We don’t fear aging—we fear what we’ve been taught to believe about it.

In Only Babies Mess Their Pants, gerontologist and aging advocate “Sam” Cradduck invites you into a bold, honest, and deeply human conversation about the myths we’ve accepted as “normal” when it comes to growing older. The problem isn’t aging itself—it’s the shame we attach to it. The jokes, the silence, the embarrassment, the gentle but harmful ways we talk down to adults once their bodies change.

This book is a reality check wrapped in compassion.

With warmth, humor, and unflinching truth, Sam breaks down how ageism quietly shows up in everyday families and everyday decisions—how we rush people toward “safety,” mistake independence for isolation, and avoid the conversations that could prevent crisis. Along the way, she offers a different path forward: one rooted in dignity, respect, and the belief that adulthood does not expire.

Inside you’ll explore:

The hidden ways shame keeps people silent—and how silence leads to crisis

How language can either protect dignity or erase it

The truth about memory loss, independence, and real support

Why families wait too long—and how honesty restores trust

What it means to live fully, right up until the final sunset

Only Babies Mess Their Pants isn’t a book about giving up.
It’s a book about living human—always.