Is it when he is about the same size as his mom and dad?

When he could now reach the top shelf of the kitchen cupboard, does that mean he is grown-up? Or maybe when he becomes a doctor like his dad, or perhaps a teacher like her mom, or even more a nurse like Aunt Mary or an engineer like Uncle Bob.

Maybe sixteen is the magic age. Some countries allow sixteen year-olds to get their own driver’s license. Does having a license to drive mean you are grown-up? Perhaps not. Maybe eighteen is. At that age, you can vote, sign legal documents or enlist yourself in the army. So does that mean when one reaches his eighteenth birthday he automatically become a grown-up? Or maybe being a grown-up means when one can start smoking the cigarette and drink beer, or perhaps learn to say no to it. Ahhh… maybe it could be when you’re twenty-five, when auto insurance rates go down. But it’s a little puzzling. Coz in some cultures, a person is grown-up when his parents die. In some other countries, one is considered mature when he reaches puberty.

But really, being a grown-up is more than not needing to be lied to.

It means so many things.

Taking responsibility and being dependable are signs of becoming mature. When one starts to accept baby-sitting jobs, or when he agrees to mow his neighbor’s lawn for a fee, are little signs of willingness to accept responsibility. But it doesn’t end there. Doing your assigned task really well is an indication that you are taking your responsibility seriously.

You see, life is full of joys and disappointments. Not to mention the successes, downfalls, accomplishments and failures. One who can take life as it comes is a sign of having grown up. Now, watch a small child who had just broken or lost a toy. He cries, right? Or maybe even break into tantrums. But a piece of lollipop quickly brings the child into shrieks of glee. The gamut of emotional reactions is expected from a young child. But as a person approaches maturity, though he is still expected to feel emotions, he should be able to deal with them in a more rational and controlled manner.

Unfortunately, not all adults are mature. Some parents desert their families – - – how do you explain that? You must have heard of stories how certain individuals attempt to solve their disputes through violent ways. Certainly, that is never mature. Getting along with others is important to live in the adult world. Liking or approving of another person is entirely different as accepting that person’s rights and opinions.

Recognizing others’ needs is a sign of maturity, unfortunately, is a trait many adults never acquire. A person who can see through another human being’s emotions and understanding why he feels such way is an act of maturity. But maturity is not a goal a person easily and quickly attains. It is a way of living that one should work towards.

Society expects people of certain ages to act in certain ways. But as many may find it impossible to accept imperfections, it is often difficult to tolerate bad habits. Sadly, no one is totally mature. Fulfilling all the qualities of a matured grown-up would be approaching perfection. Yet, as no one is perfect, no one is totally mature as well.