What is Childish???
How do a person define the meaning of childish? Is it the way a person act like a child? Or is it imatturity? According to AudioEnglish.net, the definition of childish is indicating the lack of maturity. What about the meaning of immature? From AudioEnglish.net also, the meaning is characteristic of a lack of maturity. What is maturity then? I went through Wikipedia, this is what it says, “Maturity is a psychological term used to indicate that a person responds to the circumstances or environment in an appropriate manner; this response is generally learned rather than instinctual. Maturity and inanity need not be mutually exclusive, for maturity is more of an understanding for when each of the two behaviors is appropriate. Psychologist B.W. Roberts explains that in an explicit model of personality, one’s personality must be viewed from both the perspective of the actor and the perspective of the observer. Therefore, one’s maturity is not measured solely on how he views himself, but by how others view him as well. By this definition, how an individual feels about himself is no more legitimate than how others feel about him, and so it is important that this individual gains a certain level of maturity as he grows older to earn the respect of others.’
Normally a mature person is an adult but what are the personal character of an adult other than coming to age ( which is 21 years of age) for alcohol beverages, gambling, sex, voting rights, etc. The personal characteristic are :
Self-control - restraint, emotional control.
Stability - stable personality, strength.
Independence - ability to self-regulate.
Seriousness - ability to deal with life in a serious manner.
Responsibility - accountability, commitment and reliability.
Method/Tact - ability to think ahead and plan for the future, patience.
Endurance - ability and willingness to cope with difficulties that present themselves.
Experience - breadth of mind, understanding.
Objectivity - perspective and realism.
Are we consider independent when we are staying on our own but using our parents money? I would say that it isn’t total independance for we still depend on our parents to finance us. We are dependent till we earn our own money which is enough to survive and with savings for the future. Even as we try to work part-time or freelance, how much can we earn? We still depend on our monthly allowance to survive. But I know a girl called Doris Thien, who is self supporting herself while studying. How she does it? I do not know but she is determine not to take a penny from her parents for her monthly living and education. She is a full time student and worker and she is paying off her car loan also. This is an example of independent.
It doesn’t mean that when a person is independent, he / she is mature. He / she may be mature to a certain level but can be childish at the same time. Some would deny it but sometimes reality is hard to accept. It all depends on the individual on how they take it. As stated above, a person’s maturity is not based on one’s self but also from how others see them and respect them.
