do you think 15 yr olds have the right to, decide which parent to go with after a divorce? Options

[ecargnmyst]

this question was asked in my gov class today.. should 15 yr olds be allowed to make the decision themselves? or are they not able/mature enough to make such an important decision themselves?

[radhikaeatsraman]

I think 15 year-olds are very much mature enough to make the decision themselves. A 3 or 4 year-old may be a different story, however. If the 15 year-old is a fully-functioning, able person who doesn't have any severe mental disabilities, I think they should make a wise decision.

[illumineering]

Absolutely. In the foster care system, that is the age when a person can make decisions regarding placement.

[*I Shot JFK*]

It is very difficult to set a broad age limit for an issue that deals with emotional maturity, especially during the early teenage years, when there are radical differences in emotional maturity between individuals.

i think that the child should msot definately be consulted, but the impact of their judgement on the overall decision should be considered by the judge on an indivdual basis, based on interviews with the child, and the circumstances of the divorce and the potential gaurdians

[*disco infiltrator*]

^ I second that sentiment.

I'm sure I'm fully capable of choosing which of my parents I would rather live with (it would be my mom, who I live with now), and I'm fifteen, but I know some other fifteen year olds...who might not be so clear on such a decision.

[flc]

Definitely..there are a lot of things fifteen year olds start to be responsible for, like a job, getting a permit. Hopefully by that time they'd know both of their parents long enough to make a decision on who'd they want to live with..

[*swtcherriipie*]

To be honest with you... I dont think 15 year olds should be ABLE to make SERIOUS desicions like marrige or voting or anything like that i mean if thats going to happen then whats the purpose of parents right? Or whats the point of being "LEGAL AGED" (18-21).. just a thought.

[flc]

To be honest with you... I dont think 15 year olds should be ABLE to make SERIOUS desicions like marrige or voting or anything like that i mean if thats going to happen then whats the purpose of parents right? Or whats the point of being "LEGAL AGED" (18-21).. just a thought.

Well by the time you're 18 you're technically an adult {Right? I think so. x.x} so you wouldn't have to decide who to stay with. When you're 15 you're still a minor, so whether you like it or not, you're going to have to live with someone.

[scenekidsgo__raw...]

I definately think so.
I mean, if they've lived with their parents all their lives, they can easily think about which one treats them the best ir has less problems with, or however they would determine it.

[*I Shot JFK*]

To be honest with you... I dont think 15 year olds should be ABLE to make SERIOUS desicions like marrige or voting or anything like that i mean if thats going to happen then whats the purpose of parents right? Or whats the point of being "LEGAL AGED" (18-21).. just a thought.

well, again, it comes back to the differences between individuals in their emotional maturity. at 15, i was politically aware. actually probably more so than my parents, and many other older teenagers who i knew. i would have been perfectly capable of voting. but then others wouldn't have been

to say '15 year olds are incapable of making serious decisions' is an insult to those of us who were/are, which is why it should, for this dilemna, be considered on an indivdual basis

[AngelinaTaylor]

Of course.. they may be not mature enough to vote, but choosing which parent to live with? I think so. They DO know which parent they'd like living with more, right?

Taylor``

[Paradox of Life]

Where did the 15-year-old cutoff come from?

[*I Shot JFK*]

Of course.. they may be not mature enough to vote, but choosing which parent to live with? I think so. They DO know which parent they'd like living with more, right?

Taylor``

well perhaps its more than just a question of which parent they would LIKE living with most.

[AngelinaTaylor]

well perhaps its more than just a question of which parent they would LIKE living with most.

Haha, of course.. it's also a matter of who would take better care of the child, who is more secure financially, etc. However, I still think most 15 year-olds would be able to make that kind of a decision.

Trust me.. I almost never stick up for teenagers.. ;)

Taylor``

[moorepocket]

i think they should, but most of them will stay with their mother. But some will stay with their dads, cuz they hate their moms or vice versa.

[*I Shot JFK*]

i think they should, but most of them will stay with their mother. But some will stay with their dads, cuz they hate their moms or vice versa.

not necessarily... i certainly dont hate my mother, at all, but would probably, if pushed, choose to live with my dad.

Haha, of course.. it's also a matter of who would take better care of the child, who is more secure financially, etc. However, I still think most 15 year-olds would be able to make that kind of a decision.

i agree, but the key word is most, not all. which is why it should be case by case

[demolished]

Yeah.

We want parents that benefit us, making us special, and trustworthy.

well, not all parents are very trustworthy ... but enough to rely some trust on our parents.

it's our RIGHT to pick our parents for many different reasons.

If i was put in my dad's side, i would be so pissed off because he always distract me from doing a major project unlike my awesome mom. If he's going to distract me, at least support me to get a good grades.

f**k legal age rights. =]

How am i going to do well in school or graduate?

[voguelove]

i think yes. 15 is almost 16 (which is the age that most kids can get cars) and 16 is almost 18 (adulthood) 15 year olds know what theyre doing. they know which parent they perfer and which parent to go to. it shouldnt be the parents or the govt decision

[*I Shot JFK*]

i think yes. 15 is almost 16 (which is the age that most kids can get cars) and 16 is almost 18 (adulthood) 15 year olds know what theyre doing. they know which parent they perfer and which parent to go to. it shouldnt be the parents or the govt decision

well thats kind of a silyl argument... 14 is almost 15

13 is almost 14

10 is almost 13, etc.... wher do you stop.

a fized age limit is not the answer

[julianaaa]

15 year olds should definately be able to decide for themselves. they've lived their whole lives with their parents, and they should be able to have a good idea about who they'd rather live with. the gov't dont know anything about the family except for what has been put infront of them.

[moorepocket]

not necessarily... i certainly dont hate my mother, at all, but would probably, if pushed, choose to live with my dad.
i agree, but the key word is most, not all. which is why it should be case by case

i mean in some cases, where the child hate the mother or father, then they would live with the one they most likely to get along with.

[Crich323]

That really is a hard question.

But that 15 year old might not be able to handle all of the pressure that both parents are putting on him/her. I mean what if the father could offer all the money and the mother could just offer her being there ? There are so many different scenerios it depends. The events that lead to the divorce should also play a part, and the maturity of the 15 year old.

[*StanleyThePanda*]

Haha, of course.. it's also a matter of who would take better care of the child, who is more secure financially, etc. However, I still think most 15 year-olds would be able to make that kind of a decision.

Agreed, not all 15 year-olds are, but most are probably mature enough to make a good decision about that, So I say yes.

[*I Shot JFK*]

i mean in some cases, where the child hate the mother or father, then they would live with the one they most likely to get along with.

oh. well obviouly.

bu tthat wasnt what you said

[Smoogrish]

Yes. The kid knows which one they want to go with by now, so why not let them? They know which parent treats them better, and so they should go with the parent they think is right. They're definitely mature enough.

[*SuzieRawkSoxx*]

Since the last time i posted i think my perspective of a 15 year old making choises has changed. 2 days ago i met a boy called lucas he was 14 and his parents were divorcing his dad had an anger issue and he love's him with all his ♥ but he told be that he chose to live with his mom because even though his dad NEVER took out his anger on him it hurt him to see his dad taking it out on other people so he desided to stay with his mom. I thought that was cool. And then i thought of this topic LOL.

[imnoxonesmemory]

yeah, i think they're mature enough. they've spent enough time with both their parents and they would have had 15 years of their life to grow up and experience a lot of stuff. they should have the right, to some extent.

[*I Shot JFK*]

Yes. The kid knows which one they want to go with by now, so why not let them? They know which parent treats them better, and so they should go with the parent they think is right. They're definitely mature enough.

because their are more factors to consider than simply which parent the child WANTS to live with?
and a 15 year olds perception of better treatment may not be entirely practical.

and people, STOP saying '15 year olds are mature'. not all 15 year olds are capable of making such a decision. ergo, and age cut off is NOT practical

[jue]

I'd say yes. The gov't doesn't know much about that family cept the papers that are in front of them. The kids are old enough and hopefully mature enough to decide for themselves. The gov't has no right to come in and pick which adult the kid should live with.

[so_jentran]

i think it really depends if the person has a good explanation

[Paul M. is baaac...]

Divorce is an un-fair thing, judges choos the mothers over fathers for no real reason. Fathers have just as much rights to see their children as the mothers. I hope this big "Father's Rights" (or whatever) campaign ,akes a difference, because at the minute, dicorce is a very sexist thing, in favour of females when it comes to custody of children.

[bananapants]

I think they are.
My friend has divorced parents.
We were in homeroom one morning and she was talking to me about her parents. She was talking about how she would rather stay with her mom because her dad had anger management issues and they just did not get along. Well i guess your values when you are 15 and your values when your older are different but i think they should atleast have some sort of choice. I guess the person i know is just a little more mature than most others. However, when my parents abused me so much that i was given away to social services. I had a choice of weather i wanted to go to my God Parents or if i wanted to be given to foster care. I chose my God Parents of course. But anyways the point of the two stories is that i think your maturity depends on your experiences. I feel that if you are fifteen you should atleast be given a choice and if it doesnt wrk out maybe the judge can choose.

[angel-roh]

Starting of age 10. I think they should choose...

why 15? o_o;;;;;

why 10? cause... WAIT. nvm. 15 yeah good choice cause they can get permit blah blah blah. -0-;;;

i think they are right to.... cause in some parent...... kids dont want to live with them because they dont support them well..

for me, i dont want to live with my dad because he is not supportive and he um.... makes me mad everyday -0- hes trying to help me but he ends up pissing me off in every minute and every HOUR.

i rather stick with my mom.... but sad thing is after divorce, one of them gets low money so u have to live with other parent...which is upsetting. T_T

[x__rilind]

i definetly think a fifeteen year old is mature enough to decide which parent to live with in a divorce. i generally think that any child should be able to choose which parent to live with during a divorce, as long as they understand what the implications are. sometimes, custody issues are killer...

[emazing]

I think that children have a right to decide which parent they want, but as many are not mature and old enough to choose for themselves, I believe they should also set an age limit and restrictions.
15 is old enough though.

[Paulina]

Being a 15 yr old myself, I say maybe.
Like others have said before, I think they're opinon should really be taken into consideration but some 15 years can be mature enough to make the decision.

[goodcharlotte]

dont u HAVE to live with the greater income parent?

[x__rilind]

^i don't know but if it's not an issue of treatment, probably.

i think a good idea would be to establish which parent the child lives with right during the divorce, then ask every six months or a year if the child is content and treated well, or if they need their situation to be looked at in depth.

[acid_high]

I think that at that age you are old enough to figure that out. I think that 15 year olds should be able to make that choice. There the ones who will have to deal with the effects of it so why shouldn't it be there choice

[Gypsy Eyes]

I think that they should have a say in what goes on, but the parent's financial situation and ability to be a parent should be taken into consideration.

[wckdspirit4u]

Excuse my language... But 15 year olds don't know s***.

Sure, they are entitled to their opinions. But 15 year olds don't know much about life or much about anything as a matter of fact.

They can say they know what they want... and that may be true. But they won't know what's best for them. Most 15 year olds will probably just go with the parent that gives them what they want or the one that gives them the freedom they think they deserve.

[*This Confession*]

seems like everyone decides to stay with their mothers..

hmm i believe they are.
my parents are going through it all over again..
yea long story short.
they split up
got back together
got in a big fight
their spliting up again &dances in chair;
and ive decided to stay with my dad.
because my mom is bipolar..
atleast thats what the doctors say..
i don't believe it


^above me
i have to disagree wtih you
15 yr olds do know things.
I'm not saying all do
some only know their opinions
but there are plenty of people out there
that are more mature than their own age
and should have the choice of choosing
who they live with I mean lets say
A girl got raped by her dad for years
and their parents finally split up
and the girl has to choose who parent
she wants to stay with
the court on what they hear
say the girl should go with the dad
but she still has the choice.
so Do you listen to what people say thats better for you
or go by what you want to do and save yourself from that.

theres plenty of other possibilties that i could list here.

But how old are you as well?
also now that i read your whole post.
Some 15 yr olds have gone through plenty in life to know
what life is and know plenty about life..
and know plenty of everything.

So really i don't think anyone can say anything about if
15 yr olds have a high enough maturity level to make their
own decisions
because no one in the world has met every 15 yr old on the world.

[*My Cinderella.*]

I think so. They're old enough to know and decide who they want to stay with.

[*I Shot JFK*]

Excuse my language... But 15 year olds don't know s***.

Sure, they are entitled to their opinions. But 15 year olds don't know much about life or much about anything as a matter of fact.

They can say they know what they want... and that may be true. But they won't know what's best for them. Most 15 year olds will probably just go with the parent that gives them what they want or the one that gives them the freedom they think they deserve.

maybe you didnt when you were 15.

but that is CERTAINLY not true of all 15 year olds.