this post was submitted on 22 Sep 2025
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[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 33 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The inability to process their raw emotions.

When an adult hears disappointing news, they say ok, and think about how they can get a better outcome next time.

A child starts yelling and crying and hitting.

Tell a kid that there's a pizza party later, and they'll want a PIZZA PARTY RIGHT NOW!

Adults are able to wait until later without bouncing off the walls or whining for it to happen now.

[–] chaosCruiser@futurology.today 3 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

What about autistic adults who have interests that aren’t necessarily appropriate for their age? Some people consider it childish to be interested in teletubbies, picture books or duplos.

[–] FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 weeks ago

I don't think it's childish to like things made for children, I think it's childish to shame people for liking things made for children. I'm in my 30s and have watched several Disney Jr shows all the way through. They're enjoyable as long as you go in with realistic expectations.

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Yes, it is appropriate to deem something made for children “childish”

[–] starlinguk@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com -1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

That’s the same mothafuckin thing

[–] oddlyqueer@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 week ago

They both refer to behaviors or attributes associated with children, but "childish" has a generally negative connotation and "childlike" has a generally positive connotation. e.g. "childish behavior" is usually something the author judges inappropriate, where "childlike wonder" is usually rendered as a positive (if often infantilizing) attribute. Similar definitions, but quite different in implication.

[–] Daft_ish@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 week ago

The question was about behavior

[–] TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

that's really just more of a fixation.

[–] snooggums@piefed.world 14 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Most people's definition: anything fun and silly because apparently adults aren't supposed to have fun or something

Mine: acting like someone who hasn't learned basic knowledge or developed empathy

[–] NABDad@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I would describe the first one as childlike.

[–] snooggums@piefed.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Same, but a lot of people treat them as the same thing and only in the negative way.

[–] starlinguk@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

They're wrong.

[–] steeznson@lemmy.world 10 points 2 weeks ago

Behaving in an emotionally disregulated manner, similar to how a child who has not developed as a person would do

[–] morphballganon@mtgzone.com 10 points 2 weeks ago

Instant gratification at long-term expense

Does not include necessary things like food

Nor acts to build or sustain relationships, like making your kid happy

[–] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It's childish if someone bitter tells you it is

So everything is childish

Enjoy life, people

[–] starlinguk@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

You're confusing childish with child-like. Childish always has negative connotations.

[–] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Poor emotional regulation. Poor long term planning. Disregarding facts for emotions.

[–] TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

bingo.

the definition of childhood, emotional immaturity etc, is the failure to recognize the world beyond your immediate emotions

growing up is realizing the world exists beyond your immediate needs and feelings.

and it's terrifying when adults lack that ability.

[–] Bidah@thelemmy.club 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

pee pee poo poo

hehehehehe

[–] Daft_ish@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

PJ is that you?

[–] Venus_Ziegenfalle@feddit.org 6 points 2 weeks ago

To me if it's done purely for the attention of others rather than intrinsically motivated it's childish. A general lack of responsibility is also childish. Tamer stuff like trinket collections, lewd jokes, cartoons and whatnot in my opinion is enjoyable independently of age. If anything judging those things as childish could be seen as childish. Who's more obsessed with seeming all grown up than kids?

[–] FridaySteve@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I think people use that word to mean immature. Childish implies that a behavior is age-inappropriate, but also implies that the behavior would be appropriate for a child, which is often not true. Immature is a better word to use when someone is doing behaviors that indicate their brain development hasn't caught up with their life situation.

[–] FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 weeks ago

It depends on the age of the child and if they can reasonably be expected to know better

[–] Libb@piefed.social 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

In an adult, you mean?

A child is in the process of learning to behave, so I will always grant them a pass on not being able to listen and not being able to control their emotions/reaction. Not so much with any adult person, at least not with anyone who is also demanding to be considered an adult and treated like one. Being an adult is great, but it has a cost which is to stop behaving like a child ;)

[–] nuggie_ss@lemmings.world 0 points 2 weeks ago

Every adult behaves like a child at some point.

[–] guy@piefed.social 4 points 2 weeks ago

I can only think of negative emotions where the feeler can't handle them in a controlled way.
E.g. getting angry and screaming and/or hitting things.
For an adult, avoiding childish behaviour when angry would be cursing and at the most, raising ones voice.

This however does not apply to emergencies and such. There will always be room for angry screaming if the situation demands it.

Being a martyr is another example. Having something go against you and proclaiming you are a victim is childish. Grow up and own whatever happened.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 3 points 2 weeks ago

Lacking maturity. Literally acting like a child, despite knowing better.

[–] sylver_dragon@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

It's caused by the speaker not liking what another person is doing, but being unable to articulate a real argument against the behavior. So, they call it "childish" as a way to express that dislike in a socially acceptable fashion.

[–] wuphysics87@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 week ago
[–] UnfortunateShort@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Stubbornness, shortsightedness, dramatization

[–] FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Selfish behaviour that doesn't consider other people's needs

[–] nuggie_ss@lemmings.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Really? That's one of the most common behaviors among adults.