“It’s not faaaaaiiiirrrrrrr,” my 9-year-old son lamented the other day. “You get to enjoy all the fun things because you’re an adult, while we have to miss out because we’re kids.”
Well, of course, my dear. That’s just how life operates. I’m the adult, you’re the child—clearly, I’m the one winning here.
I genuinely appreciate being an adult. It’s a pretty cool gig. Well, most of the time anyway—unless, of course, I’m facing bills or work obligations or the countless responsibilities that come with real life.
However, as I observe my son navigate the trying pre-teen years, I can’t help but feel that being an adult has its advantages. Just think of all the enjoyable things we can do:
- Eat What We Want: Sure, that might entail broccoli, but let’s be real—chocolate before dinner is unbeatable. And yes, we do face the consequences of our choices, which might mean avoiding anything with less than 25% lycra content in our pants.
- Stay Up Late and Have Fun: Clearly, my evenings are filled with wild parties as soon as the kids are asleep. It’s all quiet until they go to bed, and then it’s like a rave at my place… or not. More like me crashing on the couch with my laptop in hand.
- Screentime Freedom: We have no restrictions on our device usage, other than the constant worry about how these gadgets are affecting our brains and whether we should be doing something else instead of scrolling through social media. At least I’m an informed consumer, which counts for something.
- Work Life: We work constantly, or sometimes we don’t. It’s a cycle of earning money just to pay bills, and then earning more money to cover even more expenses—but let’s not forget the occasional splurge on fun.
- Drop It Like It’s Hot: You know, like at nightclubs where we don’t actually go. Or at concerts we rarely attend. Let’s face it, those days are mostly behind us.
- Driving: Usually with a car full of rambunctious children. There’s the added bonus of navigating traffic, remembering insurance payments, and ensuring we get oil changes.
- Fashion Choices: We can wear whatever we want—so long as it meets a long list of unwritten rules about length, fit, and comfort, which can be quite restricting.
- Use of Language: We can express ourselves however we choose—except in front of Grandma or the kids. So basically, we can only be ourselves around other adults, which is a rare occurrence.
- Adult Beverages: For celebrations, commiserations, or just because it’s a day ending in “y.” Plus, who doesn’t love learning about the importance of B vitamins, Bloody Marys, and the infamous one-for-one rule?
- Vacation Planning: We get to make all the decisions and then learn to appreciate the feedback from our family. Documenting our adventures often results in zero photos of ourselves that don’t include awkward angles or missing limbs.
- Taking Charge: We’re the ones in control—except when it comes to bosses, parents, and society. So really, we’re just a group of grown-up kids trying to assert our independence.
- Being Parents: Above all, nothing compares to the love and honor of being a parent. It’s the most significant role we will ever hold, and there’s truly no other experience quite like it.
In summary, adulthood definitely has its ups and downs, but overall, it’s not such a bad deal after all. Maybe it’s time I offered my son a few apologies for complaining about it.
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