Kids Raised By Parents Without Any Hobbies Usually Carry 8 Habits Into Adulthood
MAYA LAB | Shutterstock Hobbies are how people find things they like and connect with themselves.
But when a child's parents don't have any hobbies, it really affects how they grow up. Their parents may have worked a lot or weren't interested in expressing themselves. As adults, these people feel stuck because they never learned how to enjoy new things.
Habits kids carry into adulthood when they're raised by parents who had no hobbies
1. They feel guilty for relaxing
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For someone with hobby-less parents, lounging around isn't something they do. Because they watched their parents do tasks around the house and not spend any time relaxing, they feel guilty for doing the same.
Rather than cut themselves a break, they burn themselves out completing chores and staying busy. Free time was likely nonexistent in their childhood home, and every action had to be productive.
It's good to keep busy, but too much work and no entertainment can lead a person to exhaustion. These adult children think they need to constantly be responsible for taking care of business.
2. They don't really know what they like
Because their parents didn't have any hobbies, kids who grew up in these homes were never given a chance to develop their own interests, as there was no starting point. As adults, they struggle to understand their own interests.
If someone asks them what they enjoy doing, they don't have a response because they actually don't know. As a child, they may have assumed hobbies were pointless, and it's affected them into adulthood.
Now, they feel like they're missing out on life because they have no idea what they're into. "Hobbies are often seen as a sign of a balanced and fulfilling life, so the absence of them can make individuals feel inadequate or as if they're not making the most of their time," psychology professor Dr. Sarah Pressman said.
3. They use distractions to escape boredom
Adult children who have parents with no hobbies are often trying to fill any free time they have. They want to be doing something because they can't handle the boredom. Unfortunately, that means distracting themselves, usually with social media.
They reach for their phone and doomscroll. They spend hours looking through TikTok or Instagram. It's because using social media is an effortless task that doesn't require much thought. Over time, they aren't doing themselves any favors, as social media can negatively affect their mental health and well-being.
4. They only spend money on what they need
Being raised by parents who didn't have any interests meant their kids never learned how to treat themselves through purchases. These kids learned early on that money must be spent wisely and only on things that are necessary.
They didn't buy a toy for themselves or get a treat at the bakery. Everything they bought was something they needed, like clothes or cleaning supplies.
As adults, they have the same mindset. Even if they're working hard and can afford to go over budget, they refuse to buy anything they could possibly enjoy. They never saw their parents buy stuff they wanted, so financial literacy to them means not spending a dime on entertainment.
5. They don't try new activities
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Not all adults with parents like this refuse to have hobbies of their own. But they may be hesitant to try anything new.
They could try knitting or drawing, but the moment they don't feel good enough, they quit. They don't understand that someone doesn't have to excel at something for that hobby to be enjoyable.
They might also compare their poor skills to someone else's. Maybe their friends are experts at crocheting, but they feel inferior because they aren't on the same level. They see hobbies as something they need to accomplish, not something to just relax and enjoy.
6. They struggle to find time to themselves
Because they're so intent on filling their time, people who grew up in homes where their parents had no interests may avoid time alone. Their parents did the same thing, so it feels normal to them.
They think keeping as busy as possible is a good thing. And while filling your time is great, it can take a toll eventually. For folks like this, they tend to spend time taking care of others so they don't ever have to be alone.
7. They're envious of others
Adults who endured childhoods that lacked fun tend to compare their lives to others they're close with. They notice how other people have interesting hobbies that make them happy.
They wonder why their life isn't as fulfilling as the other people they know. They may even believe their lives are boring, leading them to feel jealous or envious.
8. They want people to tell them what to do
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When they have nothing to do, people raised in homes like this might rely on others to tell them what to do. If their friends are grabbing brunch, they'll join because they don't know what they'd be doing otherwise.
They assume that having a fun time means depending on others to make choices for them. But depending so much on other people instead of themselves may further their fear of being alone. And because they have no other way to spend their time, their anxiety can throw them for a loop.
Allison Peterson is a writer with a degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno. She writes on relationships, lifestyle, and mental health topics.
