When are you considered an adult?

This past week the three of us sat down and reflected on one very important question... When are you considered an adult? Now really think about the question and reflect on your own personal experiences. What is an adult? Is it an age? A state of mind? Responsibility? There are so many ways to look at this topic. Let's see what our hosts think this week.

Don't forget to tune in on Thursday April 4th @ 9pm on www.blogtalkradio.com/chattingdrunk. This is our first live show and your chance to call in, live chat, or connect with us on twitter or facebook, and we will respond to your questions, and share your comments. Hope to see you there!!! CHEERS!!!

MICHELE

Adulthood, Adulthood oh how I despise you! A couple weeks before my last birthday I was really dreading it...I remember telling one of my friends, "I don't feel like an adult but I feel like I'm beyond young adulthood. I feel like my theme song is the ToysRus song" 'I don't want to grow up, I'm a ToysRus kid, there's a million things at ToysRus that I can play with, from bikes to trains to video games, the biggest toy store there is! I don't wanna grow up cuz if I did I wouldn't be a ToysRus kid!'

I personally feel like you become an adult when you are completely self-sufficient. I guess I believe there are different stages of adulthood the young adult part where you are self-sufficient but don't have the "adult" responsibilities so you have a disposable income. You probably aren't the most responsible adult but you're still an adult. Then there is that point where you cross over and take on some responsibilities such as having a significant other, children, pets, really anything that would hinder you from just showing up at the airport on Friday after work for a spur of the moment get away because you have someone else to think about.

This is what I'm struggling with, I don't feel like I'd consider myself a "young" adult but I'm not yet ready to cross that line into regular responsible adulthood...I'm a little closer now that I'm in the line of work that I've been trying to get back to for the last 6 months, but I don't think I'm completely ready yet. I do feel like I have wavered back and forth for the last few years, when I first decided on my profession and got my first paying job in that field I felt like a responsible adult! I had bought a condo and had a dog and was tackling my chosen profession. Then I had some bumps in the road and I quickly realized...I'm not quite ready to fully grow up just yet! I'm slowly but surely getting closer to crossing that line of embracing responsible adulthood but I think I'm going to enjoy being a young adult for a little while longer...The church says you are a young adult until 39! Woohoo!

LUIS

I think you're considered an adult when you live up to your responsibilities. Many people can have the title of an adult with out actually having accomplished anything in their life by themselves. Other people are very young when they must act in a way they never expected to, or even knew about, to ensure their survival or simply to adapt to the environment. I think it is  more relevant to judge someone on their maturity as an adult by their actions and their capability to maintain structure in their life than by age. I became an adult at around 20. My grandfather had the responsibilities of an adult at 8. I know others that are over 40 and still have no idea what adulthood is and yes there are many many other story's out there that we can chat about. For that reason I answer to this weeks topic "Lets get drunk and chat about it!"

LEILANI

In my opinion I believe that you are considered an adult when your parents or guardians are no longer legally responsible for you. In the state of California you are an adult at the age of 18. That means that your parents are not legally responsible for you when you get into trouble, an accident, and especially financially. Basically at any moment you could be on your own. Paying your own bills, your own taxes, living alone, etc. I understand that there are some instances where parents choose to remain financially and legally responsible for their children over the age of 18. But this is a choice. 

My opinion does not necessarily reflect a person who has been responsible at a young age, perhaps someone who has been taking care of themselves before a legal age. To me that means they are mature, not necesarilly an adult. Can they rent a car? When they get into trouble with the law, do they go to jail or juvy? Do they have credit? These are the instances that I am looking at. 

Personally I consider myself an adult. Not the most mature adult, or even a responsible one, but I am an adult. I know of the responsibilities that come with being an adult, and I know the reprucussions of my actions if I break the law or any other situation which could lead me to get into trouble or a bind. Being an adult is an age mixed with a state of mind. To mature is something that just comes with time, but to be an adult is an age in which you are responsible for yourself and your actions and that is no one else's problem if they choose not to care. 

So cheers to figuring out what it means to be an adult!!! LOL! :)