I Won't Grow Up
Last week, while on vacation, I saw a stubborn young boy throw a huge fit when his parents told him it was time to leave the pool, end his vacation, and go home. “I don’t want to go, and I don’t want to grow up,” he shouted at his parents. The parents were none too amused, but I thought, “You go, little dude. I’m right there with you.” I am sixty-four years old, and I still don’t want to leave the pool, much less end a vacation when it’s time, nor do I want to grow up. The term "Peter Pan Syndrome" was coined by psychologist Dan Kiley in his 1983 book, The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up . This pop psychology term describes adults who avoid responsibilities, resist commitment, and struggle with emotional or financial maturity. They prioritize fun over responsibility. But putting it that way takes all the fun out of it. Some of the kings and queens of arrested development include former child stars like Michael Jackson (Neverland, anyone?), Judy Garland, and Br...
