You're Just Being Childish!

[Guest]

We often hear that an adult is being childish.  Sometimes they're accused of adolescent behavior.  We also hear that some children show remarkable maturity.

When an adult is behaving well, we don't say he's being mature.  We may say "He's a good man."  Or "That shows some character/integrity."  When a child is being childish, we don't say he's acting childish (duh).  We say they're "misbehaving".  Why is that?

What kind of characteristics, traits, or examples can you give that would motivate you to place such labels on such individuals?

[askandanswer]

I think you should stop asking such childish questions and show a bit of maturity.

[anatess2]

Well... a child can't be childish because... he's a child.  He's supposed to act like a child.  When an adult is behaving well, he's not being mature because he's supposed to act mature.  If an adult is acting like a child - then he's being childish because it's not expected of him.  Same with a child acting adultish.

 

If you must know, I wrote that entire paragraph just so I can say adultish.  Thank you very much.

[Jamie123]

I've always found it curious that "childlike" is a positive thing to say about someone, but "childish" is negative.

When we say someone is "childlike" we usually mean they are honest, unaffected, open-minded, and appreciative of genuine pleasures.

When we say someone is "childish" we usually mean they are affected, vindictive, self-centered, whiny, stubborn and surly.

(I for instance can be very childish when cut up by BMW drivers.)

[Overwatch]

Social Constructions. How society thinks you should behave. How your religious sect thinks you should behave. Most importantly how God has commanded we should behave.

All of these influence how people look at each other. How they justify labeling peoples behavior.

It really doesn't matter what people say about you as long as you are good with God. I am not really sure what you are looking for. Almost seems like you are working on homework. Anyway, best wishes.

[LadyGator]

I really dislike hearing young boys being told to “man up” when they are upset about something. They are young, let them be upset and show emotion, that is how we have people that are adults and show no emotion. So often you hear women in particular saying they wish their significant other showed more emotion. So in my humble opinion if we as a society didn’t condem/admonish young boys for showing emotion it may lead to a society where adults were able to do the same.

As far as being labeled as “childish” as you can see by the way Gator and I talk to each other we like to joke and have fun so we would probably both receive the label of “childish.” 

So this is what happens when I actually get time off, I answer a bunch of questions. 😀

[Grunt]

11 minutes ago, LadyGator said:

I really dislike hearing young boys being told to “man up” when they are upset about something. They are young, let them be upset and show emotion, that is how we have people that are adults and show no emotion. So often you hear women in particular saying they wish their significant other showed more emotion. So in my humble opinion if we as a society didn’t condem/admonish young boys for showing emotion it may lead to a society where adults were able to do the same.

As far as being labeled as “childish” as you can see by the way Gator and I talk to each other we like to joke and have fun so we would probably both receive the label of “childish.” 

So this is what happens when I actually get time off, I answer a bunch of questions. 😀

For better or worse, I'm a "man up" kind of dad.  Emotion is fine, but not so much that it displaces action.