How Old is Old Enough?

The world is a very confusing place.

According to this story out of central Florida, negligence charges were dropped against a mother who left her child in the care of her 14-year old son while she went to a job interview. The charges were dropped because they didn't seem justified because a 14 year old is old enough to baby-sit."

So let me get this straight. A 14 year old is old enough to watch a child, but not old enough to take care of him or herself? Put more bluntly, a 14-year old can be responsible enough for another person's life, but not one's own?

Why is it that 14 is old enough to baby-sit, but whenever a 14-year old is "the victim" of a sexual act, they are suddenly too young to understand/comprehend/take responsibility for what happened? I have always hated this double standard. Kids should either be old enough, or too young. It shouldn't matter in relation to what.

As soon as a person is capable of doing something, they are old enough. Kids these days are not naive; they know what sex is at a younger age, mainly due to television and movies. So I find it hard to believe that these stories of teachers having sex with students are completely one-sided.

It's time the children stepped up to the plate. If we are going to continue living under this notion that "children are the future" then they have to start shouldering some of the responsibility for their own actions, even at an early age. That's why at my children's fifth birthday it's going to be shape up or ship out.