Jason Kotecki realized pretty early in life that being an adult can kinda suck.

While working at a car dealership when he was 16, he noticed many of the mechanics there seemed to hate their jobs.

"Their attitude was quite toxic, and underneath the sarcasm, you could clearly see that they were unhappy," Jason told Lemondrop. "As an impressionable young kid, I decided right then and there that I didn't want to end up like them."

Enter Adultitis, a term Jason and his wife Kim coined to describe what happens when you become a slave to your job, your bills and your responsibilities -- aka, your average American adult. Through speaking engagements, a Web site and a book due out this fall, the Koteckis have started a movement to return the full-grown to their formerly footloose and fancy-free childhood days.

Click here to read on.

Back in the Day When I was a Teenager

Jason and Kim, who live in Madison, Wisc., got together in high school. To show his affection, Jason created a cartoon strip for her. Super-cute, right?

What wasn't super-cute was the realization as they got closer to graduating college that the real world didn't seem to have a place for the fun and innocence that marked their youth. The Koteckis define Adultitis as "a common condition occurring in people between the ages of 21–121, marked by chronic dullness, mild depression, moderate to extremely high stress levels, a general fear of change, and, in some extreme cases, the inability to smile." Its signs include:

-You'd definitely quit your current soul-sucking, black-pit-of-death job if not for the great vision plan.
-You go to work when it's dark and you come home when it's dark (and you don't live in Alaska).
-Your family eats dinner in the family SUV or around the microwave.
-You don't have any time for hobbies but you spend so much time watching TV that your TiVo has filed a restraining order against you.
-Your children are involved in more activities than the United Way.

I'm Not a Kid Anymore

Being a a former teacher and a new mother to a baby girl has enlightened Kim to how much children can teach adults.

"They showed me the importance of laughter and playing, creativity, curiosity, the simple power of kindness, and so much more," she said of her former students. "They were a large inspiration for what we are doing now. When you see how life should be lived, it inspires you to spread the word to those who have forgotten, to give adults permission to renew these childlike traits and combat Adultitis."

Obviously, the pair's not advocating skipping out on your duties. But they think that we all might be a bit happier fulfilling them if we can recapture some of the wonder we had about life as children. And there's a difference, the couple says, between approaching life in a childlike way versus a childish way.

"Now, if we are to take a childlike look at the current state of the economy, instead of dwelling on the fear and loathing, we should open our eyes to the opportunities," Jason said. "Perhaps a door has closed in your life. Not fun. But are you missing the windows that are opening up in front of you because you're too preoccupied looking back at what you lost?"

This Woman's Work

While both men and women are prone to Adultitis, females are especially at risk because they juggle career and family duties.

"Women need to stop being rushed," Kim said. "This is not an easy task. Now, more than ever, women are running around like chickens with their heads cut off ... and for what?!"

Kim has tips for women who need to slow down and stop living life like it's a race to be won:

-- Lower your expectations: "The house doesn't have to be shiny. The clothes don't always have to be ironed. Find a way within yourself to let some things go, so that you can have more time with those you love. "

-- Breathe deep and often: "Don't wait until it's too late to take some time for yourself. An evening bubble bath, a morning walk, or just some silence in the car are all easy gifts to give yourself amid the busyness."

-- Delegate and cooperate: "Don't be a martyr. Ask for help. Trade services with friends or co-workers. Get creative in your schedule and be willing to admit that you cannot do it all."

Tell us: What do you do to relax and have fun even when you're busy and stressed?