Age vs. Maturity
By jeeyah
@jeeyah (1092)
Philippines
May 7, 2010 11:55pm CST
Do you believe that age is different from maturity?
I believe that one's maturity doesn't rely on his/her age. There were times when I've had arguments, debates, and discussions with certain people, and it seemed to me that their points and statements were not that mature. When I discovered their ages, turns out that they were A LOT older than me!
There are also times when I read some posts or hear the opinions of some people, and I thought that they were already old because their statements seem well-thought out and that they acted very maturely. And when I saw their ages, they were also in their teens!
I know that I can be immature at times (well, I'm still young), but I do know that my level of maturity doesn't suit my age. For some reason, I get along better with people who are mature and older than me. And sometimes, it also seems that I'm older than them when it comes to some discussions and such.
I know a lot of people who are old, but doesn't act very maturely. While I know some people who are young, but are really mature.
So anyway, do you also think that age is different from maturity? Do you think that your age suits your maturity level? 
4 people like this
27 responses
@braiym3 (135)
• Philippines
8 May 10
Yes, I agree that age is different from maturity. There are lots of people who are old but not matured and vise versa. From my experiences, I have an older brother which do not act according to his age, in short he is not mature or fit to his age. He does not take his responsibilities seriously specially to his family, he acts like a child. Why? because at his age, there times that he is still jealous with his children and so many more.
Actually, maturity should be parallel to age but in reality; not all the time it happens. So I think, being mature is not in the age but it is in the way of thinking of a person.
@achilles2010 (3051)
• India
8 May 10
Long ago, I had read a story. A huge truck while passing under a railway bridge was stuck. Engineers came to find the ways to extricate it. A few inches gap would have been enough to pull out the truck. They all stood there scratching their heads. A ten-year boy who was passing by gave them the solution. He asked them to release some air from its tires. They did as he said. This had lowered the height of the truck by few inches. Thus, they were able to pull out the truck.
Ten-year-old boy had more maturity than the rest. He had two things in him: a common sense and a problem solving ability. In ten years, the boy could not have gained much experience. He might not have applied himself. Nevertheless, in time of crisis he knew exactly what to do. It clearly shows that age has nothing to do with maturity.
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
8 May 10
Beautiful example of intelligence too!
That doesn't come with age necessarily either 
We are all born with it - some use it and others don't bother
We are all born with it - some use it and others don't bother 2 people like this
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
8 May 10
Yes, you are very correct. I think I’m a case in point…in my late 30s, I don’t think I still have the maturity to handle different situations wisely. Maybe I’m too simple at heart and expect the same from people or maybe I still have that child somewhere within me which dominates my maturity most of the times. And then there’s my husband…the enjoys talking most to people who are in their 50s though he himself is of my age.
1 person likes this
@derek_a (10874)
•
8 May 10
Yes, I fully believe that age is something entirely different from maturity. Maturity is something that sometimes even the oldest of people don't seem to have. But there again, maturity is a judgement that each of us carry out. I have to ask myself how qualified I am to carry out such judgements, but there are times when it is very difficult not to! 
_Derek
_Derek2 people like this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
8 May 10
Hi Jeeyah,
There is a huge difference between age and maturity level for sure. Also even a normally mature person can still have moments where they act completely immature. Then you have those that are chronic. There is also a difference between being young at heart and being immature. 
1 person likes this
@jeeyah (1092)
• Philippines
10 May 10
Hi sid, yes I totally agree with you that immaturity is different from being young at heart or "childlike". I guess being immature is when you act childish in a sense that you don't know how to act and respond to situations properly. It is when you seem "spoiled" or something. Being young at heart or childlike, however, is when you just take things lightly and you love all those stuff that kids do (like games and such). So I guess being young at heart is more of a positive thing, while being immature is more of a negative thing. Thanks for bringing that up!
@saphrina (31551)
• South Africa
8 May 10
Sweetie, i don't think it will be such a good idea to discuss and reveal mine, but i have to admit i have seen some younger ones who are much more mature than the older generation. It might depend on the way they were brought up, i think.
TATA.1 person likes this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
8 May 10
I agree that there are many younger ones who are more mature than some members of the older generation.
Then there are also some of the older generation who act like kids 
Maybe maturity has something to do with knowing when it is appropriate to act mature and when it is ok to loosen up
One day I might get it right too
Maybe maturity has something to do with knowing when it is appropriate to act mature and when it is ok to loosen up
One day I might get it right too 1 person likes this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
8 May 10
We might hear a few 'just look at them' type of remarks but with maturity we knoe how to deal with them too 
1 person likes this
@maean_19 (4655)
• Philippines
8 May 10
Definitely, there is a difference between age and maturity. The former refers to a person's state of identifying how long he/she is living whereas the latter is a person's state of how he/she thinks or reacts to a certain thing. Age is more of a physical aspect while maturity is more of one's behavior and the mind.
Precisely, there are really times that one's maturity cannot be relied on the age of a person because each and every one of us differs on how to perceive on things.
There are people who even at a young age are mature on the way they speak and converse their opinions, yet some people who even at an old age acts and thinks immaturely.
1 person likes this
@jeeyah (1092)
• Philippines
8 May 10
I believe that you're right about that, that age is more of a physical aspect while maturity is more of one's behavior and mindset. Age can sometimes affect maturity, but most of the time, age doesn't really matter.
Age is often used to approximate one's maturity. For example, some jobs and opportunities require applicants who are in this certain age bracket. Another example would be in voting. Some who are aged below 18 years old may even be more legible to vote than some of those who are already old enough.
1 person likes this
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
8 May 10
I think maturity is connected more to ones environment and the experiences they've had than to age. Does my age suit my maturity level? I wouldn't know. How is a 33 year old supposed to be? Admittedly I do feel I can be a little on the childish side at times. I do know how to be respectful and courteous and all that good "mature" stuff.
1 person likes this
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
8 May 10
For me my age does suit my maturity level. However, you will always find some adults who are quite inmature in their thinking and or ways. While you will have young adults who will be quite mature for their age. I think it all depends on their upbringing and how their parents treated them while being raised. Spoiled kids who are given everything usually results in inmaturity. While kids who have to do chores, cook and babysit will be mature beyond their years.
1 person likes this
@eil_noz (963)
• Philippines
8 May 10
Age and maturity isn't really the same. I remember these discussion in our class in our English for the previous year and its definitely two different thing although It can be linked to it sometimes. Being old doesn't mean that your matured enough and being young doesn't also mean that your still immature. I have a classmate who is 2 years younger than I but definitely, she can decide and talk maturely. I guess being mature it a lot better than being older. haha... although I know that Im not really that matured most of the time. My age doesn't really suit my maturity I guess
1 person likes this
@jeeyah (1092)
• Philippines
8 May 10
Yes, being mature is a lot better than being older! Lol. However, maturity isn't really something that we have that much control over. It's really in our own personality make-up, and in our mindset. Maturity can be honed by reading and experience. Some of my older cousins can be a bit immature. While I, like my other cousin who's about my age, seem to be more mature than them. LOL.
1 person likes this
@jeeyah (1092)
• Philippines
8 May 10
Yep, exactly. But ages aren't just numbers, lol. Somehow, they can speak of the amount of experience of a person, because the age tells how much the person has been living. BUT it isn't always like that, due to variations in the kinds of lives lived by different persons.
1 person likes this
@adeena2000 (845)
• Philippines
8 May 10
When we were young we act like a child but as we grew up we encountered a lot of different circumstances and learned a lesson from it. As we growing up with mostly older people we also think as the same with them. As we learned from it, it contributed a big factor to our maturity. Sometimes our maturity development is depending on the environment we had. Like for example a child of 1 year old grow up with her siblings or cousin of 10 years older, eventually the child influenced by the things she has seen everyday especially regarding the problem and happiness. Eventually this child will mature early in termas of thinking and logic. She will grow up independent and reliable. To compare a child grow up with spoonfeeding,like everything she wants and needs is being provided, this child definitely be independent. This experience will be molded in his character that is why the right thinking and logic cannot be find in him. Immatured so it seems. Age doesn't balance the maturity of one person. There are 40 years old today thinks and act like a teenager
1 person likes this
@jeeyah (1092)
• Philippines
8 May 10
Yes, environment really does have something to do with maturity. The people you interact with can somehow influence your level of maturity. And you're right that most spoon-fed children turn out to act more immaturely. I know some people who are like that. I guess that is also why I've learned to become more mature, because at a young I've learned to be independent and to earn my own money. Lol. So yea
1 person likes this
@zedrick_11 (931)
• Philippines
8 May 10
age is the physical statistics of a person..
it considers what he/she must be..
for example 8yrs old then he/she must be playing outside
35 yrs old married and working for his/her family
while maturity is the mental state of a person which distinguish his personality..
:)
1 person likes this
@littlefranciscan (18327)
• United States
8 May 10
I agree with you Jeeyah..Maturity has to do with your intellectual age
and age your biological age. Some people are heads and shoulders above
others in maturity despite being much younger then them.
Maturity is the ability to see and make judgements in sensible and
intelligent manner and also to act and speak in a way that is not
nonsensical.
THere is a time for laugter and joking..so please don't think this
is a sign of immaturity but not seeing things as an adult can
end up with many hasty short lived decisions.
Maturity is definitely different then age; although age is suppose
to make us more mature.
@jeeyah (1092)
• Philippines
10 May 10
Exactly! Being immature then is when you act and speak in a way that is nonsensical or irrational and unreasonable. It is when you act close-mindedly, and are not open to new ideas.
Laughter and joking aren't immature at all. It is human nature to have fun, and it isn't a sign of immaturity. 
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
8 May 10
I am elderly but think I still have maturity in all my discussions and writings. I think education runs hand in hand with maturity, and with
more education and positive brain power you can mature well as you age.
but as you said age alone does not make a person mature. it is life experiences and how we handle them that helps up to grow up and to mature too,some young people are much more mature than their own grandmothers as they have had to learn how to handle difficult situations with much aplomb
at an early age. I think my age suits my own maturity level
@jeeyah (1092)
• Philippines
10 May 10
Hi Hatley, it's good that your age suits your maturity level. I do agree with the thought that education can sometimes affect the maturity of a person. However, I think that it's usually the experiences that develop the maturity of a person. There are some people who aren't educated but act more maturely than those who've finished schooling. It's maybe because they've been exposed to more life experiences that honed their maturity.
@myzire72 (1154)
• Singapore
8 May 10
Yes, I agree with you. Age and maturity are not proportional to each other. It doesn't mean as a person grows older, he becomes more matured as well. A way to determine maturity is through the speech and actions of a person. I am not really satisfied with my level of maturity at times, and wish that I have more wisdom on how to deal with everyday life.
@Saranggola (956)
• Philippines
8 May 10
Yes maturity doesn't come from aging or getting older itself. I think experience and a matter of attitude adds up to maturity. Being open to changes or learning I think is what makes one mature.
@WeNG11 (18)
• Indonesia
8 May 10
age is not same wtih maturity.
Age is physical condition where can be measured from someone birthdate.
maturity is a condition where someone get more wise to respond many condition whether good or bad condition.
Like many people said "Aging is mandatory, but maturity is optional.."
