High School Student Discipline

Today I talked with a new teacher still upset by an event yesterday. High school students are younger than eighteen; after high school they can register in the Army, so I say society considers them adults only after eighteen years of age. They are in the process of becoming adults and teachers sometimes do not know how to relate to them.
The problem that caused this sad moment for my friend is not solved with the few words written here. This is a small effort to try to make sense of human relations. All of us adults have adopted strategies to deal with the others. I remember many years ago feeling sympathy for my sister that was crying because she thought our mother was not going to like what she did. I told her that I was going to blame myself so she would stop crying.
That was not a right or a wrong solution but I learned how to relate to others. Many experiences like that, with good and bad consequences made me the adult I am. High school students have not had as many years to try solutions to the problems due to their relations with the others.
There is something adults can show young ones about how to go about our lives the best we can. I am afraid many times I do not feel I have done the best for the students on my charge.