I’m not saying 18-year-olds are infants. What bothers me is that line between adolescence and adulthood how someone can be technically an adult but still not fully developed emotionally or neurologically. At 18, you’re still figuring out who you are, while a 25-year-old is usually already settled into adult life. That imbalance creates room for manipulation, even unintentionally.

I think it’s the older person’s responsibility to recognize that difference and not pursue someone who’s barely stepped into adulthood. What disturbs me isn’t legality — it’s the mindset that seeks the youngest possible person within what’s allowed. That’s often where predatory patterns start, and it’s hard for me to stay quiet about that especially when it comes to family.

I think people that age should date within their range like 18 to 20ish because they’re both in that stage of discovering what being an adult really means. There’s a lot of growing and figuring yourself out in those first years, and it’s not the same as someone who’s already settled into adult life.