Voluntaras

Voluntaras is the in-context name for a person in the Rejuve Universe who has chosen to rejuve on their own volition. Literally; A Voluntary rejuve.

Definition
In the setting of the Rejuve Universe, a Voluntaras is person that has chosen to been rejuvenated for their own reasons; most commonly to avoid the complications of advanced old age. With the maximum age able to be achieved by rejuvenation chambers being twelve, most voluntaras choose to rejuvenate to an age somewhere between six years and twelve years. In the majority of cases voluntaras choose to return to an age as old as possible, although the Association of Professional Parents (APP) recommends going at least as young as 9 to have time to adjust to being a minor again before puberty begins.

There is no government run funds or benefits to compensate for rejuvenation, and rejuvenating because of old age is not compulsory. Hospitals typically will not rejuve a person who is going to die of old age unless they have arranged for parental care and paid for the rejuvenation. Before voluntaras rejuve they work out a parenting contract with a loved one or a member of the APP that will cover what type of parenting style they will live under but once they rejuve, they are minors and will typically be treated this way by all aspects of the rejuve culture and the law.

While the rejuvenation itself is cheap, a Voluntaras is required to prove they can be supported until they reach 21, the age of majority for the setting. For hiring an APP couple, this includes a bond to pay for this support.

Status
Voluntaras Make up the bulk of the child population on establish worlds like earth and the older colonies. They get the flexibility to choose the type of parenting they want and need. They are in the middle the child hierarchic system of priority and most of the time this is to their benefit. Many choose a parenting style the compatible with living in the K-rated neighborhood, and might even end up as younger siblings to their own grandchildren, so K-rated neighborhoods also cater to their needs which schools for them. As K-rated neighborhoods are Penny free, this can be beneficial to voluntaras that don't want to have to put up with the needs and disciplines applied to pennies.

Even so with K rated areas being outnumbered four to one many Voluntaras live in P rated areas and while not all P rated areas have Pennies in them the interaction with the Penny classes is not always seen as a hindrance, depending on the style of parenting and family life the child has chosen. Spanko's often enjoy living in Penny areas, especially since Voluntaras have a higher status than all the Penny classes. Some voluntaris (those choosing to retain romantic or sexual rights with their ex-partners) can even be forced to live in Penitata areas to keep their influences away from Kindern.

Reasons for Rejuvenation
Other than old age there are several reasons to undergo voluntary rejuvenation.
 * 1) Further Education With the idea of taking advantage of a child's learning capacity some individuals rejuve and take classes in advanced physics, maths or foreign languages or similar
 * 2) To obtain a parenting licence Rather than taking on an assigned child such a a soft-time penny parents will take turns being a child so that they are only parenting family.
 * 3) For enjoyment Because they enjoy being a child and or the disciplinary environment.