You Know You're A Grown Up When...

The back page in Redbook magazine has a little section of funnies, and that is the choice topic for this month.  You Know You're A Grown Up includes such valuable nuggets of wisdom like -

you decide that crossing your fingers that there's enough in your checking account to cover the rent is not actually a financial strategy. 

As well as -

it's become completely impossible for you to ignore a sink full of dirty dishes. 

I have a few of my own.  I have a gift certificate to Amazon that I won from The Parent Bloggers Blog Blast, and rather than buying some cool stuff, I'm thinking of buying a new bra and a Christmas gift for one of the kids. THAT'S one way you know you are a grown up; you spend your money on boring yet practical stuff rather than frivolous things like shiny new shoes.

I realized the other day that I not only buy shorts and pants because I like the way they look, but because they have pockets.  I can no longer wear pants without pockets

I CHOOSE to eat vegetables with both dinner AND lunch.

How did you know that you were really and truly an adult?

Comments

[Kerry]

Woa! What did you just call me? :)

It still freaks me out that *I* am the grown up around here. How the heck did that happen?

For me it was when I was cooking one night when I was first married and called my mother to apologize for not appreciating her, because this grown up business was hard!

[Tina]

I first realized I was an adult when my friend and I found ourselves gushing about how I'd found the perfect radiator covers at a yard sale and how she'd just ordered new awnings for her porch, all in rapturous tones we'd once used when discussing our high school crushes.

It was a shocking realization and a moment I haven't forgotten 15 years later.

[Anna]

Like Kerry, I'm still a bit surprised when I'm included in the 'adults'.
Home maintenance has been a big one for me, as well as writing checks for four or five digit dollar amounts.

[kalisah]

Buying our first house was a big dot deal to me.

(I have another one for you..."It's Apparent You're a Parent." You know, like when you excuse yourself from a business meeting by saying you need to go potty.)

[Mariah]

When I heard myself saying things to my kids that my mother said to me...and I swore I'd never say them! Classic, huh?

-Mariah
www.talkingofmanythings.wordpress.com

[susan]

The first time I knew I was a grown up was Christmas Eve, my two month old had finally gone to sleep, the almost three year old was sleeping, and my husband and I were outside at 2 am assembling a swing set. The neighbors thought we were nuts, but the next morning was magic. The almost three year old opened one gift, one of the swings. We asked "What's that?"

"A swing, Mommy"

"What should we do with it?"

He looked out the window, "We could hang it next to the other one."
Double take, then he ran to his room and appeared, dressed, about thirty seconds later. Five minutes later, he was swinging like a pro.

[Headless Mom]

Nothing says 'adult' like taking your kid to college and praying that she is ready.

[Shelly]

The moment I realized I was the 'adult' was in the night Sean's lungs collapsed after a major surgery and I watched the surgeon doing CPR on him atop his bed, while the nurse pushed the bed at top speed down the hall way to the PICU. Once in the PICU giving verbal permission to the ICU Doctors to intubate him and watching them do it. Later that night, watch these same Doctors trying to save the life of another little boy and lose. Never had I felt more grown up that night.

[mb]

I realized I was a grown up when I asked my parents not to buy anything for my husband or me for Christmas. Just buy for the kids. ;)

[Nobody]

I still haven't grown up and joined the world of adults. Even though my oldest daughter will be voting in this year's election... It all depends on your point of view. Like your future purchases. Christmas for the kids is shiny fun stuff. And a practical bra? Why not a cumfy AND sexy one that you and the hubster can enjoy during your 'adult time' together... It's all in how you look at it.

[lyns]

I think I realized I was a grown up when I went to the store and only bought things that were ABSOLUTELY needed...nothing more...bummer!!

Is that picture of you on your "into" part??? YOU LOOK AMAZING! I think that I have only ever seen one picture of you...not sure...anyway..you look great!!! xo lyns

[Rosie : )]

since we got married "young" and had children "young" {all in perspective, I felt mature enough to be both ;)}, I was always the youngest, or one of the youngest parents at any get-together/school function. this has given me the illusion of not really being the adult.

Sure, I am a Mom, not my children's best friend. Sure, I don't wear skimpy tops nor tight jeans {never have done so, anyway}. And sure, I feel 100 years old some days. But do I feel like an adult? Not really. I feel like a teenager sometimes. Full of drive and goal-oriented for the next project.

Since I have not quite figured out what I want to be when I grow up, I guess I have been absolved of the adult-ish feelings. ;)

[Megan]

Although I still tend to think of the future in terms of "when I grow up..." I think I started feeling like an adult when my birthday came a couple of years ago and I realized I really didn't have anything to ask for. Now don't get me wrong, it's not that I didn't want anything, it was just that I knew it would be inappropriate to request any big-ticket items, and anything small I'd just buy myself.

[Jerri Ann]

I'm with you on the shorts/pants MUST have a pocket. Where else are you going to put all the stuff your kid acquires that you'd prefer no one know about.....

[Urban Mom]

When two people sleeping in a twin bed becomes absolutely ridiculous.

=-)

[~annie]

I can't decide if I still haven't grown up or am one of those people who have always been grown up - it all feels the same! Or maybe it's all a blur and I missed the exact "moment."

[Debbie]

When I noticed that I buy name-brand plastic wrap, rather than the cheap generic doesn't really work kind. Seriously. That moment was an epiphany for me.

[Audi]

My moment was when I could no longer sleep in on Saturday mornings because my kids would wake me up or come stare at me till I woke up.

[Rachel]

When you are up half the night not because of hanging with friends, but because your newborn is fussy, your two won't stay in her new toddler bed and one of your other kids keeps having bad dreams.