When and how did you find out that your childhood was over?

[GingerJoy 43]

When my parents told me cartoons weren't real about 7 years ago Naturally I began to question more things such as how are burgers made and where do babies come from. The answers took away a chunk of my childhood innocence!

[Sickman 205]

I don't think my inner child will ever leave me, but the first time I realized that I was becoming a responsible adult, who needs to take control of his own life and destiny was the day I was forced to move away from home, because my father and I didn't get along.
I was sixteen at the time, and suddenly, overnight, I was thrown into this entirely different world that I wasn't necessarily ready for at that age.
I think it all worked out fine in the end, though, and I've even rekindled a healthy father-son-relationship with my dad again.

[Starlighty 948]

_{WHAT MY CHILDHOOD IS OVER???? NEVER! I will never give up my childhood. I STILL COLLECT STUFF ANIMALS and sleep with a night lght:D....}

[Mutemutt 773]

I guess sometime in high school. It was when I told one of my classmates that I got bored of something -- it was definitely something that was childish --, they replied "You're finally growing up". I spent most of the next few days pondering what it meant to "grow up", especially since I hadn't changed all that much. I came to my own conclusions about what it meant to "grow up"; it was mostly about responsibility. I pretty much coasted through my early years, following whatever my parents had planned for me, but now that college applications were just around the corner, those thoughts of the future became all too real. Even now I feel a little lost: how exactly did I get to where I am and where will I go from here?

[Remi 1,309]

I guess it was a while back, when I fell asleep on the couch, and woke up on the couch.

I can no longer teleport in my sleep as I did when I was a child.

[Demirari 454]

My childhood died when I was rather young in my opinion. It was when I was eight years old when it died. After that I just began questioning life in a way a child should never question. Gone with the innocent and come the enlightenment.

[Remi 1,309]

My childhood died when I was rather young in my opinion. It was when I was eight years old when it died. After that I just began questioning life in a way a child should never question. Gone with the innocent and come the enlightenment.

 

I remember when I was 6, and I was on the way home from school, and while I was looking out the window, I began to question religion. It was those questions I made that have lead me to be athiest today.

[Hangman 320]

25 years old and still a kid at heart. The only difference between men and boys is the size of their toys! Sure I have bills and a job and all but that doesn't stop me from laughing at farts or eating candy or watching cartoons. Trying to be an adult is too stressful. Life is about enjoing yourself and that is hard to do acting serious all the time. Maturity is over rated.

[ReverseFaller 2,483]

When I was 12 or so, I knew Santa wasn't real. I confronted my mom about this and she got really awkward, and I instantly knew I was right. Once I got her to prove me right that he wasn't real, I then asked her if God was fake too. She asked me why would I think that, to which I replied: It's simple. God seems like Santa for adults. Heaven and Hell are just like Presents and Coal."

 

My inner child isn't dead at all. I'm not innocent anymore, In other words puberty and I don't believe everything I'm told. I'd say I more or less evolved. My childhood that is. I still love a lot of the stuff I loved as a kid; Pokémon, Naruto, ect. I have a lot of things from my childhood that are special to me since they've been around with me so long. However, one must let go of certain things and advance on forwards. This hit me hard when I realized that in one year I'll be able to leave my parents house and go out on my own. Wow! Time flies!

 

I think we can all be kids at heart, if we let ourselves. I'm 17 and I freaking love Pokémon, and Technicolor Ponies. I'll always be a kid at heart, I'm hoping. It's so much better than being an adult who lives the same boring routine over every single day for 50 years.

Edited July 28, 2013 by ReverseFaller

[Demirari 454]

 

I remember when I was 6, and I was on the way home from school, and while I was looking out the window, I began to question religion. It was those questions I made that have lead me to be athiest today.

Now that's exactly what I was doing when my childhood died, except I was in my room and the sun was lowering. I was questioning death and the meaning the life. Slowly after that I began studying SCIENCE! (Best Thing That Have Ever Happened To Humanity Besides The INTERNET!) Never was into religion...

[Zygen 6,066]

Well it depends entirely upon what you'd consider childhood, i mean i could be considered in my childhood still by many, so its hard to say.

 

I don't think in a way your childhood is ever over if you don't want it to, i mean i'm still childish and crazy at times, of course I suppose i've been experienced to things that aren't childish stuff, so if by after i was no longer totally ignorant to the world and stuff, then I guess it'd be after I discovered the internet and got on it a bunch.

[Night Shadow 54]

Well, there are several different ways that could be taken.  Let's talk about that for a second.

 

The ending of your childhood.  There's the sense in which you're speaking, about learning of certain perverse or adult aspects.  There's the moment when you realize it's time to 'man up', so to say, and get on with your life.  There's the tragic incident in which you're hurled out of your comfortable, or at least tolerable, lifestyle and into that of the adult world.  There's actually a lot of different ways in which this could be interpreted.  I'll go with the general summation though; childhood's end.

 

For me, I'd have to say my childhood ended a long time ago.  I had to be the big brother who was going to take care of everything while 'Mommy' was out and 'Daddy' sat on the computer.  There's another interpretation, or at least a different version; being thrown into an adult life with 'unfair' responsibilities.  I'd say I was probably nine or ten at the start.

 

That is to say I still have my childish side.  I actually believe I'm childish now because I didn't have that opportunity then.  I'm not childish in ways like crying over petty things or the like.  I'm childish in the sense I love to have fun.  I love hanging out with friends and doing crazy stuff.  I'm childish in a more mature kind of way.  I'm not sure if the law of paradoxology will allow that statement to hold true, but I'm sure you understand what I meant.

 

So, nine or ten years old.

[Envy 6,160]

My view on childhood is probably similar to many other's, but it can vary a bit, and means that not everybody really had a childhood in the sense that I saw mine. Anyway, I saw my childhood as being the carefree time where I had little responsibility aside from school and where I had no big problems to deal with. Those problems I had to deal with, didn't really put any significant dent in the boundless hope I had for a normal future.

 

What I consider the end of that childhood was when that bubble bursted. Ironically, this really happened for me during my 18th year. Although, I know that's pure coincidence. It was then that I could no longer be so care free. I was no longer allowed to believe I was invincible. That's exactly what happened, my health suddenly slipped and I got medical issues that I could have never seen happening even in my nightmares right in the middle of nowhere.

 

If none of that had happened, I'm not sure I'd be able to draw such a clear line between me as a child and as an adult. All I know is... Childhood was a thousand times better. I want it back.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,452]

I am still a child, in many ways. Mainly a child trapped in a 20 year old's body. If you want some type of answer, I guess it was when my depression started kicking in years back. It has only been getting worse, especially the past couple of years.

 

I really wish I could have my true childhood back. I cannot seem to enjoy most things in life now, thanks to depression and self hatred issues. I did not have these problems back then...

Edited July 29, 2013 by Kyoshi

[Ghost 173]

  I still feel like a kid inside, and honestly, I'm having more fun now than I've ever had.  Sure I have responsibilities I didn't have as a child, but now so much more is available to me as well.  I also still like things I liked as a child such as cartoons and feel I haven't completely lost my sense of wonder.

 

  I could say my childhood ended when I entered middle school and realized not everyone out there is nice and want's to be your friend, but in reality I think it's still going strong.  If anything, it got renewed in some sense as I got older.

[Sylentmana 271]

When I graduated high school my parents pretty much said "Get the buck out and go to college". I joined the Navy instead.  I knew for sure my childhood was over when the doctor at the processing station gave me a prostate exam. That's one test I didn't study for.

[PonyBoy15 428]

My childhood ended when I turned 13   lol

 

But for real, pretty much when I got my first job. I was a junior in high school at the time. Now I had to balance school, work, and a social life. That lead to a lot less time doing the things I used to do like play video games, draw, go out to the park ect. Although my childhood is over, there are still some things I cling on too like the cartoons, games, and hobbies I grew up with.

 

I'm all done with college and am working in my profession, so now I have a bit more time to do the things I like with school out of the way.

[Lost 1,410]

For me, probably around 13-14 when my parents split up, that was a major bubble smashing point in my life which pretty much ended my childhood. I still play games and waste my money but i know that i do need to get a job when i graduate and enter the 'real world'

[Cwanky 17,578]

Pretty much when I lost my former excitement for Weekends, including Saturday mornings, I still enjoy late Saturday and Sunday nights but for more adult shows.

 

Of course this also coincided with the decline with a lot of quality shows or their cancellations. I went through 2 phases of childhood nostalgia, 1st in the 90s with classics like All That, Rocko's Modern Life, Ren & Stimpy, Scooby Doo, Simpsons (which still survives), and Rugrats. 

 

Anyone remember kids WB?

 

 

They introduced classics that for folks like me stay etched in my mind, not limited to the Batman series, Jackie Chan Adventures, Dragon Ball, classic YGO and who can forget the original Pokemon?

 

I still have watch Toonami when I can I am happier than ever to see its comeback. Tom was like the uncle I never had.

[failedALIAS 28]

I can't say really. As a child, I never believed in ridiculous things like Santa or *cough*Religion*cough*. If I had to say, it would have been when I entered Middle School.

[omnusus 52]

Well, I can't pick a specific point where it ended. You don't all of a sudden *poof* mature. It's a process. For me, I guess it started when I was... Five? Something like that. I made a "speech" on how to end homelessness. It was complete crap looking back, but I think it shows that I began to care for people besides my family and friends, which I think is an important part of maturity.

[Felix 1,363]

Well, I'm preparing for getting a job, entering high school, and all the work that's up ahead. I'll have to begin learning how to drive as well. So, my childhood is just about over, unfortunately. Best I enjoy the remaining freedom I have while I still can no?

[Thrashy 2,800]

I believe I left my childhood behind late one night when I was around 12 or so. I was sitting on the couch in the living room reading a Harry Potter book - Sorcerer's Stone, I believe - and the TV was on for background noise. I suddenly started hearing odd moaning sounds, so I looked up, and BAM - porno. Pretty explicit one, too...I don't know if we were paying for any X-rated channels at the time, but it certainly wasn't something you see on Skinemax.

 

This was before I'd had a proper sex ed course in school, so I was both horrified and intrigued by what I was seeing. I distinctly remember one of my older sisters coming home from work or something, and me gluing my eyes onto my book as though I didn't notice what was on TV. She told me something like "What are you watching, hmm?" in a sly voice before leaving the room.

 

...It was a night both awful and magical.

 

 

 

The day my childhood ended was when I discovered [...] masturbation at the ripe age of fourteen

 

This'll most definitely come out weird, but brohoof to you for discovering it at the same age I did. Even though I discovered porn at 12 as mentioned above, I didn't...learn how things worked until I was 14. I wasn't exactly a bright kid, now that I think about it.

 

...I'ma go be awkward somewhere else now.

Edited July 30, 2013 by Lowline Thrash

[Dark Moon 965]

My childhood has been over for a long time now. I guess it began a few years ago when I began listening to Pink Floyd. I began to see the world in a different way. My perspective changed I guess. When I began taking charge of my life and finally began to tear down the wall I had created for myself. I began to question reality. When I began to create my own philosophy. That was just the beginning, I grew more and more each day. Then I entered into depression for awhile and then a period of happiness when I began listening to Pearl Jam and U2. I began building actually friendships with other people. I entered a new stage when I began listening to Radiohead after I joined the forum. Music has been a very pivotal point in my life. And then one of my friends committed suicide. It has been more of a process, no single event marked the end although Pink Floyd did mark the beginning of the end. I'm still me though...just with more layers. 

 

Then again I never really had an atypical childhood to begin with. Was pretty damn depressing, glad I survived it. 

[Leatherbehlt 465]

On the first day of 10th grade in about 400 days. When I realized how much more studying, and breaking apart from the carefree feel of the times before, it hit me in the face.