Our teenage years are a very transitional period in time when it comes to maturity on so many fronts. Our school consists of a multitude of students, from those who are still stuck in their middle school habits to others who are already on their way to adulthood. 

Why certain people mature at different paces than others is based on multiple factors, including family dynamics, friend groups, and online exposure. 

There are certain groups of students–and people in general–that mature faster than their peers due to stressful family situations that force them to grow up earlier. This phenomenon can be compared to an adaptation to survive, some children have to take care of themselves early on as the people who are supposed to do that job decided not to. 

In my own experience, I found myself being more empathetic and more patient compared to other children growing up. My home life forced me to teach myself morals and how to be a decent human being. 

“What is frequently called growing up too fast or being mature beyond your years is simply neglect and abuse. Many children grow up in an environment where they are neglected and abused in such ways that they become little adults who, not only can take care of themselves better or are wiser than others, but also take care of their parents, siblings, or other family members,” said PyschCentral about how trauma affects children and their growth. 

This can be a result of many specific circumstances, one of which is when the parent forces the child into a caretaker role. This makes the child feel as though it is their duty to be the mature and responsible one and pushes them to take on a similar role in all parts of their lives. 

The problem that arises as the child may get older is that when put in a situation where they can actually be a child for once, they struggle. 

For example, as I got older and finally found myself surrounded by people that allowed me to act my age, I began to feel more emotional and more “childlike”.

This is a result of healing one’s inner child, which can be a strange process at first. Traumatized children often overthink or understand situations with others based on how their parents treat them. For instance, believing one’s friends suddenly hate them because they forgot to respond to something as a result of their parent’s neglect during their childhood when in reality their friends were just busy. 

By healing one’s inner child, it’s possible to change a traumatized view of the world and further cultivate more emotionally developed relationships with people. 

This can be very off-putting originally, as one no longer has to walk on eggshells and actually enjoy their life. 

This is especially important in the teenage years, as this period in our lives is when we experience and we feel the most. 

Being able to fully enjoy our “golden years” is important and everyone should have the joy of that.