childhood vs. adulthood

Adults in today's culture have so many commitments that they don't have time to engage in events they enjoyed as children. Nonetheless, remembering the days when I was a child and could survive without thinking about anything because my parents were in control and taking care of all of our daily needs, including making sure we slept, brings back wonderful memories. Adult life is very different, and parents are responsible for all of their wants, loved ones, and, to some extent, the well-being of those around them. This paper will provide a distinction between my life as an adult and child regarding responsibility, personality development, economical use of time, friendship and relationship development, decision-making, and aid to parents. Decision makingThere is a big contrast between adults and children regarding decision making and especially on how I acted and reacted to situations. I was so free in my actions and worried about nothing except my welfare, and it is only about time that I learn to consider the feelings and views of others. On the contrary, as an adult what I do is almost entirely controlled my thought processes and the perceptions of people surrounding me. Primarily instincts inform children's responses, but adults’ actions are driven by mental procedures and do not react on impulses, but behave in a manner acceptable by everyone in the society. As an adult, I am under intense pressure to act according to specific ethical standards, the same way I should, have behaved as a kid but I did not feel much pressure. Whether I choose to conform to this rule or not, the fact is adults are fully aware of these standards. With this knowledge, I make decisions aware of the repercussions to a certain extent.ResponsibilitiesAs a child, my parents provided all necessary needs, and I had the freedom of learning what life entails. I was free to learn what experience around involved and what their contribution is all about. Adults especially parents pushed and guided me until I developed to maturity; a point at which I was free to choose what is right or wrong for my life. As a grown-up, I am capable of standing alone. I depend on myself and provide my needs. I decide what is right for my life, and I motivate and encourage myself in achieving personal goals. Relationships and friendship developmentDeveloping friendship and nurturing relationships at childhood was very easy and quick. For instance, one kid could ask me, "Can we be friends?" In case the answer is yes, the friendships begin if otherwise, we could just relate casually without much attachment. In adults, friendships and relationships are complicated; I consider several factors like interests, personality, character, and attitudes before associations begin. Friendship formation in adults takes time to develop while in kids, it is quick and takes a short duration. Helping parentsMy duty as a kid in helping my parents was limited to minor activities primarily within the home. It is so because I was expected to be in school and also the law prohibits child involvement in work-related activities. However, as an adult, I have a duty of assisting and taking care of my parents especially when old. I can help in paying their bills like medication, housing, etc. Besides, in some cultures, it is my role as a young adult to check regularly if everything with my parents is ok.Time management (spending and organizing time)Kids have a little or no sense of time. In many cases, it is parents and other significant adults who help me in managing my time. Adults gave me a list of to do activities while away and they made follow-ups to check whether indeed I completed the assignments. The regular follow-ups made me gradually become responsible. On the contrary, I have a free choice on what to do with my time as an adult. I organize my day and always strive to achieve daily goals. The capacity of being a mature person compels me to behave responsibly.Personality developmentPersonality development involves predictable behavioral patterns, attitudes, and perceptions which make an individual unique. The personality of a person develops through an interaction of character, temperament, and environment. The disposition of children is not fully developed, and in many instances, they may not portray consistent behavior in a similar event but different times. On the other hand, I have a fully developed personality; it is easy to predict my actions in a situation based on past encounters. Conclusion A significant difference exists between children and adults in several aspects of life. The expectations placed on children are much less than on adults. Kids have very few responsibilities to accomplish while the lives of adults follow a series of activities. Children have a limited sense of time management, and everything they do depends on assignments from parents. Further, kids aid their parents in simple operations while adults have enormous responsibilities towards their parents. Hence it can be said that the expectations of adults are much higher than in young children.