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Kids Aren’t Mature For Their Age
Kids are kids and we need to stop telling them “they are mature for their age”.
Warning- I discuss child sexual exploitation in this article, nothing too detailed, but viewer discretion is still being advised.
I was constantly told I was “mature for my age” as a child. That mentality got me into some dangerous situations online. It also nearly got me in trouble while dating in high school.
Telling kids they are “mature for their age” is dangerous. It gives people a sense of pride or accomplishment, but it can warp into a deadly beast. They might start thinking they are “above” their peers because of being “mature for their age”. They might think they can start hanging out with older people because “they are mature for their age”. They might think they can date people 10+ years older than them because “they are mature for their age and therefore impressive to these older people”. At its mildest, it’s a purely innocent compliment. At its worst? It’s a common phrase used to groom pre-teens and teenagers into sexually explicit relationships with older people (online and in-person alike).
Sexual exploitation of children (teenagers and younger) by older people (20s+) is an epidemic. It commonly happens online, but it can also easily happen in person as well…
