People who are emotionally immature lack certain emotional and social abilities and have difficulty relating to other adults. Some behaviors might indicate that you're dealing with a person who is emotionally immature: irrational conduct Children are frequently impulsive. They speak inappropriately or touch things they should not touch. They do not understand why they can't have something that another child has. They fail to appreciate the effects of their actions Girls and boys develop differently. In childhood, they don't always recognize when they've hurt someone's feelings. They take things too seriously; make mistakes due to impatience or ignorance About half of all children show some sign of immaturity in one area of development during childhood. It's normal for them to be immature in some ways, even if they aren't immature in others. Immaturity can also affect how people relate to others. They may not be able to think about someone else's feelings before they act without considering the consequences. They may not understand why you would want to hide your feelings from them. Young people who are emotionally immature often forget things they say or does, but they usually remember what hurts their hearts strings. Emotional immaturity can cause problems in relationships.