Inner child
Inner child (also known as the child within or original self) is a concept used in popular psychology to denote the childlike aspect of a person's psyche, especially when viewed as an independent entity.
The idea is that within any adolescent's and adult's mind, there is still that person's original child-like mind to be found. In other words, when a person grows up, their child mind is not changed into the adult mind; the process is more like a shell that grows over a core.
A person's inner child may show in their emotions, actions and reactions. It can show when a person is excited, happy, sad, hurt, disappointed, tired or angry.
Nurturing one's inner child
It can be a liberating and/or cathartic experience to permit one's inner child to show, preferably in scenarios where this can be done without losing one's face. In privacy or public, in a group of friends or with one's significant other, some adults are able to enjoy childlike games and play (e.g. tickling, pillow fights, snowball fights, having fun in the water). Certain amusement park rides, too, are designed to encourage the breaking of the "keeping face" mask (e.g. rollercoasters, haunted houses).
The inner child can also be permitted to show in (erotic on non-erotic) ageplay. In consensual spanking, even people who don't ageplay report that they enjoy the way being laid over their partner's knees makes them feel small and helpless, as if reverted to a child.
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