Act Your Age, Astrid?!

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. Today’s topic for Sunday Poser is the idea of acting our age. Society expects us to act a certain way depending on our age – not just behave quite responsibly past our mid-twenties or so, but also to wear certain clothes, listen to certain music, enjoy certain activities, etc. depending on our age. Do we generally conform to that expectation? A quick read through the comments on Sadje’s original post gave me the impression that, no, we don’t. And I personally certainly don’t.

With respect to the responsible behavior part, I have to admit, unlike the other participants, that I’m very much a child – no, a toddler – at heart. I still have significant temper outbursts, for instance. In fact, on my thirtieth birthday, I had an intense outburst and was adamant that I could no longer have those in my thirties. Well, my brain wouldn’t listen. It’s said that my emotional developmental level is comparable in many ways to that of an infant or young toddler.

In other ways, I’m still a child at heart too. I love unicorns, going on the swings at the institution playground and stuffed animals. I even talk to my stuffed animals at times.

Then in other areas, I do act my age or even older. I’m not keen on using my phone when doing another activity and get annoyed when my staff get constantly distracted by text messages. I don’t really do social media except for Facebook (which probably makes me appear really old). It isn’t that I haven’t tried, but I was rather late to the party with most platforms.

Of course, the fact that I use the singular pronoun “I” here, is a bit misguided too, since we’re a plural system and there are parts of all ages. This is probably one of the reasons that I can talk to my stuffed animals happily one moment, have a temper tantrum the next and be involved in an “old-fashioned” hobby later. I do sometimes wonder whether my parts are genuine alters or whether something like internal family systems could help them too. Then again, I’m not in therapy, IFS or otherwise, anyway.

14 thoughts on “Act Your Age, Astrid?!”

  1. Your like of “going on the swings” being a child fits many of us “adults”, it is made okay by using this behavior being called “childlike behavior.” I am childlike in many aspects. Maybe that explains why folk, when I divulge my age, they say to me, “You certainly don’t look that old.” More traits also add to their thinking that. I think this behavior comes in degrees, males more strongly than the ladies.
    You have a good write up here.
    ..

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    1. Thank you so much for commenting. I am often told I appear younger than my actual age too, even though by purely my physical looks I often seem slightly older.

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  2. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Astrid. Your DID can contribute to this behavioral pattern. But I like doing things that aren’t deemed age appropriate too. Let the child in us express itself.

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    2. Then I will translate photo into words, just for you ♥. I’m a little crocheted piglet in a stripy garment, from which skinny little arms and legs peep out, as does my pointy-piggy head. My ears fly like pennants in the wind (imaginary) that sends my long scarf dancing, too. I am the embodiment of the original piglet of Christopher Robin fame, and my black beady eyes see more than one might imagine. Hehehe xxx

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