I'm 39, stuttering since somewhere before I was 10 (can't quite remember, it's long ago). ;) Hm, I'm not sure that there's necessarily a "progress" with stutter. Like, in the acceptance of it, or whatever. But I do find that I have been... "reconciled" with my stutter for long. It has become familiar to me. Not that it never surprises me, but I find it easier to be a stutterer. But really, we're all different people, with different history. I don't think we should necessarily conflate our childhood hardships with our speech impediment. They're related, but not necessarily in a sort of causal way. I think that's the kind of distance I need, to get a grip of my stutter (as opposed to my other hardships). I'm completely open about talking about it to other people though - and I feel I'm able to explain it well enough that they understand what's going on. Maybe that's what we could construe as me accepting it - that I'm able to be open and straightforward about it like that. That's a coming to terms with my history, I suppose. The rest of my childhood mess can mind its own business! Don't need it. :P