A Mature Lesson in Playfulness

So I decided to take a playful break from my grad-school dropout status by diving into the world of Mommy/Daddy roleplay with an online partner. It started off as just chatting and pretending, but we ended up on a video call where he was very much into playing a little boy who needed guidance and strictness from his 'mom.' I mean, it was all consensual adult fun, but there's something about taking control in that dynamic that felt...oddly familiar yet completely new. Is this just me getting nostalgic for some sort of authority or is this common to explore as an outlet after leaving academia behind? Any thoughts on keeping such play healthy and enjoyable?