Toys, stuffed animals, trick-or-treating and cartoons: all these probably were, or still are, a part of our fondest childhood memories.
As we get older, teenagers agree that more people expect for them to act mature and to give up childish things. Is there ever a point when teenagers should be considered “too old” for something?
“You grew up with [childish things], and you liked them then, so it is okay to like the same things now,” senior Nathaniel Zanavich said. “Like cartoons— I watch them, and they make you laugh and you’re never too old to laugh.”
The teenagers who agree that it is okay to indulge in so-called “childish” activities usually do so out of routine, believing they should not change their habits just because they might be considered “too old” for an activity.
“I turn on cartoons every morning and watch them, [it] has been something I have always done,” senior Courtney Lineman said. “It is frowned upon by society if at this age you like doing things like watching cartoons or going trick-or-treating, but you can overcome society.”
A lot of teenagers insist that something like trick-or-treating can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of age.
“Trick-or-treating is fun and you get free candy,” sophomore Natalie Hayman said. “My boyfriend is 18 and he still goes trick-or-treating with me and that is okay. You are never too old for free candy.”
Still, other students try to move away from “childish” things once they enter high school.
“I get uncomfortable when it comes to trick-or-treating; I feel like I’ve grown out of it,” senior Chelsea Korynta said. “It is cool when you are an adorable little kid, but when you are a teenager with a job and ‘big-kid responsibilities’ it is time to buy your own candy and save some for the young’uns.”
Others try to make the change between enjoying “childish” things and growing up more of a gradual process.
“I don’t think it is childish to own toys or stuffed animals, but I have slowly been trying to fade them out,” sophomore Adrianne Cleven said. “When I throw them away I feel like I’m throwing away precious childhood memories. But if you hold on to everything, you just can’t move on.”
A lot of teenagers believe it is our culture’s fault that we can not enjoy “childish” pastimes once we reach a certain age.
“It is just the way the culture is,” junior Anthony Rolka said. “People expect you to grow up at such a young age, when really they need to enjoy what little time they have as kids. Everything you enjoyed as a child you should still be able to enjoy once you get older.”
Culture and personal choices can lead teens to the decision to act more mature and give up things they enjoyed when they were younger.
“It is a mix of people expecting you not to do things and being self-conscious about doing them,” sophomore Kat Taylor said. “Some things, like trick-or-treating or playing with toys, are kind of embarrassing to enjoy when you’re older.”
Other teenagers do not let outside factors such as peer pressure, what their parents might think or society influence their decisions, but instead leave the decision whether or not to do certain activities completely up to themselves.
“My parents tell me, ‘Kat, you shouldn’t do this,’ but I’ll do it anyway because I don’t really care about what people think of me,” Taylor said. “Even when I grow up, I’m still going to do some childish things because I’ll always be a child at heart.”
— Meredith Norman
