When Do We Really Become Adults? Part 5

Stage 4: Grown-updome

      Actually becoming an adult occurs at a different age for everyone. Most of still try and retain what little amount of adolescence we can while we are being bombarded with daily life. One day we are young and carefree, full of life and the world is our oyster. Then next day we find out that oyster gave us food poisoning. We are trying as hard as we can to either find a job or desperately clinging to the one we have even though we hate it. We do this because there are mouths to feed and a mortgage to pay. Our dreams of high rise apartments and Rodeo Drive shopping have been replaced with coupon clipping and second hand clothes. We no longer stay up late because it is fun, we do it because that is the only time we can get the laundry done and we consider ourselves lucky if the love of our life is still the same one we chose years ago.


       At what point does this realization occur? I can sure tell you that it wasn't at 15 years old. I wasn't really an adult until my 30's. Now that may be a bit old to start charging people as an adult in criminal matters, but if society is not willing to treat you as an adult, why should they expect that you be held accountable as an adult? Sure, at 15 most children know the difference between right and wrong, in simple cases. But if you are a scared kid in fear for your family, what is wrong, letting your family be harmed, or driving some people across the border?

         If someone is not considered an adult in the eyes of the law, how can they be held accountable as an adult? This does not make sense. Sure, they are able to commit adult crimes, but so is a five year old. If we go with the logic that the ability to commit an adult crime makes one an adult, then children under the age of 10 should be able to drink, smoke, join the military, drive a car and get married. Yeah, that doesn't make much sense too me either. If the law does not recognize a 15 year old child as an adult, then they should not be able to charge a 15 year old child as an adult. And haven't we already decided that even 18 year olds are not responsible enough to be considered adults? A 15 year old is a child, plain and simple, they are in no way capable of making decisions that we aren't even sure an 18 year old adult is capable of making.

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