S/O: 18 year olds

[mummabear]

So:
In the Middle Ages
, 21 was considered the age of adulthood because that’s when young men were capable of wearing a full suit of armor. 21 stuck until the 20th century. The need for soldiers for WWII, Korea, and Vietnam wars saw 18 years olds drafted and an outcry that they could serve their country but not vote, led to passage of the 26th amendment lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1971.

At 18 people can get married, drive etc.
But research has shown that the frontal lobe isn’t fully developed until 21-25.
Should 18 still be considered adulthood?

 

[LSUmiss]

So:
In the Middle Ages
, 21 was considered the age of adulthood because that’s when young men were capable of wearing a full suit of armor. 21 stuck until the 20th century. The need for soldiers for WWII, Korea, and Vietnam wars saw 18 years olds drafted and an outcry that they could serve their country but not vote, led to passage of the 26th amendment lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1971.

At 18 people can get married, drive etc.
But research has shown that the frontal lobe isn’t fully developed until 21-25.
Should 18 still be considered adulthood?

IMO, not at all. I think that things have changed & adulthood should be 21 for everything including school. I actually think school she be restructured so that kids go longer too maybe another year. Like you pointed out, biologically the brain isn’t even developed.

 

[robinb]

My DD is 18 and I don't consider her an adult. She's more of a proto-adult.

 

[Southernmiss]

In my experience, 18 is young. Lots of growing up and maturing left to do.

I have never heard the story about the Middle Ages. That surprises me. We always hear about 'kids today' like the lack of maturity in 18 to young 20 somethings is new to this current era.

And at 18 I would not consider my boys full adults.

 

[mummabear]

In my experience, 18 is young. Lots of growing up and maturing left to do.

I have never heard the story about the Middle Ages. That surprises me. We always hear about 'kids today' like the lack of maturity in 18 to young 20 somethings is new to this current era.

Well at some point in history kids were getting married at 16 right.

But it does seem 18 as the age to enlist came about because they needed bodies not because it was what was right for the 18 year olds.

 

[Southernmiss]

Well at some point in history kids were getting married at 16 right.

But it does seem 18 as the age to enlist came about because they needed bodies not because it was what was right for the 18 year olds.

In thinking about grown adults I know who 'had to grow up' for whatever reason at a young age, I can detect hints of things in their lives where they really did not grow up. There are little character threads that I pick out and think that some things didn't fully click and I attribute it to the 'had to grow up' time in their life.

If that makes sense.

I see hints of childlike actions and behaviors in some well into adulthood (40 and up and especially some senior citizens)

 

[sonnyjane]

So:
In the Middle Ages
, 21 was considered the age of adulthood because that’s when young men were capable of wearing a full suit of armor. 21 stuck until the 20th century. The need for soldiers for WWII, Korea, and Vietnam wars saw 18 years olds drafted and an outcry that they could serve their country but not vote, led to passage of the 26th amendment lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1971.

At 18 people can get married, drive etc.
But research has shown that the frontal lobe isn’t fully developed until 21-25.
Should 18 still be considered adulthood?

Not sure what your source was for the Middle Ages, but the average life expectancy for a male in the Middle Ages was 33 years old, so by age 21 you’d be on your way out...
I think legally, 18 makes sense because that’s the age at which more children move away to pursue college, trades, employment... I could entertain the argument of making it 21 though.

 

[kimblebee]

My daughter will be 18 in October and I won’t consider her an adult. She will be by law but I don’t think she has the street smarts yet.

 

[a1tinkfans]

I’d like to think that 18 is an Adult... but from my perspective of the happenings I’m observing... no, most are certainly not Adults in deeds/responsibilities.

 

[L&Lfan]

I'm glad I'm of the generation that could drink at age 18. The law changed a few years after that.

 

[lifesavacation]

It blows me away to think of 17 and 18 year olds in the military and fighting wars, but it’s the age most countries use for enlistment.

Scientifically, I believe it’s 21 since the brain is still developing. Culturally, it’s 18.

 

[Christy702]

I think it really depends on your life experience. Some people are forced into adulthood earlier than others. At 18 I had just graduated high school and was getting ready to go to college, but never felt like an adult because I was still living at home half the time and didn’t pay any bills. On the other hand, I had friends who didn’t have good home lives and by 18 they were completely out on their own and said they definitely felt like adults, even when all their friends around them didn’t.
I would say the years between 18-mid 20s is just a very different experience for everyone

 

[mummabear]

I'm glad I'm of the generation that could drink at age 18. The law changed a few years after that.

Me too (although here in NZ it never went back up) I felt strongly that if I can marry, vote, and enlist I should be able to have a beer.
But I guess the question is, should have the drinking age come down-or the other ages go up?

 

[mombrontrent]

Well I was 17 and living on my own paying all my own bills so yes by 18 I considered myself an adult.

My son is 18 living on his own, working and paying his own bills so yes I consider him an adult.

 

[mom2rtk]

In my view, adulthood is not an age but an accomplishment. You're an adult when you can live on your own and support yourself.

 

[JaxDad]

In my view, adulthood is not an age but an accomplishment. You're an adult when you can live on your own and support yourself.

My personal observation is that a smaller percentage of 18-year-olds seem capable of doing this than say 35 years ago. Again, this is just my observation and opinion, based on my little world. I have not seen any research to back this. I think there are many reasons, including hard truths such as the economy and the types of jobs now available to new high school graduates, but also my old fogey observations such as a general societal sense of entitlement (rather than having to work hard to get "stuff"). I do know that there are still many fine 18-year-olds who are more than capable of living on their own and supporting themselves.

I saw an article recently about how a much smaller percentage of young adults are considered eligible for the military than in the past. I think it was down to only 30 percent or so. The reasons included no diploma, drug use, criminal records, physical condition, behavior/mental issues, etc. I doubt those reasons change much between 18 and 21-year-olds (I think the article considered those aged 18-25), so it's not really helpful for this discussion, but I found it interesting and a little sad. If they are not even eligible for military enlistment, are they prepared to live on their own and support themselves?

 

[mjkacmom]

I'm glad I'm of the generation that could drink at age 18. The law changed a few years after that.

It changed less than a year before I turned 18!

 

[Southernmiss]

My personal observation is that a smaller percentage of 18-year-olds seem capable of doing this than say 35 years ago. Again, this is just my observation and opinion, based on my little world. I have not seen any research to back this. I think there are many reasons, including hard truths such as the economy and the types of jobs now available to new high school graduates, but also my old fogey observations such as a general societal sense of entitlement (rather than having to work hard to get "stuff"). I do know that there are still many fine 18-year-olds who are more than capable of living on their own and supporting themselves.

I saw an article recently about how a much smaller percentage of young adults are considered eligible for the military than in the past. I think it was down to only 30 percent or so. The reasons included no diploma, drug use, criminal records, physical condition, behavior/mental issues, etc. I doubt those reasons change much between 18 and 21-year-olds (I think the article considered those aged 18-25), so it's not really helpful for this discussion, but I found it interesting and a little sad. If they are not even eligible for military enlistment, are they prepared to live on their own and support themselves?

The military has also changed it's regulations on who can be admitted with education -at least a high school graduate or the equivalent being a factor.

I know young men who tried to get in, but could not pass the education based entrance criteria. They met all other standards.

The military in recent years has had a reduction in force.

The military is more choosey now and can be since there's not a draft.

 

[cabanafrau]

So:
In the Middle Ages
, 21 was considered the age of adulthood because that’s when young men were capable of wearing a full suit of armor. 21 stuck until the 20th century. The need for soldiers for WWII, Korea, and Vietnam wars saw 18 years olds drafted and an outcry that they could serve their country but not vote, led to passage of the 26th amendment lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1971.

At 18 people can get married, drive etc.
But research has shown that the frontal lobe isn’t fully developed until 21-25.
Should 18 still be considered adulthood?

Very deceptive preface to your question. Context might be of importance here. In many parts of Europe children were shipped off into apprenticeships at about 14 years old. Their apprenticeships frequently lasted about seven years. This was done for many reasons and crossed most economic barriers. For the mid to upper classes it was considered an education for a profession or trade, although in many cases they were simply used as labor or servants with no knowledge of professional value imparted. The lower classes did it as a way to avoid having another mouth to feed.

 

[J'aime Paris]

In my view, adulthood is not an age but an accomplishment. You're an adult when you can live on your own and support yourself.

Well said!!