Paternalistic and Maternalistic Elders....

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by CArizona

When I was young I enjoyed spending time with adults. (My aunts and uncles and grandparents, my friend's parents, my parents' friends etc.)...I still have friends of all ages today....

I'm glad to hear of somebody else like myself. I've always hung around adults, and a lot. When I was a little kid, I think I was a lot like Dennis the Menace, but I think I may have listened and learned more from adults more than he did. On the street that I grew up, in grade school, there was a neighbor a few doors down that very much became like an uncle to me, and that relationship lasted up until a couple years ago when he passed away - over 15 years. I learned a lot from him. When I was in 5th grade, I spent the summer with the maintenance crew (owner and his adult sons) at the apartment complex I lived at and made a little money helping out a bit.

[CArizona]

MOKAN...Thanks for sharing some more! I'm sorry that your former neighbor and "adopted uncle" passed away. You must miss him a lot!...My younger son took after me. He used to enjoy spending time with an older (widowed) lady who lived across the street from us...He loved to walk along the pier and talk to older fisherman. (And learn new things from them!)...I grew-up as an only child. When I spent nights with my cousins I wanted to spend time with the "whole" family and not just the cousin who was closest to my age...Sometimes a lot of younger people gravitate towards me and we have great relationships! I don't try to tell them "what to do" according to me! We have a "give" and "take" and "sharing" (back and forth) type of relationship as "equals." (Despite our age differences.)...I like to keep an "open-mind" when it comes to learning new things and learning from others. (Don't want to become a "closed-minded old fogey!")