Not until you're 18!!!!!!

This subject came up again just yesterday. I rarely use these type of arguments with my children, law aside of course; actually this time my children weren't the debate. When I returned to school I ended up in a class with students from the local high schools. Quite a few of the kids in class know my teens, they still all go to the same school. My eldest has been taking her A.P. classes during her Jr. and Sr. years at the H.S. rather than travel to the college and take the courses here. I don't think any of the students are under 17, and some must be 18, but they are technically high school students, and I believe they all still live at home. Seems like maybe possibly some parental figures aren't as impressed with the teacher I felt so lucky to have after being out of school for over 20 years. I'm hopeful my eldest will have him for a class when she joins next year. We didn't actually say as much but my impression was that the parents weren't very impressed with the manner the class was taught. I'd like to say I was shocked but I was only a little surprised, and a little more ticked off than anything. Parents need to realize that 18, or after graduation, is not some magical time in which something clicks in your child and suddenly they're an adult and programmed to be ready to accept being treated as such. Around age 16 they need to be eased into this adult world some of you seem to want to just thrust them into after they graduate. They need part time jobs, a license and use of a vehicle, and maybe a college course or two. You'd better let them know what they're in for now. If at 18 you send them off to college or they decide to get out of the house completely they'd better know a thing or two about a thing or two, or they're going to get eaten alive out there. The more time spent out in the real world before they have no choice but to be out there is one big school in itself. It's your duty to prepare them to go. Let them go. How dare you expect them to be ready for something next year that you think they can't possibly handle this year. Shame on you.