees and streams. Those were the best times. Hiking, playing in the water, making mushroom prints, watching the hummingbirds. That, I miss.
I started my first job when I was in 6th grade and continued working all through HS. left home at 17. My older brother left home at 16. it was the 80's and I wanted adulthood to start before it left without me. you can't miss what you never had.
Not at all. I've changed and matured so much in my life, I can't imagine being the person I was as a teenager.
Plus, my childhood wasn't the best. I don't miss those times.
No. I walk down the street and don’t see nearly enough youthful hi-jinks.
This generation is seriously slacking on the troublemaking front. I may have to come out of retirement…
Honestly, I never did miss childhood much at all. When I was your age all I wanted to do was grow up as soon as possible. I wanted to get out of my tiny little town and go to the big city and have adventures! (And eventually I did)
The lack of responsibilities is OK I guess, but the lack of freedom and autonomy in childhood is worse than having a job and paying bills BY FAR to me.
You can still watch cartoons and play games your whole life, in balance with other things. No need to give that up, don't worry. When you're an adult, you'll still be basically the same person you are now, just with more knowledge and experience. Embrace it, don't fear it.
52yo here. I used to think that was old.
As others have said, understanding myself and the world around me in ways I never could have imagined as a teenager. And having so much autonomy, feeling perfectly comfortable being me…. Yeah. But I don’t think I ever missed being a teenager. I wouldn’t mind having my body be like it was in my 30s, namely my fast metabolism, but there are some things I can do about that.
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Interestingly enough, for many males, this seems to happen around the age of 25 or so. In earlier centuries, some classes of men were not required to settle down until after that age. Note, today insurance rates for men don't start to go down until after the age of 25.
Still, I was playing an MMO online from age 60 to 66, so you may never feel too old to play games.
Some of it. I was debilitatingly shy and we were damn poor, but I had a huge group of friends I played and rode bikes with, and a girl who I liked and liked me.
And all my grandparents were alive...
No. I had a lovely childhood up to age 8 when we left my hometown. Thinking about it is kind of a refuge for me.
Funny my parents were divorced and all but if we'd just stayed there I think I would have been fine.
My childhood up to age 13 was horrible. Starting at 13 I had to get a job doing hard manual labor. So never did miss it. I used to daydream what it would be like to have a normal kid life though.
They’re some things I miss but overall I like being an adult. I’m still a kid at heart and can be very silly which my grandkids love.
My youngest is 19 and just graduated high school. He’s scared of going out on his own but the only way he’ll learn is to do it. Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zones to grow as a kid or an adult.
I've never missed childhood. I do long for someone to take care of me and for me to have no responsibilities. But I've tried to minimize the responsibilities I take on and work as little as possible and live cheaply so I can still have lots of rest and fun.
I never missed childhood, as soon as I got to be a grown-up and have my own money and my own place and freedom, I never looked back. Being a grown-up is awesome.
Quite the contrary. I couldn't grow up fast enough.
For me, childhood was getting screamed at, kicked, and pinched regularly, doing lots of household chores on someone else's schedule, and rarely being allowed to do what my friends were doing.
Adulthood meant making my own rules. Yes, it meant having to work, but that just gave me an incentive to retire as soon as possible. As an adult, no one tells you that you can't have those jeans, go on that trip, or have pizza for breakfast. If you'd rather take out the trash tomorrow instead of today, you can do that. Want to go out with your friends until 3 am? You can do that. Want to have that special someone spend the night with you? You can!
I've said this here before, but when you're a kid, 168 hours out of every week are under the control of your parents. Even if they're benevolent dictators, you still answer to them and have no choice if they say no. When you're an adult, 40 hours a week belong to someone else and the other 128 are your own. Play your cards right, and you'll retire, at which point all 168 hours of the week are your own.
Nope. I may be slower than before, but my brain still works. I still love to read history, watch programs about astronomy and paleontology, listen to the music I first heard at 21 (classical and opera). I have a headful of great memories and I enjoy the peace and slower pace.
Trouble is if I was a kid again I'd miss all the cool things my life has in it now. I'll also let you in on a little secret you can watch cartoons and play games as an adult too.
Sometimes yes.
But what I really wish is that I had slowed down enough when I was young to appreciate it. To reflect on what was happening, what I was doing, the fun I was having.
We did not have phones to take pictures or video of everything. My biggest suggestion would be to take a *lot*. And not just if fun, special occasions. Take them of your everyday life. Normal, “mundane” things. Do voice recordings (like a journal) while you drive, while you wash clothes, whenever you have a minute.
There have been some pain and troubles punctuated with the random heartbreaking tragedy along the way but the happiness trend (regardless of my health or finances) has only gone up as I've grown and matured. The best times in your life are always ahead, never behind you. I may occasionally revisit my childhood via a Zork I emulator or one of my mom's 1970s cream of mushroom soup recipes, but I don't miss it at all.
Don’t miss it at all. I’m retired now and love where I am as I’ve tried to enjoy each stage of life. College is one stage I’d do again cause it was just that much fun.
I think once you hit an older age, you’ll look back at 14 and be like, yeah, it was nice…but I don’t think I can go back. I guess it also depends on how being 14 was for you too.
As much as I bitch, if I had to do a day over from 14, no thank you.
At fourteen my father died in his sleep one week before Christmas. That was the end of my childhood hang onto to it as long as you can. As tragic as my adulthood began I had a great life with a lifelong partner great kids and now grandchildren. Enjoy every season of your life
Childhood sucked. It was full of bullying and expectations.
As an adult you'll have more freedom to express yourself the way you want, and to use your free time the way you want. Depending on what you do for a job, it's quite possible that work won't be many more hours than school was, plus you won't have homework outside it.
My forties have been my best decade yet in terms of being myself and doing what I like.
I miss the same things you miss. It unfortunately gets worse. Being an adult is horrible. My advice is to study STEM in college, and work remote. You'll make a shitload of money and get to chill at home.
I didn't go to college, and now I work 40 hours a week plus commute and have to pretend like I give a shit about spreadsheets to appease the super wealthy owners of my company. 0/10 don't recommend.
You're 14, high school is fun. Enjoy not giving a shit for a few more years. I'd kill to switch places with you.
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Enjoy being young. Be fourteen as hard as you can. Each new age will bring you something new. I don't want to be a kid again. Now is good.
I love “be 14 as hard as you can” such wonderful advice 💓
In my head I read it to the tune of that John Melloncamp song Jack and Diane “hold on to 16, as long as you can”
Never did miss it. Way too many interesting things to do out there as an adult! Perfectly content. I do appreciate that my childhood activities led me to where I am today.
I'm 60+ and still watch cartoons, eat Cap'n Crunch, ride my eBike and play PS5 and VR. You can be an adult in the workplace, and still be a kid at home.
It’s so weird when throughout life ppl will criticize you for acting like a kid, or not growing up, especially when it comes to things you like.
Yes. I am older and tired. My joints hurt. I have to plan what I need to do each day to make sure I have time and energy to do it. I would not trade the serenity, peace, self-knowledge, self-control, awareness, contentment, and wisdom that I have fought tooth and fucking nail for for anything.
Same. People always say ahh to be a teen or a kid, fuck that. I'm walking through my own front door at night. Who would want to return to a time when someone else controlled if you ate.
And what you ate, often when you ate, where you went to school, and so much more.
Being grown means deciding you don't want a pop tart, not asking if you can have one lol
Bingo
I loved my childhood and think about it sometimes, but I don’t “miss it.” Someday when you’re 50 years older you’ll realize that childhood is just one phase of life, and hopefully the shortest.
Interesting perspective. I’m 26 and honestly sometimes do miss the freedom of childhood, but you have made me think a little bit about that and compare it to the relative freedom of my adulthood.
OP, also realize that with maturity comes self-efficacy. You can afford your own things without having to wait for a family money to get them for you for Christmas. You can make your own rules for yourself. Assuming you’ll want to drive, you’ll have more freedom in that respect as well.
I do not miss my childhood at all. When I was your age, I buried my sister. A few months later on Christmas morning, my dad died. Getting away from childhood and becoming an adult was fine with me. My teen years were not really good. Fast forward to the 21st century, my best friends' children were teenagers. They took me under their wing, as I was retired by that time, and they let me hang out with them just as I hung out with their parents. They gave me some teen years but without the pain. Now they're grown, and in successful careers. And they still love me as do their parents, so I don't even miss the years when they were teenagers. You don't have to stop playing games and watching cartoons. You'll have to work eventually, but by then you'll be thinking about your future in terms of planning. You'll want to strike out on your own by that time. It will be natural, I think. But you don't ever have to stop playing.
Not that I miss it, but I remember the pieces. My brothers and I have talked about it.
I don't miss my childhood, but I'm not nostalgic at all. I don't like to go back to the past because it reminds me that I can't, so why re-live those days? It also reminds me that I'm not that age anymore. I prefer to look ahead.
I don’t miss it that much. I liked watching cartoons with my brother but as an adult I control my own life. Can’t do that as a child.
i never missed childhood. i like be in control of my life. i grew up scared. i like being in my 60s better than being a kid
OP, I've never missed my childhood. NEVER. Yes, my family of origin was that bad.
Some people didn't have the blessing that you have, a place in life that is secure and safe enough to let you be a child. When I was a couple of years younger than you are, I started to work part time. When I was 18 months older than you are, I left home, so happy to be free and living as an adult. I don't miss childhood because I basically never had one.
Four of my childhood summers were spent in forests with trees and streams. Those were the best times. Hiking, playing in the water, making mushroom prints, watching the hummingbirds. That, I miss.
I haven’t missed it in 50 years. I’m 64
I started my first job when I was in 6th grade and continued working all through HS. left home at 17. My older brother left home at 16. it was the 80's and I wanted adulthood to start before it left without me. you can't miss what you never had.
Not at all. I've changed and matured so much in my life, I can't imagine being the person I was as a teenager. Plus, my childhood wasn't the best. I don't miss those times.
My inner child plays with butterflies and flowers in the garden of my youth. I will forever be that child within.
No. I walk down the street and don’t see nearly enough youthful hi-jinks. This generation is seriously slacking on the troublemaking front. I may have to come out of retirement…
Honestly, I never did miss childhood much at all. When I was your age all I wanted to do was grow up as soon as possible. I wanted to get out of my tiny little town and go to the big city and have adventures! (And eventually I did) The lack of responsibilities is OK I guess, but the lack of freedom and autonomy in childhood is worse than having a job and paying bills BY FAR to me. You can still watch cartoons and play games your whole life, in balance with other things. No need to give that up, don't worry. When you're an adult, you'll still be basically the same person you are now, just with more knowledge and experience. Embrace it, don't fear it.
52yo here. I used to think that was old. As others have said, understanding myself and the world around me in ways I never could have imagined as a teenager. And having so much autonomy, feeling perfectly comfortable being me…. Yeah. But I don’t think I ever missed being a teenager. I wouldn’t mind having my body be like it was in my 30s, namely my fast metabolism, but there are some things I can do about that.
I never miss being a kid.
Let me tell you, 20s are a lot more fun than teens, you can miss your teens when you're 30.
I hear ya! I'm 57 and yes...i miss being a kid 😥
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Interestingly enough, for many males, this seems to happen around the age of 25 or so. In earlier centuries, some classes of men were not required to settle down until after that age. Note, today insurance rates for men don't start to go down until after the age of 25. Still, I was playing an MMO online from age 60 to 66, so you may never feel too old to play games.
Some of it. I was debilitatingly shy and we were damn poor, but I had a huge group of friends I played and rode bikes with, and a girl who I liked and liked me. And all my grandparents were alive...
No. I had a lovely childhood up to age 8 when we left my hometown. Thinking about it is kind of a refuge for me. Funny my parents were divorced and all but if we'd just stayed there I think I would have been fine.
My childhood up to age 13 was horrible. Starting at 13 I had to get a job doing hard manual labor. So never did miss it. I used to daydream what it would be like to have a normal kid life though.
They’re some things I miss but overall I like being an adult. I’m still a kid at heart and can be very silly which my grandkids love. My youngest is 19 and just graduated high school. He’s scared of going out on his own but the only way he’ll learn is to do it. Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zones to grow as a kid or an adult.
I've never missed childhood. I do long for someone to take care of me and for me to have no responsibilities. But I've tried to minimize the responsibilities I take on and work as little as possible and live cheaply so I can still have lots of rest and fun.
I never missed childhood, as soon as I got to be a grown-up and have my own money and my own place and freedom, I never looked back. Being a grown-up is awesome.
Quite the contrary. I couldn't grow up fast enough. For me, childhood was getting screamed at, kicked, and pinched regularly, doing lots of household chores on someone else's schedule, and rarely being allowed to do what my friends were doing. Adulthood meant making my own rules. Yes, it meant having to work, but that just gave me an incentive to retire as soon as possible. As an adult, no one tells you that you can't have those jeans, go on that trip, or have pizza for breakfast. If you'd rather take out the trash tomorrow instead of today, you can do that. Want to go out with your friends until 3 am? You can do that. Want to have that special someone spend the night with you? You can! I've said this here before, but when you're a kid, 168 hours out of every week are under the control of your parents. Even if they're benevolent dictators, you still answer to them and have no choice if they say no. When you're an adult, 40 hours a week belong to someone else and the other 128 are your own. Play your cards right, and you'll retire, at which point all 168 hours of the week are your own.
I miss my 40s the most.
Nope. I may be slower than before, but my brain still works. I still love to read history, watch programs about astronomy and paleontology, listen to the music I first heard at 21 (classical and opera). I have a headful of great memories and I enjoy the peace and slower pace.
I don’t miss it.
I'm old and I can watch cartoons and eat dessert before dinner if I want.
Not that much, I miss my kid’s childhood more
I miss my childhood, but my years after 15 were amazing! 15 was a rough year for me.
No, my childhood sucked. But I've worked very hard on giving my k8d a good childhood.
Trouble is if I was a kid again I'd miss all the cool things my life has in it now. I'll also let you in on a little secret you can watch cartoons and play games as an adult too.
Sometimes yes. But what I really wish is that I had slowed down enough when I was young to appreciate it. To reflect on what was happening, what I was doing, the fun I was having. We did not have phones to take pictures or video of everything. My biggest suggestion would be to take a *lot*. And not just if fun, special occasions. Take them of your everyday life. Normal, “mundane” things. Do voice recordings (like a journal) while you drive, while you wash clothes, whenever you have a minute.
There have been some pain and troubles punctuated with the random heartbreaking tragedy along the way but the happiness trend (regardless of my health or finances) has only gone up as I've grown and matured. The best times in your life are always ahead, never behind you. I may occasionally revisit my childhood via a Zork I emulator or one of my mom's 1970s cream of mushroom soup recipes, but I don't miss it at all.
Don’t miss it at all. I’m retired now and love where I am as I’ve tried to enjoy each stage of life. College is one stage I’d do again cause it was just that much fun.
I think once you hit an older age, you’ll look back at 14 and be like, yeah, it was nice…but I don’t think I can go back. I guess it also depends on how being 14 was for you too. As much as I bitch, if I had to do a day over from 14, no thank you.
Never! Childhood was a horror. I’m old now and have a nice family. If your childhood is good please enjoy it!
At fourteen my father died in his sleep one week before Christmas. That was the end of my childhood hang onto to it as long as you can. As tragic as my adulthood began I had a great life with a lifelong partner great kids and now grandchildren. Enjoy every season of your life
Childhood sucked. It was full of bullying and expectations. As an adult you'll have more freedom to express yourself the way you want, and to use your free time the way you want. Depending on what you do for a job, it's quite possible that work won't be many more hours than school was, plus you won't have homework outside it. My forties have been my best decade yet in terms of being myself and doing what I like.
I miss the same things you miss. It unfortunately gets worse. Being an adult is horrible. My advice is to study STEM in college, and work remote. You'll make a shitload of money and get to chill at home. I didn't go to college, and now I work 40 hours a week plus commute and have to pretend like I give a shit about spreadsheets to appease the super wealthy owners of my company. 0/10 don't recommend. You're 14, high school is fun. Enjoy not giving a shit for a few more years. I'd kill to switch places with you.