Wanting the age for being an adult to be lowered from age 18 in all countries

Physically, we're developing younger. But mentally and emotionally we're even more immature.

I used to feel like that as a teenager tlll I hit 18. Then at 19 I realised why there is so much protection of young people, from disgusting lechers in particular!

The views of a young person can be respected, but the protections are there for a reason. 

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. Looking back at myself when I was 18, I was.a total baby. People need some degree of life experience to be proper adults. 

It was Bliar who told the kids they should all go to uni - in Thatcher's day, (my era) it was only the top 10% - and most degrees had a destination - a job or career.

Now it's all useless toilet-paper degrees needed for shelf-stacking.-  with £50k debt to keep them trapped as children..

Hello there,

I think there are two issues here.  I sympathise entirely with your frustrations, but not the goals. I'll explain.

All legal limits must be set somewhere. You can't let a five year old vote or let a 10 year old drink a pint.  Neither can you expect a 14 year old to go out and earn their own living and pay tax.  Trouble is each individual matures at a different rate.  I'm sure we've all met extremely mature and sensible 15 year olds who make better decisions than their elders, and also 20 somethings or older who are basically still spoilt, irresponsible brats, or 18 year olds so naive they are very, very vulnerable to exploitation. 

But the bars need to be set somewhere.  They should of course be consistent.  Once upon a time we thought it fine that a young man could die for his country at 18, but not vote until 21. Or that a 16 year old could consent to sex and get married, but not watch an X rated movie in a cinema.  Contradictions like that need evening out, of course.  But the bar needs to go somewhere and the best any society can do is decide at what point the average person gains enough maturity to take adult responsibility and therefore also enjoy adult rights.

That said, where I have enormous sympathy with you is with respect to the consideration of the wishes and views of young people.  Each young person should be treated by the adults, I agree, in accordance with the level of maturity they have attained.  Adults should refrain from patronising and take the young person's views into account even if the decision can't be turned over to them and they may not be able to have what they want.

I'll give you a for instance.  At 5 my son went to the school I chose.  At 11 we viewed all the schools together and he sat the exams for the selective ones.  It was legally MY decision to decide, but I wanted him to be happy in school and for him to feel it was the right school for him.  There were a number of schools with good academic reputations, any of which I'd have been happy with.  Two were boy's grammars, another was co-ed.  I asked my son in what order he would like me to put the schools down on the form.  He wanted the co-ed school in first place because he said although he liked the facilities at them all; "girls were half the population and he didn't want to grow up with out their perspective".  He'd worked hard for the exam for that school because he wanted it and his argument showed real thought about how it would affect his future and a genuine respect for the girls. I was happy to give him his choice - he'd earned it.  However, had he wanted a school I didn't think was suitable and the only reason was because he didn't like the colour of the uniform or because one particular mate was going there, believe me I would have exercised my parental right to say "no" and send him where I thought he'd get the best education, and I would have done that BECAUSE I love him. - Do you see?

Yes, young people absolutely have rights and their views should be respected, but respecting them does not always mean that a young person can or should be in control of the decision too soon.

Actually, I find most teenagers and young adults to be incredibly lacking in knowledge and maturity - they all think they know how to fix the world but literally have no clue about reality - all feelings, no facts..

Plastic I find it a good idea because teenagers are not babies anymore and should be treated as adults that they are now.

It is the voice of a child that sees protection for your own good as restriction.    That in itself reinforces the need to keep it high.

What exactly are you unable to do?   And why do you think it's a good idea?

My grandfather started work at 14 in heavy industry . At 16 i had a house to run and 2 step children . Treat a person as a child they act like one, give them responsibility they show who they are . All this still at school at 22 is so political all started with thatcher.

Listen Plastic the age for being an adult should not be raised to age 25 because that would be infanilizing younger adults and age 25 would be way way to high, controlling and too too long in years too ok.

My old instructor said boys are useless until at least 21 - accidents waiting to happen in every way - and that was in the work environment.      Now they are still at school until 22..

They have changed things alot over the years ,in the 70's most people left school at 16 , you where treated more like an adult earlier.

Now people don't leave there parents home until into there 20's , so i can understand how infuriating it must be  ,especially when it has become evident that a large percentage of "adults" are basically idiots . we had alot more freedom  + i think having responsibilities helps you to grow up quicker. . 

Yes - a rite of passage.

Most people in the UK go to uni so are basically schoolchildren until 22 - making all sorts of bad decisions.

Setting the age of majority at 25 would protect them from legal abuse - bad loan deals, rip-off finance etc. - the deal would be invalid made with a 'child'.

Or have a test of a broad range of intelligence ,including empathy e.t.c .  Unless your a good person you have no say . Then young or old only people who have got an idea of what is sensible would have a say . would certainly  shake things up a bit .

The age of majority should not be raised to age 25 because we are all adults before the age of 25 and 25 is too long and too high.

I think a lot of laws are there for a reason - to protect you from certain risks.

I may not be a teenager anymore because I am now 23 years of age but it still affects me though.

I know I can’t speak for everyone but if I had legal adult responsibilities when I was under the age of 16 then my life probably would’ve gone right down the toilet from the very start. Are you a teenager yourself if you don’t mind me asking? As frustrating as it feels at the time when you’re being talked down to I now realise at the grand age of 36 (and a mother, that can put things in perspective when you think about the consequences of what your kids are up to…) that you’re not always as mature at that age as you think you are. That said patronising teenagers and treating them like babies isn’t good either. Also those sorts of people you’re most annoyed with probably have plenty of problems with adults too for various reasons. They’ll manage  find something to put you down about

I'm afraid I'd have to disagree.    Most young people *think* they know things but in reality, they are embarrassingly childish in their knowledge and outlook - but cannot be told - just like little children having tantrums.

I'd actually want the age of majority to be raised to 25 - at least.