What's so magical about age 18?

[Alex Franke]

I propose that it be made NOT a crime to injure, kill or otherwise harm your child. An intelligent parent with a clearly inadequate, messed up child should be able to end their life as easily as they created it. . . .Yeah, so this is about 50% Tongue in cheek.

Uh.... yeah, okay. Um..... Well, I'm not even sure how to respond to this, but this at least gets me one step closer to 500 ...

[germdoc]

In today's programs, I would have been given equal playing time with the better players, since protecting my self esteem would be more important than the team winning or losing. Today every kid is a winner if they had a good time and didn't suffer any psychological damage. B.S.! If the score is 36 - 5, you lost. Learn to deal with it, it's probably going to happen again before your time is up! If you don't like the feeling, practice and get better at what you are doing.

I hate to disagree with you, but as the father of 2 kids in high school sports I can tell you no one gets playing time on varsity teams (in La Crosse WI anyway) if they're not any good. And when the team takes a drubbing nobody feels very good about it--the coach makes sure of that.

I think it's a bit of a myth that competition has been bled out of our society. In America competition is part of our genetic makeup. Even if the school board makes a dumb decision like getting rid of valedictorian in favor of "Top 5 Percent", everyone knows who the top students are. There's MORE competition to get into schools, including state schools, than ever before.

Gone are the days when you could just get into a certain Ivy League college because your father went there, or walk into a well-paying job just because you've got a union card.

Now, coaches and teachers might TALK a little nicer now than before, but the game's the same.

[LCHIEN]

Uh.... yeah, okay. Um..... Well, I'm not even sure how to respond to this, but this at least gets me one step closer to 500 ...

Face it some kids don't deserve to live, who should better know than his/ her parents? Suppose as a parent you knew your kid was headed for grief - violent, likely to kill someone, hurt others, beyond redemption?

What about that guy in Galveston, his kid was crying too much so he put her in the microwave oven and turned it on. Do you want that guy's genes to be running around free?

Man what am I saying? Must be the evil Lchien...

[goslin23]

AT 18 you are suddenly old enough to fight for and die for, your country.

Actually, I was 17 when I entered the Army in 1983. Turned 18 while on manuevers in basic. I wan't an adult until I reached 30 (I'm still a kid sometimes @ 42).

I believe it's all relative to your surroundings to how quickly one matures.

[Pappy]

Jeff, I'm not talking about the varsity level where you have to try out to make the team. The sports I was talking about are most of the pee wee and little league programs (above the T ball level).

[MilDoc]

As a Pediatrician I've read many, many "parenting" books over the past 30+ years. I've seen it change from the parent is in charge, set limits, to talk to your child and give them choices (OK if you pick when they can have choices), to self-esteem is all.

To me a lot being written now is pop-psych babbledegook.

Parenting is not a democracy. Yeah, your kid might not like you too much today, but today is less important than 21 years overall.

[scorrpio]

Far as crimes go, I don't think there should be a distinction by age. If a 7 year old chops someone up, he should serve like any adult.

But for many other matters legal and financial, 18 makes a convenient mark. Up to 18, a kid is supposed to attend school, and parents are obligated to look after him.

[LinuxRandal]

But for many other matters legal and financial, 18 makes a convenient mark. Up to 18, a kid is supposed to attend school, and parents are obligated to look after him.

Not all things financial even start at 18. At eighteen, you are "responsible" for yourself, and can be kicked to the curb. You have to pay and find your own way to school. Yet schools, wonder how much your parents make, and divorced parents can be held responsible until your older.

[Alex Franke]

To me a lot being written now is pop-psych babbledegook.

Yeah, I get that feeling, too -- especially when looking at the schools. Soon it seems teachers won't even be able to grade kids anymore.

Far as crimes go, I don't think there should be a distinction by age. If a 7 year old chops someone up, he should serve like any adult.

I dunno... at some point kids really don't know right from wrong, or the real effect of the decisions they make. There was a time I would have spent my entire on my girlfriend. (Now I spend it on tools, so no money left over for a girlfriend, which makes my wife happy ) Granted spending your savings is not the same as hacking somebody up, but they're both probably mistakes (except my g/f didn't think so at the time).

And evil Lchien, I don't but that genetics argument at all. If a parent is stupid enough to try to kill a child, how does that possibly justify the child's death? I'm sure there are probably a lot of people out there who were nearly killed by a parent but turned out just fine on their own...

[Alex Franke]

Sorry to bump a week-old thread, but I just noticed this article about a 10 year old boy charged with five counts of murder and one of arson -- seems to fit right into this discussion.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/10/01...ild/index.html

So should he be locked up for life? Until age 21? Or should he get some counseling and be set free?

[Uncle Cracker]

Maybe I'm a hard case, but I'm not in favor of granting blanket absolution to minors who commit heinous crimes of violence. It seems in some cases that anybody old enough to take a life intentionally, let alone several lives, should be accountable for the consequences.

[dkerfoot]

Missed this thread the first time around.

18 is a magic number because my beautiful and amazing oldest daughter had her 18th birthday a few days ago!