Every day I check a few different news media outlets online. Mostly, my TV's are for gaming or watching DVD's and, of course, Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. Anyway, one of the big headlines is "Teen arrested in bomb plot". Wow, really? How on earth did some 13-17 year old kid get mixed up in something like that?

Then you read further. The "teen" is 19. Come on people! Seriously? 19 is NOT a teenager. Especially in America. 19, while technically a "teen" number (as all numbers 10-19 are, but you don't hear us calling ten year olds TEENS, now do you?), that is a legal adult.

So why the misleading headlines? They do this ALL the time. Some 18 year old gets arrested for something and the media dubs them a "teen". Now if my child was 10, 11, 12, SHOOT, 13 for crying out loud, they would NOT dub them a "teen", instead, they would dub them a child. Because that's what they are even at those ages. Children. I mean, to me even someone up to the age of roughly 15-16 is a "child" but usually be 15 I would consider them a teenager. By 18 and most certainly by 19, they are an adult. Period.

The reason, is for the "controversy". That and the news media outlets know that if the headline says "teen" as opposed to "young adult" or just "suspect arrested in bomb plot", it will get more hits and more readers. And more hits for them is a good thing. More hits of an article for that or those writer(s) is good for the career. And the more controversial the subject, the more likely for a higher volume of hits. It's still misleading and incorrect.

At 18, they are eligible to vote. They are responsible for themselves in the eyes of the law. They are old enough to live on their own without their parents or court approval. The only thing someone at the age of 18 cannot legally do is consume alcohol.

Sorry "kid", or "teen" but you're an adult. You're 19. Time to start acting like a grownup.