And regarding the anime is for kids issue:
Who cares? You enjoy it, you watch it. There are anime aimed at kids
Pokemon, Digimon, Bakugan etc.
and there is anime aimed towards older viewers
basically all hentai anime, and anything tagged with seinen/Josei, yes even anime like Nodame Cantabile or Honey and Clover are aimed at adults
What I think would be the cause of the "anime is for kids" statement is that... Well how many of the thousands of anime series have aired in your city, or country for that matter? I would guess that shows like Pokemon or Digimon air at morning when the rest of the kids shows air. Hence, it's a kids show (making all other anime series kids shows). And they don't separate anime from cartoons like scooby doo or winnie the pooh or dora the traveler. Cartoon is cartoon, and anime is no different.
Come on people, they don't know shows like elfen lied or hellsing. Their statements or arguements can't be taken seriously, and shouldn't even be something worth mentioning. Let them watch Higurashi no Naku Koro ni in one sitting late at night and ask them if they wish to reconsider in the morning. Or let them watch the Denpa Teki Na Kanojo OVA:s and ask if that is something a kid should be watching. Please, by the time they're done watching, they'll be begging you for more.....
tl;dr who the f**k cares?