Another thread made me think of this, what do you think of America's age limits, when a child is no longer a minor? Currently a person is legally an adult at the age of 18 and can buy cigarettes, enlist in the military, gamble, go to "grown up" prison, etc. However, legal drinking age is 21. Do you agree with the way things are? Would you change one age and not the other? Both?

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I think that the legal age should be raised to 21 for everything.
I just don't think that at 18 you are mature enough to make the decisions that legal adulthood gives you the right to make...

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I was just going to post this in the other thread about sex at 18.

I think that if they are going to make it 21 the legal age to drink, then everything should be 21 including enlisting in the army etc. Otherwise lower it back down to 18.
I have always said if they are mature enough to fight for their country, then so be it, if they want to have a beer, then let 'em.

Although I do believe it has its pros for being 21 and cons for being 18 and vice versa.

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Stacie
DS~Jake
DS~Elijah

I can understand the government's reasoning for having the discrepancy in the age limits, they say that 18 year olds are just still too immature to be responsible about drinking, which I do agree with for the most part, but it is ridiculous for a person to be considered an adult in every respect, except that they can't order a margarita with their dinner. I was also going to make an example about the military vs. drinking age. It's ludicrous that they consider men and women grown up enough to go into the army, survive through boot camp, be exposed to the kinds of things that they are, and then when they come home on shore leave they can't go out for a beer with their friends. That to me in just plain nuts. I agree that 18 year olds, fresh out of high school, aren't reponsible enough to handle drinking legally. We're not even going to touch on the fact of how many people actually drink underage anyways. I'd like to see legal age on everything be the same, maybe make it age 19.

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I think that the legal age to do everything (vote, drive, purchase alcohol/tobacco....etc) should be 21.

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I think the legal age is fine. A lot of places have the legal age to drink at 18 and theres less trouble. I think it should be lowered, then they know they can have it and be more responsible.

I'm going to go with 21 across the board and add that I think that the legal age to drive should be raised as well. Where we live, kids are issued licenses at age 15 and that's just too young. I beleive that the number of teenagers that are involved in fatal car crashes could be reduced by raising the age by just a few years.

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I agree with it simply b/c at 18 you graduate high school, most are a contributing member to society with a job, etc. However drinking is 21 b/c at 18 SOME are still in high school so why should a high school student b/c legal to drink?

I agree with enlisting in the military at 18 100% simply b/c some dont know what to do with their lives. if they get out of high school and cant afford college, what should they do for 3 years till they turn 21 and can enlist? Dont say go to college b/c some enlist b/c they cant afford college, i know my husband couldnt. he served 5 yrs in the USMC and is just now going to school to get his degree b/c the military is paying for it (he paid into the GI bill). There was no way we could afford the $25,000 its going to cost for him to get his BA.

Some dont have the job skills they need, should we expect them to work fast food to pay their bills b/c everyone knows its not easy to make a living that way. The military is a good life, it takes care of the individual, who are we to say "you have to wait till you are 21. you may be out of high school and carry a diploma but you arent legally an adult?"

For my husband, he enlisted before he got out of HS and had 3 mos after graudation before he went to boot camp. we were married at 19, child at 20, and at 25 we had 3 children. Whos to say we werent old enough to have children that early or get married when we did?

I do feel that 16 to get a drivers license is fine but the rules for it need to be made firm AND enforced. if an officer sees a minor driving with someone else they should be allowed to pull them over based on appearance without any other reason other than thinking they are breaking the law. CA has staretd cracking down on the laws and i agree with it 100%.

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It's hard to decide because I think everyone knows someone that even 21 isn't old enough, and of course the opposite as well.

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Lilli you make a good point....it varies per person....they have to go with an average age. 18 is too young i think I was 17 when I started college and just because your in college does not make you a responsible adult. College was my MOST rebellious and irresponsible phase for me. If they raised the age younger people will still find ways to get cigs etc. Another thing they should raise is CREDIT giving credit cards and accounts to someone that just turns 18 isnt a good idea either. They rack it up and of course most dont really have the mentality that bad credit is going to affect them for a long time just like getting say a DUI among one example....Most people in this age range dont totally comprehend the ramifications of the law. Yes granted we all "know" what will happen if we do it but dont totally comprehend it.
Just my opinion.

Great point Lilli.

I agree 100% that not everyone is mature enough even at 21 for the responsiblities given to them. In some cases, 25 may be more appropriate.
Unfortunately the govt. has to pick a blanket age and go from there. So for that, I say 21 should be the blanket age.

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HOST OF BORN IN FEBRUARY 2008

"Parents hold their children's hand for a little while...their hearts forever"

Lori, SAHM Mommy To Brooks Todd born 9-13-01, Phelps "Brady" born 7-4-03
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Angel babies Sept '00 & Jan '07

I think all the age limits are fine except the driving part. I was a good driver at 16, but still did some stupid things because I just was not mature enough. When I think back now, I am just like, "what the hell was I thinking!!!" (driving fast, TONS of kids in the car, drinking, smoking, etc.) I am not saying all 16 year olds are like this, but I would rather they wait another 2 years.

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I do think military is fine at 18. My brother joined at 17, turned 18 in Sept. He had no idea what he wanted to do, but knew he wanted to leave home. He ended up retiring from the military and got his college degree while in. 3 years is just too long to have to wait. It is hard telling how he would have turned out if not for the military.

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I like the law that some states are passing, that drivers under 18 may not have anyone under 18, or just 1 person, in the car with them at a time.

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I take my patriotism VERY seriously

Brotherly Love

HOST OF BORN IN FEBRUARY 2008

"Parents hold their children's hand for a little while...their hearts forever"

Lori, SAHM Mommy To Brooks Todd born 9-13-01, Phelps "Brady" born 7-4-03
Kinsadie Angelina-Marie born 2/23/08
Angel babies Sept '00 & Jan '07

I'm glad that some stores that have these violent ,gory or crime type of games are now only to be bought when you hit eighteen. They used to have csi and law and order games for ages thirteen which is preferable age for nancy drew games but not those .

I got asked if I was eighteen when I got the new csi game and btw i'm 30 and they still asked for my id .

Driving at sixteen is appropiate age but I think 'classes' like on drunk driving ,safety classes as in wearing seatbelts,also when you attend a family life class proper carseat safety after all some teens are being mom's before actual adulthood.

Legal responbilty should be age eighteen as in break the law treated like an adult other areas should be twenty-one.

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Traci
Mommy to Brendan August 4, 2004


My angels in my heart forever and in my father(8-26-87) loving arms Alizah 6-18-02 Trey Feb 2003 surrounded by my 2 guinea pigs Felecia feb 9 2003 and patchy 6/2004








Brendan and Blackie

Not in the US, I'm pretty sure the drinking age is a federal thing, it's 21 across the board b/c it used to be different and kids would just cross borders to drink. When you become an adult varies by state though, here it's 19. You can't buy lottery tickets till then, you can't buy smokes till then, and we have a graduate license program so while you can drive at 16, you have some pretty strict rules you have to follow and a curfew I believe. I started driving at 14, but in Alaska it's necessary to get kids used to driving on the roads that are almost always snowy.

I graduated right after I turned 17, went right to work and then college. Moved 1/2 way across the country from my parents at 19 and got married at 21. I don't see what changing the ages will accomplish personally. I drank before 21, just b/c it wasn't legal didn't stop me. I think some are hoping lowering the age will reduce the stigma and make kids want to drink less, but I don't see it happening. Americans put too much emphasis on drinking being 'fun' and it's too alluring for kids no matter the age limit. The kids I knew that drank a lot in hs had parents who didn't care, they got it from them! Making them able to buy it on their own the same time they are graduating (though I did have someone graduate w/ me who was 21 and he did go to the bar on his birthday!) and the same time they are learning to drive and going to college etc seems like a lot at one time for some kids, it's like adult overload. Maybe a graduated system would work, drive at 18 (though I think there should be exceptions seeing as how I graduated at 17), smoke and lottery at 19, 20 for voting, drinking for 21 etc. Give them something to look forward to every year and hopefully give them time to mature each year before increasing their responsibility.

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Ilana Gracellen born 11/3/06 via
Baby 'O' around Valentine's Day 2009

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My mom had and still has alchol easy accessible and I get furious at her christmas parties because she as this alchol in the small cups with color and just leave it out there too any kid it looks like fruit punch so to keep my 3 yr old boy going there we -stay upstairs -I drank in tenth grade but she didn't know but I hate the taste of alchol now . mom had and still has alchol under her sink downstairs.

I say if your going to have that kind of beverage put it in a locked cabinet with one of those combo locks because many kids can pick locks out of desperation to get what they can't have and keys are easy to find around the house .

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Traci
Mommy to Brendan August 4, 2004


My angels in my heart forever and in my father(8-26-87) loving arms Alizah 6-18-02 Trey Feb 2003 surrounded by my 2 guinea pigs Felecia feb 9 2003 and patchy 6/2004








Brendan and Blackie

A person's maturity has nothing to do with age. I think the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18. Afterall, if you are to be considered an adult at 18, you should have the same rights as all other adults.

You're right, maturity and age are not equivalant, but you'll find more immature 18yos than immature 21yos IMO. Maturity does come w/ age for most people.

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me-28 DH-34
Adam Jospeh Jr. (AJ) born 5/27/03 via surprise c/s

Ilana Gracellen born 11/3/06 via
Baby 'O' around Valentine's Day 2009

Host of CS's Food Allergies board (click here)

Former host of EP's VBAC board (click here)

Really, I have no issue with it, but I don't see why the legal drinking age is so different from when we're considered actual adults. What I'm concerned with is the voting age. Personally, I think anyone with a job and who is paying taxes deserves to have their vote.