>For most 16 year olds it would never be an issue. Taking this story at its word, I believe both she and her parents thought she was capable of doing it.
>
>I don't really know what "most adults" do. 16 is the new early 20s from what I can see. Maybe 14 or 15. Due to the internet, social networks, smart phones, and other technical possibilities, this generation is growing up wired and therefore exposed to everything from a young age. They are plugged in, possibly addicted to constant flow of information, fundamentally different from our memories of growing up. That needs to be taken into account.
>
>Mike, as far as I'm concerned, any parent that permitted this is on crack. Period.
>
>No 16 year old is prepared for something like this. 16 is not the new 20.....just because a 16 year old can talk the talk, doesn't mean they have the grey matter to survive such a storm (no pun intended) that this 16 year old faced. These parents are morons.
>
>Many teens think they know everything, but also don't know jack-sh__ and make an absolute million mistakes because they get themselves in messes they are not prepared to deal with. In my own case, I'm actually lucky to be alive. Fortunately, I lived and learned. But sadly, this girl may not.
>
>Keanu Reeves said it best in "Parenthood": "You need a license to drive a car,you even need a license to fish. But any buttreaming a@@hole can be a parent".

I already said what I think in the message you replied to. (You must have read it, because you snipped the main point -- that 16 year olds are not all alike -- out of the quoteback). We disagree, and that's fine. Just remember that yelling louder than anyone else doesn't make you right.