Legal definitions aside- what milestone made you think, "I'm an adult now."?

Stern@lemmy.world to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 94 points –
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I'm old so things were a bit different...

When I was growing up, adults were Mister and Misses. When Mr. Jones became Jack and Mrs. Smith became Barbara it was an indication that I was an adult.

It's funny you mention this. It was really weird the first time one of my coworkers referred to me as "Miss" plus my first name. In the southeast US, this is a common way to show respect to an older woman that you consider a friend too.

Damn. You hit the nail on the head with that one. I don't remember when I started referring to adults by their first names, but it was such an odd feeling. Now I call everyone from the 89 year old neighbor to the 9 year old across the street by their first name, and they're okay with it, gack!

I'm a nurse in my late 40s, and I still have to open conversations with my elderly patients "Mister Smith" "Mizz Smith" when I first meet them. I can't help myself; it's how I was raised haha