I would say that my childohood ended when I was 10. My father passed away & from that point on it was just mom and I.

When I had my eldest daughter at the age of 15.

Jochem said:

I'd agree with this, but I'd say birth of first child would do it, when you realise you can't be selfish anymore, since this life depends totally on you.

Somewhere between 18 and 20/21 when my parents were on the cusp of a divorce that didn't happen and my mother had a nervous breakdown.

NDRU said:

Around the same time my childhood ended with my Judith Barsi moment, was the same time my naked dreams stopped being uncomfortable. I'd still have dreams or nightmares where I was naked in public, but it stopped being embarassing. The nudity stopped being a highlight of fear and became just another detail.

So considering that, I'd say for me at least, my adulthood came when I lost my self-consciousness.

ZombieKitten said:

Yes, and you will have to be like a shelter for your kids to run too at all times.
Until my parents die, I feel I still have my shelter...

hmmm....
probably during some party at my house when I was about 9 and no one seemed to give a fuck about the kids in the house....and I had to come out and tell them all to shut the fuck up because I had to go to school in the morning...but the band kept playin' and the party kept going.
or maybe when I was 10 and at the beach at like 1 am with my mom and her crew...as they got busted for weed and the only reason they didn't all go to jail was because of the crying little girl they had with them.
or perhaps when mom and boy friend got into the umpteenth fight and shit was broken all ova the place and the table was turned over and I took all the joints that were on the floor and left...when I was about 11...
or when I was hanging out on the street till all hours of the night and no one gave a shit...when I was about 12 or 13...
but it was probably when my mom's bf kicked me outta the house when I was 15 and she didn't do anything about it except for call me and tell me I had to go... and I went to live with my dad
It was the best thing I could have ever done, my grades went from Fs and Ds to Bs and Cs and even a few As. And not because my Dad was strict...he wasn't...he was a truck driver and wasn't home much, it was because I knew it was up to me to do change my destiny, that no one else cared about my life more than me.

great! why the fuck did I just type all that shit!

Jochem said:

I still have both of my parents and I have no children. So according to that I'm not yet an adult? And likely won't be until I'm in my late 40s-60s?
Nope. Doesn't work that way for me.

Shorty said:

Shorty said:

Because you are not ashamed about being a strong woman that lived with parents that didn't make the best choices. I KNOW this life style all too well, because I also had a mom that loved me but did some stupid shit just like that. You basically grew up the same way I did, except my dad wasn't around and me and my mom had to learn to work things out.

I am proud of you for being you own rock to stand on.

veronikka said:

thanx

paintedlady said:

thank you too! disapointment as a child is a damn hurtful thing....but I've learned from my mothers mistakes and I've come to realize she's a human who made mistakes.....I love her very much. She now watches my 2 boys for me while I'm at work and she couldn't be a better nana to them.
god damn I'm emotional today

Shorty said:

The day my mother died, I was 15.

1st day at a job. I was 14 working at Mcdonalds where I had to take a bus at 5:30 A.M. 2 get across town in time 4 the store 2 open.

When I got pregnant. That spelled the end for me.

i wanted to go to Chuck E' Cheese for my thirteenth birthday and my older friends including my dad were like that place is for little kids! i was all like, i just want to play some Ms. Pacman and other video games.

we ended up going to a italian "pizza parlour" restaurant.

Graycap23 said:

I won't even get up that early now!

veronikka said:

lol.....me either. I learned my lesson.

Shorty said:

I have a great relationship with my mom now as well, I understand her now, and respect her, despite all that we went through, she adores her grandchildren, and I have no regrets because I my childhood made me who I am today

OH! and my childhood ended when MY SISTER who is a year older than me had a child when I was 11 in 1982. My family and everyone in the neighborhood dogged her, and every time I stepped outside I had to face some bully that wanted to talk shit about my sister. I was hit, chased and dogged and I have no regrets for defending her. After her baby was born, I helped with diaper changes, and when I was 13 I was taking care of my niece every night while my sister worked for 30 - 40 hrs a week after school. My sister was an honor student as well. I have a gorgeous niece now and I will always be proud of my sister.

when my mom passed away. i'd just turned 7.

"I don't actually remember being born - I think it must've happened during one of my blackouts"

The exact moment...

January 29th 2002, 8:47PM at Chicago O' Hare airport. I was on my way to boot camp. I remember looking up at the air traffic control tower and realzing the gravity of the situation I signed myself up for. I no longer had the solitude of my room to defend me from the world.

Under my breath, in the cold Mid-West winter I muttered "Let it begin"

actionthisday said:

that's pretty cool.

Big s to those of you who lost parents in your childhood
that had to be very difficult.

`
[Edited 10/3/08 5:47am]

CarrieMpls said:

No, I mean you can combine adulthood with childhood.
Depending on the situation. I can feel like an adult or a child regardless of my age.

'm quite mature 4 my age. But when get hyper 'm extremely immature. As a Gemini, 'm supposed 2 b an "eternal child".

Oops, double post!
[Edited 10/20/08 16:19pm]

7 years old.

Shorty said: