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Responsible Dating for Teens
by Helen Hoffnunger
http://www.fyidating.com

Boys and girls begin dating at a much younger age than
many of their parents did. Some kids are dating at
eleven or twelve years of age! Children this young are
ill-prepared for romantic or emotional attachment to
members of the opposite sex. Judgment and values, along
with bodies and intellects, are still early in their
formative stages. In other words, they lack sufficient
maturity to be dating.

Teenagers are generally better prepared to deal with
romantic attachments, but even they often lack the
combination of strong values and experience that enables
them to make mature and responsible relationship
choices. Teens who go too far too fast in dating
dating relationships risk a number of undesirable
outcomes including abuse (emotional, physical, verbal),
pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and emotional
trauma.

If you are a parent who wonders where to draw the line,
here are some tips that may come in handy:

1. Encourage your kids to join a church youth group or
community social group for teens. Make sure a responsible
adult or two who can supervise kids~ activities and guide
them in wholesome directions. Interaction among
middle-school-age children allows them to become familiar
and interact with kids their own age of both sexes in a
comfortable, safe environment under responsible
supervision. Children need to learn how to develop healthy
communication and behavior patterns in general before
pairing off with one person for dating purposes.

2. Teenagers who are fifteen and above tend to grow more
interested in the opposite sex with every passing year.
Rather than discourage this interest, redirect it by
encouraging your teen to date in a group setting (e.g.
"double" dating). Activities that lend themselves to
participation by couples and groups equally well include
bowling, movies, eating out, sports, and music. All of
these can provide opportunities for teens to become better
acquainted with members of the opposite sex in a safe,
friendly, and fun environment.

3. Get to know your teen~s friends~ families. Belonging to
the same church or neighborhood offers opportunities to
get to know an entire family before the teens pair off for
group or couples dating. Parents can often become
acquainted with other parents to help guide their teens
toward or away from a particular acquaintance. Families
can co-host barbecues, swim parties, and other activities
to bring teens together in a natural and wholesome manner.

Dating can be a great way for teenagers to get to know
each other while having fun. But dating is a social
responsibility that requires the delicate guidance and
supervision of parents and other adults.

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