Question

You have two adolescent children (both genders).

At what age would you allow them to date? What rules or limits would you set? For example, Do you need to meet the girl or boy before they go out? Could they go out alone or would they need to go in groups? More importantly, why do you feel as you do and what do you see as the potential gains and losses that dating might expose your children to.

Min 100 words

Answer 1

Answer

Undoubtedly, there is a huge gap in dating customs now and then. I believe that no parents should ridicule their child's first love as it is the first time the child will share a relationship with someone outside the family. They will gain a lot of experience and become more responsible but sometimes it can go the other way round because of improper decisions made for the child. According to my beliefs and thinking, I would consider dating fine only after the age of 18. It can be a year less or more depending upon the maturity of my adolescent kids. Improper guidelines or rules may result in a bad experience for the kids. I would make sure that I pass on some important lessons to take care when moving into a relationship. Sometimes too steady involvement can be serious and this is what I would make sure they understand. I will definitely allow my child to experience the emotions of love once they reach a certain level of maturity. I will guide my kids at each step but would not impose my decisions. It is healthy to have a conversation with the boy or the girl your child is sharing a relation with. And once you feel your child is safe and knows what he/she is doing in his/her life and the complications of certain actions, then there is no problem if the kids go out alone with their partner. Healthy dating is never bad and always comes with a lot of beautiful lessons of life. If my kids inform me about their feelings, I would respect their choice but also guide them throughout.