Many young men and women believe that when they turn eighteen they automatically become adults. Irresponsibility is a problem with today's youth. These beliefs show how immature some adolescents are. Adulthood encompasses a great deal of independence, responsibility, and reliability. .
An adult is independent only if he or she can live without parental assistance. Many young adults believe that eighteen is the appropriate age to announce their independence; but it is these same, immature youths that cannot afford to pay any bills because they attend school. .
Statistics show that teenagers have the majority of the car accidents in proportion to the percentage of the population they represent. Because these adolescents do not need to pay bills, they fail to realize just how much damage a vehicle can create. It is this lack of responsibility that alone can create havoc in the lives of many people. Normal household chores like washing dishes and doing laundry can usually be used as a scale to demonstrate if a teenager is ready for an independent lifestyle. If a youth is incapable of performing typical household jobs, then he or she will not have a happy marriage or a good relationship with roommates. .
Work is very important to many people. One person's salary can provide food, fun, and entertainment for an entire family. The only way to enjoy life is to enjoy work, but many teenagers work in environments that provide minimal advancement that are on the bottom of the pay scale. These jobs do not provide enough money for a person to become self-sufficient. In order to demand more privileges or complete independence, one must have a job that pays well even if that person lives on a very tight budget. Without sufficient funds, one cannot be reliable. Whether reliability includes being somewhere on time or paying a bill, an adult cannot be late on a regular basis and expect respect from others.