I missed out on being a "big kid"

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ForeverYoung

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I've summarized my personal AB identity just about every time I post. I'll spare you all this time. The short version is, for me it's closer to Little or even "Adult Toddler" and all focused around the potty training stage.

After several life changes over the past few weeks, I've realized something about myself. I never felt like I missed out on my childhood, I had a relatively happy one with many friends and experiences. Of course it wasn't without pain, I saw both of my grandparents die back to back from cancer and heart disease early on, my little brother was diagnosed autistic when I was very young, and my dad was diagnosed with MS when I hit junior high. It was made clear very early on that I would have added responsibility in my life. There were moments where I really bucked that, but now I take a sense of pride in being able to have my own life and help my family.

So, ultimately, despite the numerous issues my family has had to deal with (many not listed above) I've been overall happy with my life, grateful for my opportunities, and I feel like I have a plan in action for success in meeting my goals.

So what the hell am I even bringing any of this up for.

I guess most people walk around feeling like they "missed out" on something, that's probably even more common in this community. For a long time I felt I missed out in a multitude of ways, but most of those situations turned out to be false.

I realize, though, the way my heart skips a beat when the Pull Ups theme comes on, or when I think of that early celebration of success, I feel like I skipped a step in life that I really wanted to experience. I feel like I missed out on that early pre school "big kid" feeling. My mom has said to me on numerous occasions how happy she is that she could always depend on me, and how mature I (mostly) was throughout all of that.

When I think back now, I guess it almost seems like I jumped from being a baby to being a school aged child. In the olden days, I guess that would seem pretty normal, even now it would seem normal. But I tell you, there is a part of me that longs for the "I'm a big kid now!" stage.

There's a new Pull Ups commercial that came out this year that celebrates multiple big kid moments, like moving from bottles to sippy cups, and learning to dress yourself. It's that sort of thing, that incredible celebration in those sorts of moments.

It's not all bad though, I have no doubt in my mind that I'll find a partner one day who can both understand and cater to this longing inside of me. I'm not as regretful now as I had once been.

Sorry if this post isn't going anywhere, but I think this is something that I've wanted to vocalize for a long time. It's one thing to say that in some ways, I feel like I grew up too fast, but it's another (perhaps a more millennial statement) to say that I missed out on being a big kid.

That's what I want to regress to. That's what I want to relive.

I'm looking forward to the day where I can share that role play with someone who truly understands and supports it.
 
That's actually my preferred age. Not so big that you have too many responsibilities, but big enough that picking out your own shirt and pants (and bonus points if they matched) was a big deal.

I actually remember a bit of that stage in my life, my mom actually sorted all of my clothes into 'outfits', so all I had to do was pick a stack of clothes and put them on. I usually ended up matching fairly well, even if I decided not to go with what was in the stack.
 
CuddleWoozle said:
That's actually my preferred age. Not so big that you have too many responsibilities, but big enough that picking out your own shirt and pants (and bonus points if they matched) was a big deal.

I actually remember a bit of that stage in my life, my mom actually sorted all of my clothes into 'outfits', so all I had to do was pick a stack of clothes and put them on. I usually ended up matching fairly well, even if I decided not to go with what was in the stack.

I'm not sure how often my clothes match as an adult. Good thing I only own grey t shirts and jeans lol
 
ForeverYoung said:
I'm not sure how often my clothes match as an adult. Good thing I only own grey t shirts and jeans lol

We need Garanimals for big people. XD "Just match the tiger and you'll be fiiiiine."

*Comes out wearing a pink tutu skort and a dark blue t-shirt*

"I told you to the match the tigers."

"I did! White tiger down there, orange tiger up here!"
 
CuddleWoozle said:
We need Garanimals for big people. XD "Just match the tiger and you'll be fiiiiine."

*Comes out wearing a pink tutu skort and a dark blue t-shirt*

"I told you to the match the tigers."

"I did! White tiger down there, orange tiger up here!"

Yes we need Garanimals in adults sizes I'm so jealous of the baby's and kids clothes .
I want them too.
 
foxkits said:
Yes we need Garanimals in adults sizes I'm so jealous of the baby's and kids clothes .
I want them too.

I know, right?! Although because I like the clothes so much, people ask me to help them pick out outfits for gifts for friends' babies.
 
foxkits said:
Yes we need Garanimals in adults sizes I'm so jealous of the baby's and kids clothes .
I want them too.

I am with both of you on this. There's so many My Little Pony outfits and stuff that I would love to wear (among other things)! But I can't because they only make them for kids. Especially the anthropomorphic foods and emotion icons/smiley stuff.
 
I think a lot of us were forced to grow up early because of circumstances. I was and am, part of the post W. W. II generation. It was just assumed there would be another world war and we were constantly chided to "grow up". Fighting was often encouraged and you were under the microscope of how you would perform.

My dad had a bad heart and as a kid, I can remember the ambulance coming in the middle of the night. My parents also went bankrupt when I was 12 years old and we had to move once again. Planet Earth is a tough place to live. Remaining a child is often short lived for many of us. I taught at an inner city school and I don't think a lot of my students had much of a childhood. They were running drugs at an early age and dodging bullets.

There are families that provide safe homes for their children and I'm glad for that. My kids have done that for their children because it was important to me, that their home was safe as they grew up, probably because mine wasn't.
 
I guess that I am an "Adult Toddler", not yet ready to use the potty.
My real childhood was Hell.
Lost a younger brother due to congenital birth defects right at the start of my potty training.
My own home as a child was never safe, not with having a parent, my Mom being Autistic herself, and also being completely insane and psychotic and intermittently violent.
At age 60, I still emotionally hurt from childhood abuse and neglect PTSD.
A tough life for a person like me, born with Cerebral Palsy and Autism Functional Level I.
 
Being 33, (The hump)
I don't feel my childhood was too terrible. Other than some ongoing issues to this day with family. I mean, It was what it was, and it went how it went, a childhood. It was not the best it could have been looking back.
At this stage I'm really getting back into watching all my old tv shows, getting all sorts of mickey mouse toys, collector items, disney/mickey comics, mickey clothing items where I can find adult stuff that I like. Its like a second childhood. I don't really "play" per se, as my current job is the top priority. I'm also getting a 2019 Ford Mustang, all decked out, 5.0 V8. I have my baby/toddler/childish things on one side, and the other I'm trying to be more "adult" with cars and that sort of stuff. I'm trying to live two ages at the same time it seems.
 
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