Posted On: August 25, 2008, 10:16 am CDT

Posted By: Interested mother

I actually enjoy this debate greatly and the responses have been very interesting.

As the mother of an 18-yr who just enlisted in the military, it brought to the surface for me that in most ways that count, 18 year olds are considered adults. They are old enough to go off to college, responsible enough to vote, sign their life to the military, be held criminally liable as an adult, but aren't considered responsible enough to make their own decisions about alcohol?

We began the discussions with our son a long time ago about drinking, drugs, sex, etc. Drinking is not a big deal to him. We have accepted that it is a part of the rituals of growing up. While we don't encourage it, we have mandated that he accept the responsibilities of it, for both himself and his friends. As a parent, you MUST educate your children and hope that you have given them the abilities to make the right decisions. Ultimately, though, the choices (good and bad) are theirs to make. You also must accept that they will make irresponsible choices and give them an out. We have told our son that he can call us at any time, from anywhere, if he has been drinking with his friends and we will not judge or condemn. We will pick him up, give him or his friends rides, in hopes to prevent some of the tragedies that are so unnecessary.

Either adjust the majority age to 21, or reduce the drinking age to 18.