Who's accountable for your actions?, ... Options

[Melissa]

Before you turn 18, who is accountable for your actions. Yeah, I know the obvious answer is "YOSELF" but ... is that really the case? Because if you think about it, you're still a minor if you're not 18, therefore your parents are supposed to have responsibility over you. If you take the car out and hit someone else, it's THEIR insurance that goes up; they're the ones to suffer from the consequences whereas you'll get, what, grounded? yelled at? Everything you do until you're 18 is reported back to your parents. Your grades usually aren't even addressed to you, but rather "To the parents of:"

So basically, you're your parent's liability, are you not?

Therefore, if your mom tells you that she doesn't want you having sex at the age of fifteen, you should listen to her and stop complaining that she's unfair and unreasonable.

I really don't know what brought this on. I'm so sick of little kids that still live under their parents roof complain about their parents and the "omg, strict rules" they set on them. "Omg, my mom wont let me date until I'm 18, HOW STUPID IS THAT?", "OMG MY PARENTS DONT TRUST ME," "OMG I'm so sick of them!"

You're eating your parents food, using their money, living in their house... if you want all that freedom, then move out. Get a job. Start supporting yourself.

But... that's just how I see it.

Maybe this should go in relationships or even possibly debate.

Your views?

[illriginal]

You and your parents, before the age of 18.

[The-March-Hare]

Just because someone may be technically responsible for you doesn't mean that you're not entitld to have opinions about the rules or boundaries they set for you. If you just accept completely whatever they say, then I really don't think you can be completely prepared for adulthood.

[misoshiru]

you're accountable for my actions.

[S-Majere]

You and your parents, before the age of 18.

That's actually a pretty fair answer; but in practise I think it's more complicated.

There are laws here in the UK regarding truancy at school - I'm not sure if this is the same in the US but I'll assume it's not - whereby if your child misses school than you, the parent, are fined and/or investigated.

It irks me to think that a parent takes the flak for their child when the child itself is the one that needs the disipline.

[illriginal]

That's actually a pretty fair answer; but in practise I think it's more complicated.

There are laws here in the UK regarding truancy at school - I'm not sure if this is the same in the US but I'll assume it's not - whereby if your child misses school than you, the parent, are fined and/or investigated.

It irks me to think that a parent takes the flak for their child when the child itself is the one that needs the disipline.

On our end... here in the U.S. cops are to stop kids who are wandering outside of their homes during school hours. Cops then take the kids to a juvenile holding cell, call the parents or the school they're supposed to attend to, then have things resolved. I dunno what happens afterwards, if the parents get some sort of warning or fine...

[S-Majere]

On our end... here in the U.S. cops are to stop kids who are wondering outside of their homes during school hours. Cops then take the kids to a juvenile holding cell, call the parents or the school they're supposed to attend to, then have things resolved. I dunno what happens afterwards, if the parents get some sort of warning or fine...

I'm in agreement with that! The child gets a major shock of effectively being arrested, and the parents are called to bail them out.

Even before I was 18, I liked to think that it was I who was responsible for my own actions. I mean, jeesh - if you can put that sort of pressure on your parents and get away with it I'd have probably strangled my English teacher to death. "No problem Officer, my folks live in THAT house. Let me know how the trial goes."