Background Pony #019A
I think the problem I have when people hold tweet interpretation posts up like this is that none of this made it into the show: it wouldn't have been too much of an effort for Faust in season one or other head writers over the years to write Spike like the CMCs, show Spike attending school like the other fillies, give him a human aged form in EQGs or have a genuine mother son relationship either with Twilight, Twilight's mom or Celestia herself.
But that is not what we have: we have Spike present yet separated from pony society at the same time; we have Spike with responsibilities not given to any of the children pony characters (ex: cooking for Twilight, magic experimentation with Twilight, messenger to a ruler, librarian assistant, etc.); we have Spike placed and acknowledged as in the same age group as Garble, Ember and maybe Smolder; we see Spike rewarded (The Crystal Empire, Equestria Games) or chastised (Princess Spike) like an older character taken more seriously rather than a younger one who will make mistakes. And this separation does exist in the show as the CMCs are often examples of (ex: Growing Up Is Hard To Do, Somepony Watching Over Me). We have adult characters like mares or soldiers in the Crystal Empire or the buffalos in season one fond over and want to be lead by Spike; Spike himself is able to decide when he wants to leave Twilight and strike out on his own (Dragon Quest); he can become the leader of his dragon people (Gauntlet of Fire) and has multiple personal friends he hangs out with outside the mane 6 who are of an older age group than filly characters; and finally is in arguably broadline romantic relationship with Gable.
Show context matters and the context doesn't support a very young character with societal limitations. Fan works and preferences however has more freedom. If someone wants to explore family bonding fluff with Twilight and Spike or why Spike wasn't involved in the family trip in Once Upon A Zeppelin that is up to that person. Debating Spike or mane 6's real ages is fine, telling people, gatekeeping fan works and shipping isn't.
But that is not what we have: we have Spike present yet separated from pony society at the same time; we have Spike with responsibilities not given to any of the children pony characters (ex: cooking for Twilight, magic experimentation with Twilight, messenger to a ruler, librarian assistant, etc.); we have Spike placed and acknowledged as in the same age group as Garble, Ember and maybe Smolder; we see Spike rewarded (The Crystal Empire, Equestria Games) or chastised (Princess Spike) like an older character taken more seriously rather than a younger one who will make mistakes. And this separation does exist in the show as the CMCs are often examples of (ex: Growing Up Is Hard To Do, Somepony Watching Over Me). We have adult characters like mares or soldiers in the Crystal Empire or the buffalos in season one fond over and want to be lead by Spike; Spike himself is able to decide when he wants to leave Twilight and strike out on his own (Dragon Quest); he can become the leader of his dragon people (Gauntlet of Fire) and has multiple personal friends he hangs out with outside the mane 6 who are of an older age group than filly characters; and finally is in arguably broadline romantic relationship with Gable.
Show context matters and the context doesn't support a very young character with societal limitations. Fan works and preferences however has more freedom. If someone wants to explore family bonding fluff with Twilight and Spike or why Spike wasn't involved in the family trip in Once Upon A Zeppelin that is up to that person. Debating Spike or mane 6's real ages is fine, telling people, gatekeeping fan works and shipping isn't.