Monday, October 10, 2016

Why College is Important

   Did you know that the brain is not fully mature until around 25-27? I really wish the age of
a minor in the United States would be raised to at least 21. I hear that some states do have the
age of a minor set at 21, but this needs to be nationally, with another 2 years of school added
to the curriculum. That would mean that junior college would become a mandatory requirement.

   Who would have expected that my assumptions to be right? In a few previous posts I iterate
about raising the age of a minor, so that the child could learn that there is still a chance, before
age 25, to become a schizophrenic or be affected with another mental illness. Bipolar and schizophrenia are not the only mental illnesses out there. There is body dysmorphic disorder,
anorexia, bulimia, OCD, disassociative disorder- to name a few. They say that one
out of five adults have a mental disorder. They also say, that it is closer to one in four.
That's a lot of people.

   Not only should the age of a minor be raised, but families should keep childen home
until you know for sure that they can survive on their own. I would say that 25 is the new
18. Why would you set your child up for failure? Unless they can demonstrate they can
have gainful employment or even finish college with a degree and then look to become
independent if they want to leave sooner, need to be home. Boundaries are key. They
want to be alone, but then again adult children still need parental support and guidance.
Think about it as finishing school. Our children need us.

Young Adult Resources

Vocabulary ABC's

Surviving Mental Illness from the Inside Out