There have been several steps in my trip to adulthood.
I first felt like an adult when dh and I had an apt of our own. At that point we had been married 3 years. First I lived with my sister and dh moved in. Then when money was tight we moved in with my mom. At the point when I knew I wouldn't go back to her house I felt like I was grown up.
The next step was when we had a house built and I gave birth to our first dd. 2 yrs later when 2nd dd was born ill was a giant step towards adulthood.
I felt not only grownup but old when my mom was dying. She had cancer which spread and over 3 years I gradually became in charge of her (I have 7 siblings). I got a call at work one day from my oldest brother that mom was ill but didn't want to go to the dr. I had to tell her you go or I am coming home and making you go. She went and had her gallbladder out. Then there was the day I had to tell her she couldn't come home from the hospital (since her care was too much for us) and would have to enter hospice where she died 6 weeks later.
However my sisters and I still treat our oldest niece, 23 yrs old, as a child. I tell her, "if we treat you like a grown up that means we are OLD"
The best adult story I have heard came from my brother. When his 2 dds were in high school they were in a color guard group that competed. At an away event a group of girls was on the bus changing. My brother didn't realize it and boarded the bus. The girls scrambled for cover until 1 of them realized it was him and said "Don't worry it is only Mr R". He said he aged 20 years in that one moment.
I first felt like an adult when dh and I had an apt of our own. At that point we had been married 3 years. First I lived with my sister and dh moved in. Then when money was tight we moved in with my mom. At the point when I knew I wouldn't go back to her house I felt like I was grown up.
The next step was when we had a house built and I gave birth to our first dd. 2 yrs later when 2nd dd was born ill was a giant step towards adulthood.
I felt not only grownup but old when my mom was dying. She had cancer which spread and over 3 years I gradually became in charge of her (I have 7 siblings). I got a call at work one day from my oldest brother that mom was ill but didn't want to go to the dr. I had to tell her you go or I am coming home and making you go. She went and had her gallbladder out. Then there was the day I had to tell her she couldn't come home from the hospital (since her care was too much for us) and would have to enter hospice where she died 6 weeks later.
However my sisters and I still treat our oldest niece, 23 yrs old, as a child. I tell her, "if we treat you like a grown up that means we are OLD"
The best adult story I have heard came from my brother. When his 2 dds were in high school they were in a color guard group that competed. At an away event a group of girls was on the bus changing. My brother didn't realize it and boarded the bus. The girls scrambled for cover until 1 of them realized it was him and said "Don't worry it is only Mr R". He said he aged 20 years in that one moment.
