Do people really see us as children?

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I think that some people view me as a child. It's not as bad as it was a couple of years ago, but I still get people talking down to me to some extent. In all fairness, I can be somewhat childlike at times. I bond much more easily with children than I do with adults. I also have an obsession with literature for young children, and I can sit in the children's section in Barnes and Noble for quite a while, paging through a variety of picture books. I get some funny looks from parents and their kids there, which I guess is understandable. Although I look significantly younger than my 28 years, I still look too old to be sitting cross legged on the floor reading Dr Seuss, A.A. Milne, Mo Willems, Laura Joffe Numeroff, Doreen Cronin and plenty of others as well. I can justify this to an extent, as I work with preschoolers, and I write children's stories. It can be argued that I read these books for research purposes. That is true to an extent, but the fact is, I also read these books for my own personal gratification. I do read books for adults, too, but there will always be a place in my heart for children's literature.
I can also get very excited by toys. About a year ago, I went to FAO Schwartz with my boyfriend S, a toy store in Manhattan with an awesome collection. S enjoyed looking at the toys as well, but I think he was more amused and entertained by how excited I was getting, looking at all the toys. S and I had a similar experience visiting a children's science museum in Central Queens. We found a preschool space there, and I was running from area to area in the preschool space,excitedly about how the space was laid out like a real classroom, with various play "centers," telling him about the different centers and how they're used, and showing him how to use some of the toys. I basically kept on doing that until S took my arm and guided me out of there. LOL People were probably looking at me oddly, but I was too excited by my surroundings to notice things like that.
So, yeah, people do tend to see me as childlike, but that perception really isn't entirely unjustified.

Last edited by OuterBoroughGirl on 26 Oct 2009, 7:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

All my family members but my brother treat me like I'm a child. I do look younger and have similar interests as a child, for example I like Ben 10.
My mother and one of my sisters are still sort of protective/ nurturing, while my other sister is the one that looks down on me and my brother treats me like an equal.

I don't really understand how one is to be classified as childlike unless they truly exemplify childlike behaviours, such as watching children's television shows, the temper tantrums, acting immature, etc. It's not even something I ever linked with Asperger's so much until I came to this forum and was reminded of a few times when I myself was referred to as being very childlike.

I don't understand how I am childlike, because even though I would watch a children's show or listen to children's music, or even read children's books when bored or given the chance, it is not something that I do often. Nor is it something that I think is a characteristic of myself. Also, the times when I am indulging in this random childlike behaviour, usually nobody else is around and therefore does not know about it. The times in which I am told I remind people of a child seems to have nothing to do with anything. It's like it's just some kind of aura I give off. I really don't understand it.

I've been living a pretty crazy life these days, doing all kind of things that I just shouldn't be doing. Anyway, the other day my best friend looked at me and said "sometimes you remind me so much of a child, and it breaks my heart". I didn't understand what she meant or why she said it, and I still don't. Then of course she proceeded to say "at least you can keep the look of innocence, doing what you're doing". I'm still left not understanding what it is about me that makes me childlike, if it is completely unrelated to behaviour and lifestyle choices.

I watch cartoons, most of my DVD collection is animated series and films. While I watch silent films and art films too, and even my animation is frequently artsy...yeah I have that.

I also have meltdowns and crying spells, and while they are infrequent, they do happen. It takes alot of work on my boyfriends part sometimes. In addition to that, I ask silly questions and I am extremely quiet.

The the "people" don't know much

Humans in general act like children, so unless 50%+ of humanity is autistic I fail to see how we act more "childish" than average. Seriously a lot of people are very immature and I'm not talking about their interests and hobbies, I'm talking about the way they act, it's just a BS insult (or maybe depending on the person endearment) that means "You're not acting the way I think you should" which just reeks of manipulation and "baaaah, be a sheep".

People have always told me I seem older than I am, that I'm more mature. As a little kid I got that a lot. But when I'm not in public, I'm very playful. (My husband says I seem more like a cat or dog than a child when I'm messing around, however.)

I do see a childlike naivete in some Aspies, however. My best friend has very severe AS, and is sometimes very childish while being disturbingly adult. For example, she watches cartoons all the time but at the same time she displays extreme sexual behavior and it is a fascinating contrast.

I don't date, (widowed) I don't want a girlfriend
or to remarry.

I don't have an "official" job, I'm self employed,
but I don't rake in the dough, not enough to
live on even.

No kids, still one myself.

I don't like growed up things like news sports politicks
and other things like that just lose me and I end up
drawing on the wall and peple calling my name like
its my turn and I totally don't know what they are
speaking of, I might respond "Mayonnaise?" to a
hard politick question and kill the buzz totally.

I would rather play in the mud or throw mudballs
or break bottles or play iwth my legos or hotwheels.

The only growed up thing I do is edit video for my
self employment, electronics is the only thing I
can do as far as that goes.

My telly never leaves much further than boomerang
nickelodeon or disney channel or pbs.

I have uncontrollable tantrums or seizures when
peple are mean to me.

I don't lke to drink or smoke but I don't
care if my frends do it.

I just like the things I always have before.

Yep. People often confuse passion and intensity with childlike behavior.

This is the same for me. I'm extremely quiet and shy around people I am unfamiliar with. I have always noticed they seem to perceive me as innocent and childlike due to this. I don't think I was overly childish even as a child. If anything my interests and attitudes made me seem like a 'little adult' to most.

Off Topic: <Waves at Aurore> Greetings fellow North Carolinian

On Topic: Sexual behavior isnt always considered "adult" in an emotional sense. I recall something from a psychology class that people in a relationship (intimate or otherwise) tend to have child-like tendencies when around each other. A kind of innocence/trust seen mainly in children (sex aside of course). And in some random research, acts of sex can be seen/viewed as childish due to how both parties go about it (ie, man adoring a woman whom he's at a comfort level similar to being with his mother, sort of like a non-incestuous Oedipus Complex).

Personally, one's physical age means little when it comes to their personality. Hell, im 29 and yet for some reason i have to fight back aspects of myself that i dealt with at age 15. Can be said that we're emotionally child-like I guess.

Huh... I'm seeing that a lot of people look young for their age. Add me to the list: a few months ago I got carded when I went to see an R-Rated film. (I didn't even know they actually did that.)

Looks aside, I've always been simultaneously immature and mature; it depends on the context of the situation. I'm capable of having serious debates/discussions (it seems like I always argue from a much more logical and less emotional perspective than other people), but then I also played with Legos with my siblings until I was 16. I always attributed the latter to the fact that I was the oldest of 4 and was merely lowering myself to their age range to have suitable playmates, but suddenly I'm having second thoughts.

But anyway, I keep forgetting to directly answer the question: people do seem to see me as a little kid most of the time.

I dont think this has happened to me, unless i was in a situation that i absolutely object to. At the age of 21, i was in college and my own roommates thought i was too old for college. I told them my real age and i got, "Dude, you look like you're 35!?" <shrug> Dunno how i look a decade and a half older than i really am. Guess i always have a grown up/mature expression on my face.