Adulthood Doesn’t Equal Maturity!
A few days ago, I overheard a conversation that left me shaken—not because it was loud or confrontational, but because of how deeply it mirrored the cracks in our generation’s idea of “adulthood.”
A young man, probably in his mid-20s, was on the phone with his mom. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but his voice carried enough emotion to pull anyone’s attention.
“Mummy, stop calling me every day! I know what I’m doing!” he snapped.
The line went quiet for a second before he continued, “I’m not a child anymore. I'm a man now, and I don’t need you telling me what to do.”
He hung up. No goodbyes, no “I love you" or "Take care. ” Just the sharp sting of entitlement and misplaced pride.
I badly wanted to tell him, “Guy, calm down! Adulthood doesn’t make you immune to correction. It doesn't mean you are mature. It doesn’t make you wiser than the people who sacrificed their dreams to give you a shot at yours.” But my manners held me back.
And honestly, I can’t judge him too harshly. We have been there before, and we know it. That phase where we mistake freedom for superiority, where we think independence means we’ve outgrown the need for guidance or respect.
🎯But here’s the thing: Adulthood doesn’t equal maturity.
Maturity isn’t the ability to pay your bills or move out of your parents’ house. It’s not measured by your job title, your income, or the number of people who look up to you.
Just because you can now make your own decisions doesn’t mean you’ve earned the right to wield them recklessly. Just because you are 18 and above doesn't make you sensible. Just because you are in your 20s doesn't make you wiser than someone below 18.
Just because your voice has deepened, you have grown taller, or your body has grown muscles and 6 packs doesn’t mean you’ve outgrown humility, respect, and emotional intelligence.
And let’s address this toxic idea that being an adult gives you permission to talk back rudely to your parents.
Yes, your parents aren’t perfect. They’ve made mistakes. Some might have hurt you deeply. They make mistakes, and sometimes they overdo it. I know it. You know it. We know it.
But does maturity not demand that you confront such hurts with grace, not aggression? That you learn the art of dialogue rather than defaulting to disrespect?
Let’s get real for a moment.
Why do we, as adults, think we’ve earned the right to talk back rudely to our parents?
❌Is it because we’re making our own money now?
❌Or because you feel you are now taller than them?
❌Or because you send them money every week?
❌Or maybe, just maybe, it’s because we’re still insecure about how much growing up we actually have left to do.
Dear YOU, maturity isn’t about proving you’re right. It’s about listening, even when you think they’re wrong.
It’s about understanding that correction isn’t always an attack on your autonomy—but an act of love. When your parents tell you to save more, pray more, or stop hanging out with certain people, it’s not because they want to control you. It’s because they want to protect you from the mistakes they’ve already made.
Because truthfully, have you forgotten how much the same parents you yell at sacrificed just to make sure you are WHO OR WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?
✨The sleepless nights.
✨The sacrifices they made to ensure you got an education, even ✨if it meant their own dreams were put on hold.
✨The meals they skipped just to pay your school fees.
✨The battles they fought silently to shield you from the world’s cruelty.
But instead of humility, we often respond with pride.
We roll our eyes. We raise our voices. We hit them with phrases like, “This isn’t your time anymore” or “Things have changed.”
As if wisdom has an expiry date.
The way you respond to correction says more about your maturity than your age ever will.
Let’s flip the script for a moment. Imagine a 60-year-old version of you, trying to guide your child through life. You know the world has changed, but the principles haven’t. You see them making the same mistakes you did, and you try to warn them.
But instead of gratitude, they cut you off with, “Stop telling me what to do! I’m not a child!”
Wouldn’t it sting? Wouldn't you break down? Wouldn't you be in pain?
Adulthood comes with responsibilities, but maturity comes with gratitude. And if you’re truly mature, you’ll understand this: Respecting your parents doesn’t mean you agree with everything they say. It means you honor everything they’ve done.
Remember, maturity is pausing before you speak, and overlooking even when you have the right to heat up. It’s in the humility to accept correction and the grace to respond with respect—even when you don’t agree.
Lastly, remember, AGE IS JUST A NUMBER, and more than your age, MATURITY IS WHAT TRULY MATTERS.
