When Being a Grownup Sucks

I had a text conversation with my girlie yesterday. I asked her what she was doing and her response was “Ugh…I’m paying bills and eating prunes. Being a grownup sucks.” After much discussion, we decided that the subject of adult suckatude would make for a great blog post. And no, I didn’t ask why she was eating prunes. Too early in the morning.

Adults have too many responsibilities. Remember the days when you were a kid? Do I hear a collective AHHHHH? Oh, yes. Biggest decision of the morning? What to eat for breakfast and what cartoon to watch while eating said breakfast. Clean up your bedroom or wait until Mom yelled at you for the mess? And in the afternoon? You could ride your bike or take the skateboard. Hang out with Cindy or Lisa. Or both. Yeah, they seemed like a big deal at the time but now? Not so much.

As a grownup, there is a job to go to, bills to pay, kids to take care of, a house to look after, vehicle(s) to maintain. Prunes to eat. What…huh? Endless responsibilities.

Adults don’t get to have enough fun. Not saying that I don’t have fun. But it’s different.  Such weightless possibilities for a child. Movies and playgrounds and bike rides. Going to the zoo or the water park. Running with your friends or swimming.

When we grow up, we get a babysitter, go out to a movie or a bar. A fabulous restaurant (as opposed to the usual McDonald’s run). But in the back of your mind, you’re wondering and worrying about what your kids are up to, whether they miss you or need to tell you something. Even if they’re grown, you’re still worrying. Just about different things.

Relationships with the opposite sex. When you’re a boy and you like a girl, you punch her on the playground. But mostly, you just play together. Share your ice cream and marbles (do kids still play with marbles?). But when you grow up, it becomes a lot more complicated. A. Lot. More.

You have the whole should I or shouldn’t I have sex with him thing. Constantly questioning whether this person is THE ONE. Or in some cases, THE second ONE. Shaving your legs above the knee. Meeting the parents. Or the kids. Just too much responsibility. Do you eat the prunes before or after the date…umm, what?

Going to work. While this is not an issue with me…I love my job… a lot of people hate the routine of getting up and going to work. A career with a multitude of responsibilities. Employees to supervise. Managers to satisfy. Kids? When I ask Elijah what he did all day, most often he says “I played, ate, and then played some more.” What a life. If we do have to go to work, why can’t we have summers off just like the kids do?

Medical issues. Most kids, bless their hearts, are healthy. They get skinned knees or the occasional broken bone but for the most part, it’s smooth sailing. They fall down and bounce right back up. I can’t tell you the last time I bounced.

Now I’m pretty healthy but let’s face it. No matter how you take care of yourself, as you age things just start to go wrong. For one, you have the whole DNA thing going. You know, the conditions your parents are so kind to hand down to you. Arthritis, diabetes, cataracts…and that’s just on my Daddy’s side of the family. Fortunately I didn’t get any of those…yet. Even if you eat right and exercise, don’t drink to excess or smoke, some of these things are gonna get you.

Then there is your past coming to bite you in the butt bringing sore knees, back issues and sagging skin (not a medical problem but still a concern). Things you did when you are younger just reminding you that your body did not appreciate going through the torture that you put it through. In my case, softball and working on the farm. Spending hours in the sun.

Personally, I’m enjoying my life. I have problems like everyone else. Some worse, some not so bad as others. But I enjoy my family and friends. I’ve learned a lot from whatever mistakes I’ve made and have grown from them. Being all grown up is not so bad. It just depends on your attitude and how you face whatever life throws at you. I choose to be positive and live life to the fullest.

Now Deb, my little girl, is going to do her own version of why being a grownup sucks. She’ll be my first guest writer on my blog site. I hope you enjoy what her take is. Write on, girlie. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

Of course we have the whole prune issue. Huh…what?