The other day it occurred to me – I am a grown up. This isn’t the first time it has occurred to me, of course, but for some reason I thought about it the other day. And you know, a lot of the time I don’t actually feel like a grown up but at 48, well, there it is. And so I decided to make this week’s Ten on Tuesday topic: Ten Things That Make You Feel Like a Grown Up.
- Paying bills. It’s the downside of being a grown up but there it is.
- Grocery shopping. I plan the meals and buy whatever I want. This is one of the cool things about being a grown up, that’s for sure.
- Voting. I take it very seriously.
- Dining out alone. I’ve only had the opportunity to do this a couple of times but I actually enjoyed it.
- Going to meetings. They can be boring but it’s definitely an adult thing for me.
- Being married. And not just being married but staying married, being together for the long haul and having a history together. Very grown.up.
- The fact that both my mom and dad have died. I miss them but it’s sort of liberating to not worry about what they think of the decisions I make.
- Drinking wine. Good wine.
- Having a passport. Okay, I know that you can get a passport as an infant but having one (and actually getting to use it!) makes me feel like a grown up.
- Throwing a party and not having it be BYOB. A few weeks ago we had friends over for dinner and they actually did bring their own beer and I laughed, remembering all those times when we all had to chip in for stuff like this.
You’ll notice I didn’t say a thing about finding grey hair. Not.a.thing.
Did you write a post for today? Please share your link below. As always, if you want to subscribe to the Ten on Tuesday email list then just click here.
Totally get the parents thing. Getting my kids up for school in the morning, especially in the winter. Sometimes I just want to be the one saying, “Five more minutes, Mom!”
Your list . . . totally makes me feel like a grown-up.
I agree with Kym. You hit the nail on the head, although paying bills means you have good things in your life, like a house, a car and food on your table. Paying the bills is a privilege. Does that make sense?
I’ve been lurking here for years and I can’t resist responding to this list. It is all so true, but #10 is one that has been a discussion around here lately. We have friends that always bring drinks with them and we are always telling them it isn’t necessary (a bottle of wine for a dinner party is thoughtful, but beer etc for a cocktail evening isn’t necessary). But we realized why the other day when we went to a party at their house and everyone brought a cooler of drinks. I felt like I was in University again.
So, I guess not everyone feels that #10 makes them grown up. But I do too!
And I certainly won’t speak of gray hairs if you won’t.
I just got my passport last year and that did make me feel like grown up! Grey hairs? What grey hairs? They don’t make me feel grown up since I have actually had some since I was 18.
Funny, we’re having a party this weekend and people will bring beer I guarantee and we’ll have the beer we bought left over! Being a grown-up certainly has its advantages and we can still do things like swing on the swings or ride the cart in the parking lot!
After Mother’s funeral (and Dad preceded her) we had an open house with sandwich fixings, etc. at her home. I remember being approached by Mr. Nelson, who share cropped our farm. He wished to present to me his grown sons who farm with him. I not only was suddenly jerked into the role of matriarch, but also was sure I heard music from the Godfather in the background. The younger men stopped just short of tugging their forelocks!
Mr. Nelson had played in the high school band that Mother taught just before I was born, by the way. Circle of life.
For me, becoming a parent has been a big part of being an adult. And making decisions that pay off in the long run, even if they are unpleasant in the short run. Personally I hate eating out alone unless it’s a quick bite like a slice of pizza. Here in the city, kids eat out alone and go grocery shopping. When I was little I was given a child’s ironing board and iron and I remember thinking, wow, I’m grown up, now! So many milestones…
I especially liked the voting item. There is nothing that says you aren’t grown up like refusing to “get involved because none of them are any good”. My list would include facing adversity with composure and optimism (not quite the word I wanted, but it will have to do).
Becoming 50—I will be 52 in March. When did I go from being the youngest person in the room to the oldest?
Had my annual checkup yesterday. Came to the realization that I am a OLD grownup. Got a new pill to take. Nothing serious just something that goes with getting a few years on you! But…on the inside I’m still a kid. 😉
I realized I was a grown-up when I bought an ironing board (back in the days when we ironed clothes, not just quilting blocks). Also, sleeping for the first time under the roof of the first house you’ve just bought is utterly sobering.
I had to laugh at your grey hair comment. It’s totally NOT an indication that you’re a grown up! I’ve had grey hair since I was 18 or 19 (of course, I have WAY more now). I know that, legally, 18 & 19 year olds are adults, but as far as being “grown up”…well, let’s just say that those ages look a lot different to me now that I’m 42. 🙂