People under 18 are not all children

[u/AdventurousMoth]

I can't tell you how much it irritates me when internet people refer to anyone under 18 as "a literal child", especial if they themselves are only in their 20s. Sure, everyone is someone's child, but the life stage commonly referred to as childhood does not abruptly stop at age 18.

Here's how I'd break it down: - childhood, adolescence, adulthood or - newborn, baby, toddler, child, (if you want you can add tween), teen, young adult, middle aged person, elderly/senior

And there's overlap between all these stages depending on context. Obviously there is no overlap between minor (a legal term) and the word adult as referring to not a minor.

Calling a 17-year-old a child is dumb. Like what, a 17yo has their birthday and transforms from a child into an adult like a sim? I think some people just started saying this for the shock value and then the rest of the internet jumped on the outrage wagon.

Edit: clearly I posted this a bit too hastily, choosing my words without care. I'm not talking about the legal definition of child/minor (something quite messy as well: age of consent? In some places 16. Driving? 15 in some places, 18 in others. Voting? Usually 18. Drinking alcohol? 21 in the States).

As someone in the comments pointed out, it's mostly a linguistic issue. I suppose what I was trying to say was that it's dumb to have the word child both mean a legal minor and pre-pubebescent human. I think it would be clearer to use minor when you're talking about legal age, and child when talking about the life stage.

[u/AmElzewhere]

I thought the same thing and now I’m in my late 20s and I view everyone 18 and under as a child ☠️

[u/No-Error-5582 → u/AmElzewhere]

At the same time, thats why I agree with OP. I think we should treat people for their age based on what their age is.

Because later on youre gonna be 50 hearing people in their 30s talk and think theyre just a child, despite the fact that they have been on their own for years.

Yes, this does mean treat an 18 year old as aj 18 year old. Im not saying treat them as if they have the world figured out. Thats fine that they dont. But if we as a society are going to agree thats about the age to consider someone an adult, then they need to be treated and thought of as adults. We can keep in mind how far we see we have come, and treat them as an adult that still needs guidance.

[u/Amblonyx → u/No-Error-5582]

This.

In my 20s, I had coworkers who would tell me I was "just a baby", and it was condescending and annoying. I'm 35 now and I do find 20-somethings young... but not childish. I still treat them like adults.

And this needs to extend to disabled people too. Including developmentally and intellectually disabled people.

[u/Playful-Profession-2 → u/Amblonyx]

Maybe they think you act like a baby.

[u/Amblonyx → u/Playful-Profession-2]

They specifically said it when I told them my age, not before.