Brits favour mischief over maturity: new research reveals the top signs you’re a kidult at heart…
A study by Jammie Dodgers reveals that a whopping 95% Brits believe that it’s important to embrace your “inner child”, especially when it comes to fun, mischief and pranks. Nearly two thirds of Brits (63%) confess they love to prank, with men far more likely to prank someone than their (72%) female counterparts (54%).
The nation’s TOP 10 favourite pranks:
- Jumping out at someone and shouting boo!
- Using an extra or different remote to sneakily change the TV channel
- Prank calling a mate
- Scaring someone with fake insects or snakes
- Whoopee cushions
- Replacing family photos with famous people
- Removing batteries from devices
- Clingfilm over the toilet seat
- Telling your children the wifi is down when it isn’t
- Changing the clocks
This is especially true for parents, or should we say kidults, as more than a third (36%) reveal they feel they are less mature than their own kids! Of the adults surveyed who have children, over half (56%) have been told that they’re embarrassing parents. But perhaps it’s for good reason, as a fifth of British parents (21%) confess to trying to be “down with the kids” by using modern slang or listening to the same music as their teenager. Cringe!
Despite legal adulthood starting at 18, new research has found that the average Brit doesn’t consider themselves a grown up until they pass 30. The survey also revealed a definitive list of signs you are a “kidult”, including finding farts funny, buying sweets to cheer yourself up (56%), watching cartoons (39%) and eating your favourite biccie in your own special way, like taking it apart and eating the filling first.
TOP 20 SIGNS YOU’RE STILL A CHILD AT HEART:
- Buying sweets to cheer myself up – 56%
- Watching kids/ family films on my own – 39%
- Eating your favourite biscuit in a special way – 34%
- Licking the bowl when baking – 34%
- Playing simple video games – 34%
- Having fish fingers for tea – 33%
- Eating fairy cakes – 31%
- Wearing hoodies and trainers all the time – 30%
- Eating midnight snacks – 30%
- Drinking chocolate milk – 30%
- Laughing at knock knock jokes – 25%
- Finding farting funny – 24%
- Getting excited when you’re having chips for tea – 23%
- Drinking milk straight from the carton – 18%
- Going on the swings when no-one is looking – 18%
- Squirting cream from the can straight into your mouth – 18%
- Pranking people – 17%
- Using colouring books – 16%
- Pranking your kids – 15%
- Reading comics and graphic novels – 13%
Kate Needham, marketing and insights director at Burtons Biscuits, commented, “It’s refreshing to see such a young-at-heart nation, that is still fun loving and embracing its inner-child. Our new #WitnessTheMischief campaign, which you can see on pack in stores as well as on our social media, is centred around Brits celebrating and sharing their mischievous side. We wholeheartedly support this and encourage anyone and everyone to stay young, mischievous and enjoy their favourite childhood pastimes, pranks and snacks.”
The research reveals that four in ten (42%) insist that millennials will NEVER grow up the way their parents’ generation did. More than one in ten (13%) admit they still don’t feel like a grownup, with a third (34%) admitting they feel jealous of friends and family who seem to ‘have their lives together’.
Most cited signs of being a ‘grown up’ are:
- 52% having children
- 41% having a will
- 34% having savings
- 32% having a mortgage
- 30% getting married
- 26% knowing about politics
- 21% hosting a dinner party
- 16% reading the Sunday papers
Despite this, more than a quarter of us aren’t sure we will ever grow up! Whilst 30 is the average age people feel grown up, the older we get, the older our perception of being a grown up is:
- 16-29yr olds believe you’re officially a grown up at age 24
- 30-44yr olds believe you’re officially a grown up at age 30
- 45-49yr olds believe you’re officially a grown up at age 33
- 60+yr olds believe you’re officially a grown up at age 36
Jammie Dodgers is encouraging Brits to embrace their inner child, with the brand’s new Witness The Mischief campaign. Find Jammie Dodgers in stores now, or head to #WitnessTheMischief on social to get involved and share your own pranks.
