>By the time you're 20, you should already be an independent adult What are you basing should be on? The age at which you're a functioning adult varies greatl

>By the time you're 20, you should already be an independent adult What are you basing should be on? The age at which you're a functioning adult varies greatly among cultures, and it's usually based on necessity. In some cultures, children continue living with their parents well into their 20s and by definition aren't independent. There are also places where people we would consider children get married and start families of their own. The age of adulthood is also constantly changing. I've seen polls that show that modern American's don't consider adulthood to really start until your mid 20s, while 150 years ago 12 year-olds went to work and were responsible for providing for the family. As life expectancy and wealth goes up, the age before you are forced to take on adult responsibilities goes up.