My dad is turning 36 in April, and quite a few of my friends (I’m 18, for reference) say that he doesn’t “act his age.” By that, they mean he posts a lot on Instagram (especially daily Stories where he vlogs his life, lol), he’s trendy and very open-minded, works out and takes great care of himself so he looks hot, and he’s really into nightlife and partying. He’s also very adventurous and just a fun guy in general. They don’t think it’s a bad thing at all - in fact, they think it’s cool. But it got me wondering: how is a 36-year-old supposed to act? lol
I would imagine your friends are used to their parents acting older and/or more mature because they are older. He’s probably just a completely different generation from your friends parents.
It’s also common for people who have a child at such a young age to have their maturity stunted. He didn’t get to finish out his youth like his peers so he’s still grasping for it. When his friends were out partying at the age of 21 he was trying to support a toddler.
Other than taking care of himself, and meeting his familial and financial obligations and responsibilities, there’s no way a 36 year old is “supposed” to behave. Though it’s hard to tell as you may have painted a portrait through rose colored glasses.
According to Pokemon he is decrepit.
That’s not Pokemon is it? Looks more like a Mega Man Battle Network or Star Force game.
As an avid Pokémon and Mega Man Battle Network player, it is for sure Mega Man.
It’s battle network, no idea which part, but this is hilarious.
Beats me. I just turned 44 and I typically spend my weekends smoking weed and playing Xbox. 🤷🏻♂️
Hey fellow 44 Xbox stoner, do you also like music?
My jams are 90s & 00s Alternative & Hard Rock, but I’ve been listening to a lot of classical and video game soundtrack music at work. Been playing Vampire Survivors lately and the OST is bangin!
Oh if you like old people music then you just ask an old person… Like myself. But I’m mostly metal and hard rock.
Seven Mary Three…
I’m honestly excited cuz I just found Decapitated on bandcamp. One of my favorite technical death metal bands from the early 2000s.
That just means you’re not an adult, not that you’re not old. And I’m saying that as a 58-year old.
Depending who you ask,
Compared to a teen ? It’s old
Compared to a fresh retiree ? It’s young
To be the father of a 18 yeard old kid ? That’s prettty young
Objectively it’s prime adulthood
That’s bullshit people in their ~30’s tell other people in their ~30’s. I’ve always been the same and done the same things. For example, in my late 20’s, 30’s, if someone saw me skateboarding, they’d tell me to act my age. In my 40’s it was a cool curiosity, and in my 50’s it’s inspirational.
When people put others down and tell them to act their age, its a “them” problem. It’s their hangups, insecurities, and jealousy showing, not the person living their life as best they can.
Yep. I’m almost 40 and still ride shopping carts through the parking lot. I climb on stuff, I jump around, I sit on the bare floor. People look at me funny and I smile and wave. I get visibly excited for things like riding the subway (not from an area with good public transit), or figuring out how novel things I see work. It’s fun. Life -should- be fun. Being a “mature adult” is boring and I don’t want to do it just because some crusty old shit says I should.
Social norms and stigmas for inconsequential behavior are silly. Are you happy? Are you hurting anyone? If yes and no respectively, you win life!
You can’t join the army, because your body aches and hurts. It’s pretty sad, but many doors close exactly at 30 years old. I watched my doors close while I was trapped surviving, unable to do anything about it. And the army was one of the things I wanted to go through (but I found that executive disfunction would make that rather hard).
Honey, at your age I thought 35 was old. At 35 now, it’s really just a matter of perspective. You’re dad isn’t old, he just ain’t young. I still go out to raves and party, just not as often as I did in my twenties and I like to have a Disco nap before heading out to the rave that opens at midnight til the morning.
How is a 36 year old supposed to act? Well, we define that by being in our mid thirties and acting how we want. You’re doing the same at 18, defining how 18 year olds act.
Don’t sweat how you’re “supposed to be”, just take care of yourself and do what ya need to do to be healthy and happy.
Sounds like you have an awesome dad!
how is a 36-year-old supposed to act?
How ever they want!
Lol. I’m 32. The thought of having a 14 year old is a terrifying concept to me. I’m still waiting to grow up.
As a 36 year old, I am shocked that someone my age has a kid that frequents Lemmy. Not Old!
I am also 36 and my kids are nowhere near old enough to frequent Lemmy. I certainly don’t feel old, but I am well aware of the signs that I’m not as young as I used to be.
As they say, it’s middle aged… as in not old or young.
His fun time is over regardless, he is supposed to be a factory slave, and that is what really pisses people off.
You are basically expected to spend the rest of your youth, away from eyes, degrading your body so the next generation can play their part in their 20’s (pretending to be living it out, with fake experiences), then go to the soul-eating factory to continue the cycle.
Then your dad does this, and pisses the slavers off.
Your dad is a millennial (and it appears he had you when he was just 18 as well), so he’s more in touch with technology and social media. As an older millennial as well, I feel like my generation definitely acts younger than gen x and boomers when they were my age. Your friends’ parents are probably in those generations, and your dad is just young in relation to your age.
It’s completely normal for 30 year olds to interact on social media. That wasn’t a thing 20 years ago when we were your age, but we grew up with social media in our teens. Your dad sounds like a normal 30 year old.
I’m 39, in my head it doesn’t feel much different than 18. More responsibility, more experience, less desire to party, but overall the only thing that actually changed was how many times the earth circled the sun.
You act how you want to act. My stepmother is 70, she said she still feels like she’s 20 in her head, still smokes weed lol
Nah, that’s prime-of-life territory.
