There is a common misconception in our culture that someday you need to grow up. This is the idea that you need to stop behaving as a child would. It implies that you are less emotional, less spontaneous, less playful, and more rational. We tell people to grow up when we are displeased with their behavior. We also use it to remove accountability from people we do not want to punish, saying that they just need to grow up. 

This myth is not harmless. If we enter into adulthood with the idea that we are not supposed to have emotions we find ourselves repressing them. This leads to a decrease in health, empathy, and respect. As we forget to value emotions we also forget to value relationships. Beyond this, the lack of play and spontaneity in adulthood also leads to reduced health. There is no expiration date on play. Maturing does not require a loss of joy. 

The final, and most damaging flaw with this myth is that it removes accountability. The idea of growing up harms everyone, but it harms women the most. The devaluing of emotion leads to the dismissal of female voices and priorities. Things that are seen as emotional are not taken seriously. Reports of violence against women are dismissed with the logic that the boy just needs to grow up and the girl needs to stop being emotional. 

We are never done growing, but we can be done with the myth of growing up.