Are You Behaving Like a Dumb Little Kid?

Written on 9/8/2008 by Ali Hale. Ali runs Alpha Student, a blog packed with academic, financial and practical tips to help students get the most out of their time at university.

Photo Credit: Raymond Brown

I’m sure you’ve noticed that little kids do some dumb stuff; they haven’t figured out how the world works, and they’re not good at figuring out the consequence of their actions. They sulk when things don’t go their way, they hate to lose, and they don’t know how to take care of themselves. That’s okay when you’re eight, but not when you’re eighteen or worse, 38. Some adults need to grow up and stop acting like dumb little kids.

Here’s a few dumb things that kids do. Are you guilty of any of these? How about your co-workers?

1. Whining
   Things aren’t going your way? Don’t whine and whinge about it. If you constantly complain how much life sucks, your friends are going to feel miserable too. When something is making you unhappy, figure out a way to fix it. If you really don’t have any control over it (like the weather), grow up: you need to just accept it.

• Having a tantrum
  Even worse than whining is losing your temper in public. If you want to lose the respect of your colleagues or subordinates at work, throw a tantrum; not only will you make everyone uncomfortable, you’ll make yourself look like a dumb little kid who doesn’t know how to control himself. If you’re prone to flaring up in anger, then learn how to calm yourself down (walk away from a situation, or count silently to ten before reacting). 

• Demanding “fair” rules
  Frankly, life can never be perfectly fair. From the minute we’re born, we have different opportunities and advantages in life. Have you ever noticed how little kids kick up a fuss if you alter the rules of a game to help out the smallest one, or to give a disabled kid a chance? Don’t be like that in life. If you’re a white male, maybe you feel that positive discrimination by employers is totally unreasonable – but remember that life starts off unfair.

• Shirking chores
  Okay, no-one loves chores, not even adults. And when you were a little kid, you probably tried to weasel out of the tasks your mom gave you. But now it’s up to you to keep your home in good order, and to make sure life runs smoothly. That means giving regular time to cleaning, grocery shopping, paying bills, and keeping stuff in order. Yes, it’s a hassle, but suck it up and just do it!

• Eating too much sugar
  Little kids love sugar – cookies, donuts, cakes, candy … But most parents have rules on how much they’re allowed to eat. Why? Because left to their own devices, kids don’t realize that eating five candy bars in a row will make them sick, or at the very least, horrendously hyperactive! You’re an adult, so don’t stuff yourself with foods that you know will make you feel bad.

• Wanting everything now
  Kids don’t have much impulse control. They’re impatient, and they hate to wait for something. They can’t look at the long-term picture. Have you grown out of this yet? Or do you still get frustrated when your blog isn’t in the Technorati Top 100 in your first month, when you don’t land a 6-figure job straight out of college, or when you have to save up money towards a big goal?

• Spending every last dollar
  Ever watched a kid open their piggy-bank and head to the toy store? Chances are, they’ll spend every penny they have. Little kids don’t have much concept of saving money – it’s all about instant gratification. But adults shouldn’t act in the same way. Don’t spend your whole paycheck every month; put some into savings, even if it’s just $50.

Do you act like a dumb little kid? Which of the above are you guilty of – or do you have some other way of being childish? And how are you going to change it?

Ali