Adulthood. When is right?

[LightningBoy]

I recently had a discussion at another forum about when you enter adulthood, and when the law should recognize it as such.

It is my opinion that anyone under 20 cannot possibly be ready to take the world as an adult. As a 19 year old (in three weeks) I feel that I am not an adult yet, and though I have an income, I am dependent on my parents, and I still make a lot of stupid descisions.

From what I can tell, most of my peers are in the same boat (most worse) and should not be legally considered adults yet. Simply put, an 18 or 19 year older is not an adult. They do have a mental capability of right vs. wrong, and should be held accountable for the bad things they do, but should not get the legal rights of an adult until 20, at which time, I think they should get all of their rights (smoking, driking, voting, gambling.)

[Leo Wyatt]

I always heard that boys become a man at 18 and a girl is not adult til she is 21 but I think that's just a myth though. I think anyone shouldn't drink til the age of 21 but that's just my opinion.

[zero]

I believe once you turn 18 you should start to figure out what you want in life. I was out of the house when I was 17 and I'm still making it. I do consider msyelf an adult because I work, pay my own way, and rely on nobody else but myself. I know I do not know a lot about this world but I am still very young and have plenty of time to learn.

So, I consider anyone who takes on the responsibility to support themselves is an adult.

[lionhead]

I also beleive it is 18 for most people. It is officially. But at 20 you are sure of it. At 20 you are not a teenager anymore.

[madlilnerd]

It is 18 in England, but you are allowed to smoke, get married and have sex at 16. You can also join the army at 16, so technically, England has child soldiers.
An 18 year old is not really an adult... yet they can't be classed as children, so maybe there should be a new catogory, 16-21, "young adults". You should be allowed to learn to drive and drink certain alcoholic drinks (beer, wine and lager, no alcopops or spirits), and maybe even vote.

[Republican_Man]

Then what is a teenager? Only 13, 14, and 15? No, I think 18 is fine--although I don't think that until one turns 21 are they a TRUE adult. 18 year olds are still, in a way, CHILDREN.

[Starbuck]

You know what the difference between an 18 and a 21 year old is? The number of years they've been alive. A 21 year old will drink themself as stupid if not stupider than a teenager, just because its legal. An 18 year old will drink in more moderation because its illegal, and they can't get caught. Once you turn 21 and your legal......

[webtaz99]

Adulthood begins at puberty. Biology always conquers society. "Primitive" cultures understand this, and prepare their kids to be ready.

[Sonic74205]

Recent studies in the UK show that a persons brain actually carrys on growing until they are roughly 25. So a person actually becomes an adult in there mid 20's. However by law people become adults when they become 18. even thought in the UK you can smoke when ur 16 & drive when your 17.

[lionhead]

My brain is still growing? Hm, i want some proof of that . well, maybe in the UK they are.

[magenta]

Being 35 and once was 15 16 and 17etc I can tell you that at 18 you are still very young and imature. I was on my'own' from age 15 and survived all the rebellion stuff I went through back then.I think you are an adult at 18,but still need a lot of guidence/help.

[zero]

[Oliver]

First of all, I think the age for women and men should be set equally.

In Belgium, people become an adult when their 18. In some cases those adults are still children, in other, they were an adult for many years. There's no real way of telling but I do agree an age should be set for legal discussions.

Me personally, I didn't feel like an adult when I turned 18. Actually, I still refer to myself as a boy, not a man.

[Seven of Nine]

It's a hard question. I'm 18, so legally an adult here in the UK. I left home at 16, and although I'm dependant on my partner through illness, if I was well I'd be fully independant. I also have the responsibility of raising a child. Biologically, my body is that of an adult, even going through the last stage of puberty in a woman (that of being pregnant and having a child). My mind? Well, that depends. In many ways, I think like an adult, and have adult responsibilities. However, my illness makes me feel more like a child who needs looking after. I'm neither a child or an adult. I'm both.

What age should a person legally be an adult? Here in Britain, I feel it should be 16 LEGALLY. The law already allows for marriage, joining the army, working, paying taxes at that age, and if being an adult means being able to vote (which is the indicator I use personally) then you should be allowed to vote at 16. That's just my view though.

[Birdy]

Well exactly ^. Over here in Holland it's also 18 when you can vote, drive a car, drink all the things you want and stuff. When I was 18, I really felt that I was an adult. Yeah, I was still living with my parents, but that didn't mean I could make important decisions for myself. I'm now 19 years old, will be 20 in August. I live together with my boyfriend and am taking care of myself and my household. I really don't think it's hard, it's just more work but I love to do it cuz it's my own house.

I disagree in you saying, LightningBoy, that all youngsters around the world aren't adults until they're over 20. I think it's vere personal. My father was 17 when he lost both his parents in a short period of time, and from then on he had to take care of himself.

I'm also feeling an adult and yet I'm not even 20 years old. I just think it's a feeling. I don't think some people are acting like an adult even when they're over 30 years old! So why couldn't a 18 year old feel very much like an adult?