14 Childhood Pledges That We Couldn’t Keep As Adults

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURES FOR MORE INFORMATION

We all made outlandish promises during our childhood, with no intention of ever following through. 

We didn’t realize the weight of what we were pledging and committed to unrealistic tasks that seemed fun in the heat of the moment. 

Some even vowed to strive for lifelong ambitions that they had yet to understand. 

Our adolescent minds found immense joy in making big waves but forgot later on just how difficult our goals may be. 

As adults, it’s now time to take a retrospective look at those false pledges we made so long ago.

#1. Smoking

man angry
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.

It used to be common to see your parents smoking and then growing up to smoke as well.

But with so much research showing how harmful it is, many kids vow never to smoke.

Some even point out the reason being because they see the health impacts on their loved ones.

Yet even so, many grow up and begin smoking anyway.

#2. Get Into Debt

Photo Credit: levkro via Deposit Photos.

As a child, you vowed never to let yourself fall into a puddle of debt.

For years, you told yourself that you would always live within your means and never let those pesky credit cards suck you into a whirlpool of financial strain.

But alas, adulthood happened, and with it came more significant expenses you never imagined.

Car payments, rent, groceries, healthcare – the list seemed never-ending.

And slowly but surely, those pesky credit cards began to rear their ugly heads.

You tried your best to resist, but eventually, the debt stacked up, and you found yourself gasping for air in that very same puddle you promised yourself you would never dip your toes into.

#3. Start An ”Old” Person Hobby

Photo Credit: 76069755 via Deposit Photos.

Many people mentioned how they saw hobbies their parents were doing and swore they would never do them as an adult.

Yet fast forward, these same people are now playing golf and birdwatching.

While these might not sound interesting to some people, there is much to learn from the hobbies older people enjoy.

#4. Stop Talking To Friends

Photo Credit: AntonioGuillemF via Deposit Photos.

The idea of not talking to our friends as a kid is a foreign concept.

Why would you ever not talk to people you like?

But as we grow up, we have our own lives, and to be frank, we get busy with it.

We prioritize the things we need to get done over maintaining many of those relationships.

As a result, friendships fall away and making new friends as an adult is even harder.

#5. Go To Bed Early

Photo Credit: Milkos via Deposit Photos.

Going to be early as a kid felt like punishment.

All we wanted was to stay up late like our parents. We said that we would never go to bed early when we grew up.

And as we grew up, we did just that.

With all the things life throws at us, most of us are exhausted by the evening and look forward to going to bed early and getting some much-needed sleep.

#6. Getting Married

Photo Credit: Yana via Deposit Photos.

While you knew many happy couples, you thought the single life was much better.

You didn’t have to worry about involving another person in life decisions. You were free to do as you pleased.

And with so many people, staying single meant you could meet and get to know a lot more.

But now that you are an adult, you realize there are many benefits to having someone you love by your side.

Plus, the dating world is crazy, so it’s nice not to deal with that.

#7. Becoming Your Parents

Photo Credit: Deposit Photos.

Growing up, we swear we will never be our parents.

It’s not that they aren’t good people. It’s that we see their flaws and want to be better or, in some cases, different.

But for many people, we still become our parents no matter how hard we try.

#8. Gardening

Photo Credit: gpointstudio via Deposit Photos.

A garden as a kid felt like a waste of time.

Why do all this work in the hopes of getting some food when you could drive to the grocery store and buy it?

Much less work, and you were guaranteed food.

But now, as an adult, you realize gardening serves many purposes.

For some, it is a stress reliever. For others, it’s a way to get cheap, organic produce.

Whatever your reason, you’ve found that gardening is worth the time and effort.

#9. Dress Up My Dog

Photo Credit: AndrewLozovyi via Deposit Photos.

 One person shared how growing up, she saw others putting clothes on their dog and thought it was the silliest thing ever.

She vowed she would never do it.

Fast forward a few years, and she has a dog, and guess what? She dresses up her dog too.

It’s interesting that many trends we see, we initially resist, possibly because it means we need to change, but eventually end up going along with the crowd.

#10. Napping On Purpose

Photo Credit: GeorgeRudy via Deposit Photos.

So many kids fight naps like they are the plague.

The funny thing is, as an adult, you would love to have the option to take a nap most days.

Most parents with a baby would switch places in a heartbeat if it meant they could nap while the kid did chores around the house.

#11. Quit A Hobby

Photo Credit: kantver via Deposit Photos.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are people quitting hobbies.

They were doing hobbies a kid loved and didn’t think they would ever give them up.

But interests change as we grow older, and we stop some of the hobbies we once enjoyed.

However, the hobby is sometimes stopped to pursue other goals, and people miss it terribly.

As one person said, “I actually broke my own heart when I recently found a school project we did back when I was a kid. We had to write a letter for our future selves, and mine starts with: ‘Hey, did you become an artist already? I really hope you did not become a boring adult with a boring job who gave up on his dreams and passions’.”

#12. Christianity

husband frustrated
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.

When you are a kid, you think what you believe will always be what you believe.

But as you grow older, you learn more and question your beliefs.

As a result, some people who grew up believing in God now no longer do so.

#13. Gain Weight

belly-fat
Photo Credit: billiondigital via Deposit Photos.

The first childhood vow that rarely survives is the promise to “gain weight”.  

This one isn’t so much a matter of whether it’s achievable, but more so a matter of how and when it happens.

Being young means having fewer inhibitions, so eating may have been fun or a way to rebel against authority figures, like parents or teachers. 

But as we age, our bodies and metabolism change, so gaining weight can become more difficult.

#14. Keep Up With Fashion Trends

green-dress
Photo Credit: tatchaihot via Deposit Photos.

Another childhood vow that is often broken is the promise to “stay on top of fashion trends”.

This might have been an innocent intention at first, but when combined with peer pressure and economic factors like cost, this promise can quickly become untenable.

Especially as we age, our bodies change in shape and size, so trying to maintain the same trend as our peers can become difficult.

Additionally, trends come and go quickly, so the cost of keeping up with the latest styles can add up and be a financial strain on any budget.

Live an Adventurous Life

Photo Credit: halfpoint via Deposit Photos.

Do you want more out of life? Are you tired of the same old routine, day in, day out? Here is how to live an adventurous life.

HOW TO LIVE AN ADVENTUROUS LIFE

Discover How To Jumpstart Your Life

Photo Credit: Dirima via Deposit Photos.

Are you at a point in life where you are in a funk? You just can’t seem to catch a break or take that next step to greater success and jumpstart your life?

Here are the questions to ask yourself to flip the switch on life and get more out of it.

10 QUESTIONS TO JUMPSTART YOUR LIFE

Inspirational Quotes

Photo Credit: Gladkov via Deposit Photos.

Do you need a little dose of inspiration? Having some quotes to read is a fast and easy way to change your mindset and help you to better your life

Here are the best inspirational quotes abotu life and happiness to help you be happier

100 POWERFUL INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

10 Choices You Will Regret In 10 Years

Photo Credit: AndreyBezuglov via Deposit Photos.

We all make choices in life. Some turn out to be smart ones, and others, well, not so much.

Here are 10 bad choices that if you make them today, you will regret them in 10 years.

10 CHOICES YOU WILL REGRET IN 10 YEARS

Be Happy With What You Have

Photo Credit: Ariwasabi via Deposit Photos.

It’s easy to see others success and be jealous of them. In some cases, this feeling overrides our own happiness.

It is critical you learn to be happy with what you have, otherwise, you will never be happy.

HOW TO BE HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE

This thread inspired this article.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top