Stuff People Swore As Kids They’d Never Do, But Ended Up Doing

When you’re a kid, it’s easy to imagine your life being better than the unhappy grown-ups around you by not making the same mistakes they made. But when you actually grow up, you find being an adult is complex and you may even find yourself doing things you never would have predicted or planned for, both good and bad.

A Reddit thread has people sharing those by asking, “What did you swear in your childhood you would never do, but ended up doing anyway?” These are some of these best responses:

• “Birdwatching. I used to think it was the lamest way someone could spend their time when I was a kid. 20 years later and I'm obsessed with birds.”
• “I said I wouldn’t curse unless a nuke was dropped on my house. That was a lie.”
• “Give up drawing. 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.’ Well, sorry little me, but I kinda did.”
• “Get into debt I can't pay off.”
• “Drank like my alcoholic mother. Until I got sober at age 31, thank God (and AA).”
• “Become overweight. I’ve done or avoided doing everything else that I cared about, but I'm much bigger than I would like.”
• “Tell my kid, ‘because I said so.’”
• “Get married. I was going to be the perpetual bachelor. Married over 30 years with 6 kids. Wouldn’t change a thing.”
• “Napping on purpose.”
• “I wanted nothing more than to escape my family for good and never come back. They got help...I did not expect that.”
• “I have become my father.”
• “Smoking. I have quit after 20 years. Been smoke free for 4 months now.”
• “Diet sodas. In my youth, I swore I'd just die of diabetes before I drank that swill. Now I'm in my 40s and unless the soda is sweetened with real sugar, I actually prefer diet/zero sugar options.”
• “I got a dog, and I put clothes on her. I always said I would never do either thing.”
• “That I would never eat broccoli *and enjoy it*”
• “Two kids before I turn 30 and livin in the burbs. Oh well, I’m happy!”