A is for Age Play

[blythe spirit]

Yes, this is an interesting one. Do you think perhaps the attraction to age play is because our childrenhood is when --well for most of us anway-- we have the least worries and responsibilites? Therefor, is regressing back to childhood, even for just a short time, what makes it so appealing?

Or what we missed out on in our childhood? Feeling protected and cared for. Feeling secure, when cuddled, like nothing can ever harm you or hurt you. Being given direction and having consequences when directions aren't followed. Being guided in the right direction and praised when you've been good. Having someone, who is proud of you just because you're you.

I think it might work both ways, Alex.

[icey]

Yes, this is an interesting one. Do you think perhaps the attraction to age play is because our childrenhood is when --well for most of us anway-- we have the least worries and responsibilites? Therefor, is regressing back to childhood, even for just a short time, what makes it so appealing?

Or what we missed out on in our childhood? Feeling protected and cared for. Feeling secure, when cuddled, like nothing can ever harm you or hurt you. Being given direction and having consequences when directions aren't followed. Being guided in the right direction and praised when you've been good. Having someone, who is proud of you just because you're you.

I think it might work both ways, Alex.

i think both are true, and for some its simply a way of being who they are and often it begins unintentionally and for others its a lifestyle in itsself.

or a release from day to day life and simply an enjoyment of the fun that can be had,playing in the parks, colouring pictures, having some control from educating the little one in various different ways

and for others it can be a safe way of actually having a childhood they were perhaps robbed of and never learned to 'grow up' and they gradually 'grow up' through it... a kind of therapy perhaps?

plus the sex side is good too although that can be and sometimes is potentially dangerous.

an old thread but interesting and just a thought or two of my own.

[Remia]

and for others it can be a safe way of actually having a childhood they were perhaps robbed of and never learned to 'grow up' and they gradually 'grow up' through it... a kind of therapy perhaps?

As my mistress' pet, I often ageplay to feel a little more like her pet - smaller, cuter, more dependent on her - but I also missed out on a very fulfilling childhood, so that may have something to do with it, too.

I've found that, as I've spent time with her, I've gone from genuinely thinking of myself as a child to thinking of myself as closer to my real age. I guess you could say I've grown up inside. <3 So then, I think that the above quote could definitely be an aspect of it.

Granted, I still like to ageplay just for the sake of feeling cuter!. ^.~

[icey]

much of our r/ship is based around ageplay it started off as a bit of fun and without even intending it at first because Icehawk says im a bit childlike a lot of the time and childish at others lol.
it kind of grew Icehawks a natural 'caretaker' and he unintentionally responded to that as did i,so it developed more and more. he automatically holds my hand when out instructs me when i cross the road, points things out to me and often talks to me as he does to a child. its not put on or contrived it just kind of happens (its not even 'play' for us thats simply a title really to describe it when discussing it such as we are here) and we're both happy with that.
we now have a huge collection of books, toys, games, star charts,kites, colouring books, an amazing dollshouse ..anything a child has you name it lol plus a growing collection of clothes
it's been very good for me i never had a real childhood as such and corny as it sounds ive finally got one it suits me and my personality best, and things like if im ill when he tucks me in bed with a hotwater bottle, reads me storys, gives me my teddy, puts a disney movie on etc make me feel very safe something i never ever had before.

sex does for us sometimes play a part in it although as posted already it can be dangerous and bring up past traumas and that has happened on the odd occasion,although if handled very carefully and sensitively it can and has helped that too, but i would always say that anyone ageplaying for kink especially with past issues should have a safeword in place and daddy/mummy has to remember that if the littleone does start to become uncomfortable or respond differently then they should stop regardless, simply saying no in ageplay should always be taken very different than in bdsm play even if you are mixing the two together.
there has been 2 occasions that ive totally forgotten i had a safeword and even forgotten who i am,where i was, who i was with etc and obviously in those cases safewords were meaningless.

its also for many people not as easy as it sounds setting up an ageplay scene not counting schoolgirl discipline type thing, partly because of the stigma but often because the ''grown up'' especially a daddy can feel very uncomfortable with all the implications..he can have a very difficult time responding sexually to his little girl/boy in an adult way in that type of scenario as it goes against the grain..can you imagine seeing your sex partner as a 'real' little one? and in order for it to truly work thats how it has to be done otherwise it can be just stilted words and actions,not much fun in that so again like bdsm play it has to be taken very slowly and needs a lot of talking beforehand.

ageplay often comes under the umbrella of bdsm but for many it isnt really, its a lifestyle of its own,it tends to be included simply because of the control aspect involved and because the ageplay ''community'' is extremely small and still afraid to come out of the closet, and bdsm is more open and considered an ''alternative'' lifestyle but even many people in the bdsm lifestyle are bias against it.

sorry long ramble over..i got a bit carried away lol