This month on our site we’re talking about growing up. What does growing up even mean? Do we ever really grow up? These are things we’re exploring in our last podcast episode of the season, and we thought it would be fun to talk to some of the most honest people out there – kids! We reached out to Kristy Hurt, a dear friend of the site and mother of three (she also happens to be the badass founder of Kristy Hurt Consulting, an executive recruitment firm). Two of her own kids eagerly agreed to chat with us, and she connected us with a few of their other friends. Armed with snacks and coloring books, Linne and Veronica sat down with the kids to talk about what they think being a grown up is really like. They chat about the freedoms of adulthood, getting to drive a car and eat whatever you want, and agreeing that taxes are really the hardest part about being a grown up. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.
On if they’d like to live in NYC when they grow up…
Rufus (8): Not that many famous people live in New York. There’s more stuff here than other parts of the world. I guess New York has the best tap water. Maybe I’ll move to LA.
Mia (9): I’d live in a loft, something like this area.
Sarah (9): I think I’d like to live somewhere else, maybe in a house. I live in a building right now so I wonder what it would be like to have a house. In our building, there is a bunch of floors and neighbors and yelling all the time.
On if they’ll dress differently as adults…
Rufus (8): Maybe. A lot of people wear suits and ties and I get itchy a lot. I don’t want to be itching everywhere…I want to wear gold velvet.
Tilly (11): I bet I would. As a kid, you can definitely pass wearing silly t-shirts like one that I have that has a cat on it that’s licking ice cream with a rainbow tongue. I’m definitely not going to wear that as an adult.
Sarah (8): Yes, definitely. Not dresses.
Mia (9): I never got into them. I only wear dresses once a month. I only wear them for fancy occasions.
Sarah (9) to Mia: Wait, so in the summer, you don’t wear dresses??
Mia (9): No that much.
Sarah (9): What?!?
Mia (9): I’m more of a shorts person.
On what they don’t like about being a kid…
Mia (9): Punishment. And homework.
Sarah (9): If you’re an adult, you can have ice cream every day. But not when you’re a kid.
Rufus (8): I don’t like getting bossed around by people. It’s not the worst thing, but I don’t like school that much. It’s boring when you learn stuff you already knew. I guess I’ll get better when I’m in third or fourth grade.
On what they think is the hardest part of being an adult…
Rufus (8): I mean, I don’t even know what taxes really are. And in games, if the power is on, you always have to pay bills.
Tilly (11): Being an adult is a lot more complicated. Parenting seems super hard. I have this app on my phone and it’s a life simulator and it’s really hard to get money from college to a job. Sometimes you’re living with your parents until you’re 30 because you can’t get a home yet. And especially if you go to college, you have to pay off your college loans and that’s hard.
On creativity…
Tilly (11): I think one of the reasons why creativity is so important for kids is because being creative can lead you to all of these ideas for your future job. Being creative is the only way to find out what things you really like. Unless you like math or something that only has one answer. I hate things that are just right or wrong because it’s like a 50% chance I’ll get it wrong, or even more if I’m not good at it.
On what they’re looking forward to as adults…
Mia (9): Finding out what my parents have always kept secret from me. Staying up late. And keeping secrets from my kids, if I have any.
Rufus (8): When I’m older, I feel like there’s more stuff to do. My life is pretty limited. I ask my mom if I can get something and she’s like, “No way!”
On if they want to have kids…
Rufus (8) I don’t know if I’m going to have any kids.
Sarah (8): Yes, two.
Mia (9): It depends. If my first one is really obnoxious, then I’ll only get one. If it’s an angel, I’ll get another. If it’s a devil, I’ll just give it to an adoption center. Or keep it.
Sarah (9): I think, well, I don’t know. Maybe if my kid was good, I’d have one. I’d have only one kid, if it’s a girl, I’d name her Violet.
On the tooth fairy…
Mia (9): The Tooth Fairy does exist for me.
Sarah (8): Doesn’t for me.
Mia (9): I’ve seen him before.
Sarah (8): Well, my dad, his handwriting is exactly the same.
Sarah (9): One time, the Tooth Fairy didn’t come to our house when my sister lost her tooth, my mom was like, “Oh I guess the Tooth Fairy didn’t see our house or skipped it” (laughs). I’m figuring out your secrets!
On getting to drive a car…
Mia (9): Only if it’s antique and fashionable.
Sarah (9): I’d rather just scooter everywhere.
Rufus (8): I’m excited to drive. I don’t know what kind of car I’m going to get. Maybe a Lamborghini.
On the best thing about being a kid…
Sarah (8): Eating sweets a lot and you don’t have to be on a diet.
Sarah (9): Going to school and learning. Because when you’re a grown up, unless you’re in college, you won’t be learning new things every day. But you can still go online and look things up, like ‘What is a cow’s favorite fruit?’.
Source: DORÉ – Carie Packard