How old were you when you had your first boyfriend or girlfriend?

@dorannmwin (36392)
United States
December 9, 2010 4:07pm CST
This is something that varies a lot between different people in the world. I had my fair share of friends that were boys when I was a child, but I didn't really have a boyfriend until I was 19 years old. It was really random how we met and I really did love him even though the feeling wasn't really reciprocated. We were together for just over a year before we went our separate ways. However, I think that our relationship really did have an impact on the way that I've carried on subsequent relationships that I've had in my life. So the questions that I have for you today are how old were you when you had your first boyfriend or girlfriend? Do you think that your first relationship has had an impact on other relationships that you've had in your life?
4 people like this
21 responses
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
9 Dec 10
Preschool if that counts, LOL. I was always very boy crazy. I had a boyfriend every year of grade school.. though it was a different boy each year. Once I hit middle school I was going through boyfriends every month. I guess I'd have to say it was Rondo, when I was 18, he was 21. We weren't together too long, only about 5 months.. but we did care about each other a lot. I was just going through a really stupid phase and ended up screwing everything up. He was totally justified when he broke up with me, but it still hurt so bad I thought I'd never get over it.
1 person likes this
• United States
13 Dec 10
My daughter is the same way.. not boy crazy, but she does have a boyfriend that she's had since 2nd grade. They're no longer in the same class this year, but I do believe she still considers him a boyfriend. I can tell she's not like me because when I asked her why she liked him, she said "because he's kind". My answer would have been "cause he's cute!".
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Dec 10
Now Kathryn's reason for her little boyfriend (who I will say wasn't in the same class as she was in when they became a couple) is that he is cute, smart and very nice.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
Through the younger years of my life I would say that I was very much the same way that you describe yourself, I too was very boy crazy. Now Kathryn has a boyfriend in second grade, but she has had the same boyfriend since the beginning of first grade, talk about a long lasting relationship.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
14 Dec 10
I was a late bloomer...16! I too had a lot of friends who were girls but nothing serious like the first one when I was 16. In terms of impact, I don't thing the relationship had anything much, but the day she said yes was very memorable. I could still remember it as if it were yesterday! ... I hate talking about mush...
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Dec 10
Thank you so much for overcoming your dislike of talking about mushy things to take part in the discussion. Just so you know, I don't think that sixteen is a late bloomer at all.
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
13 Dec 10
Had my first boyfriend at 15. We dated for awhile, broke up and got back together after 2 years. We finally got married and have been married for 41 years. Have 3 grown daughters and 5 grandkids. It's been an interesting life. My husband made a huge impact on my life at such a young age. I chased him all over until I caught him...lol
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
13 Dec 10
Thanks. We had issues during the engagement about religion but it was ironed out prior to our getting married.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Dec 10
Religion was also one of the things that my husband and I had to iron out before the two of us were married as well.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
That really is a cool story. I don't know that there are a lot of people that get married to their first love and I think that there are even fewer people that stay married to that first love as long as you and your husband have been married. Thank you so very much for sharing.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
9 Dec 10
I would date casually - no real romanvce involved. I would worry myself silly about whether or not I would let him hold my hand. I did not have any serious romances or relationships apart from my husband and then I was married first. So old fashioned. I was so naive so I was lucky that I had a good person to take care of me
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
You were very lucky that the man that became your husband did take care of you. I always thought that I would end up being very old fashioned as well. However, when I was in college I got mixed up with a different group of people that sort of made me behave in ways that I never really saw as being possible for the person that I once was.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
Greetings! My answer to this question could be found disturbing to majority. I was only 12 years old when I had my first girl friend. I think my hormones kicked in early. I never asked help in courtship from anybody even my dad. That relationship lasted a healthy 3 months given the age. I would later on have multiple girl friends all having three distinct qualities : fair skin, Chinese, Catholic. There we have it, a possible cradle snatcher :P Have a nice day and Happy Mylotting :)
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
Actually I don't find that to be disturbing at all because I know that a lot of my classmates growing up had boyfriends and girlfriends at a much younger age than I was when I had my first. I think that I was a somewhat late bloomer in a certain sense, but I also don't think that I would really change anything about it.
1 person likes this
9 Dec 10
my first serious relationship started when i was 17, i guess as there were more feelings, plenty of time together, loads of fun and laughter plus other more personal things it made it my first proper relationship. I did date girls when i was young, as young as 6 really and carried on but i was too much of a kid back then and so it didn't reallyt mean that much. Now i wish i still had my first proper relationship in my life, that meant so much to me and truly did open my eyes.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
I had those little relationships when I was a young child as well. Though in the grand scheme of things those relationships from our childhood don't really mean anything, I think that they do start to lay the groundwork for the rest of our lives.
• United States
10 Dec 10
I met my first boyfriend when I was 16. I haven't had any other relationships but it has had a definite impact on me.
• United States
13 Dec 10
I think every relationship effects a person. However, the point I was trying to make is that my first is my only. We've been together 7 years.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Dec 10
I follow that and I can see what you were saying. I was also trying to say that all relationships impact us as a person.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
I don't really think that there is a person alive that wouldn't say that their first relationship had some kind of an imapact on them.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
10 Dec 10
Hi Dorannmwin, I was 14 when I had my first boyfriend. Of course it was all pretty innocent at that age but we did date for 2 years. Then I just randomly dated off and on for a while. I was not quite 17 when I had my first real real serious relationship (even though at the time, I thought the one from when I was 14 was serious). This one lasted until I was almost out of school. I think all relationships have an impact on who we are as people.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
I agree with you as well that all of the relationships that we have in our lives have an impact on the people that we become as we grow older. I definitely wouldn't be the person that I am without the relationships of my past.
@Nadinest1 (2016)
• Canada
11 Dec 10
My first serious relationship was when I was 19 as well. It definitely had an impact on my life....since he is still my husband. I was rather shy and my husband was(is) not.....but with him not being shy, it brought the shyness out of me. I am not the same person I was before....more outgoing etc....or is that just maturity?
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
I think that it very well could be a combination of the two. I think that as we spend time with a person we become more like them so I would think that would account for some of it. However, we also change as we become more mature as well.
@much2say (53959)
• Los Angeles, California
10 Dec 10
I didn't have a boyfriend until I was 18. I didn't even date until then - but that was mostly because my dad would have killed me if I did!! The guy was 24 and it was sort of a meant to be kind of thing in the beginning. But then he figured I was too young for him and he broke it off. Whatever. We were an "item" but I wouldn't say it was a deep relationship really . . . I was mad, but not entirely hurt that we broke up. So he didn't have much of an impace. A month later, I got another boyfriend (I was still 18). And this second one definitely had an impact . . . we stayed together for years and now he is my hubby and wonderful father to our children - hee hee!!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
I think that you are quite lucky that you were able to find the person that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with when you were younger. I was a little bit older when I met Tom, but I am glad that I wasn't a lot older than I was when the two of us met.
@sanjay91422 (2725)
• India
10 Dec 10
I think I was someone who use to tell other that please don't go after that girl because I love her. That was my school days...lol. When ever I remember myself I laugh about it. I had no real idea what it really mean. I was in college but still I was not enough matured for it. I told a girl that I like her and I use to hang with her but still no connection. I became 20 when I was into a relation. So my answer is "20 years old". Let us see what is other's.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
Twenty years old is a bit older than what most of the people say. However, I would venture to guess that you were far more mature in your first relationship than many other people were.
• India
10 Dec 10
hii dorannmwin This is the most memorable thhing in my life i got my first girlfriend when i am 17. at that time i thought myself as the lukkiest person on the earth not only me every one will think like that so friends dont forget these type of occassions in your life........
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
No, I definitely don't think that there is anyone in this world that will ever forget the first boyfriend or girlfriend that they had in their lives. They really are something that is life changing.
• Poland
10 Dec 10
i was 13, that was nice relationship but too childlish for me. She had great boobs :)
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
Wow, I don't think that I really even had boobs when I was 13 years old. I honestly couldn't imagine having to deal with them at that point in my life.
• Poland
13 Dec 10
Girls in Poland are unique ^^ Lots of people said that we have the most beautiful women, so most of them have boobs in this age ;)
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Dec 10
That is very interesting to learn, I would have never known that otherwise.
@melz21 (10)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
I had 1st Boyfriend Before when i was 13 years old hehehe and i thought it was a love that i feel before.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
Do you happen to remember how long that first relationship lasted? Do you really remember learning anything from it?
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
9 Dec 10
I was 20. If it taught me anything, it was not to put up with certain things...
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
Yeah, that would be one of the lessons that I learned from my first relationship as well. Too many things that I should never have put up with but did. However, I'll never put up with them again.
@hushi22 (4928)
10 Dec 10
oh...i was 20 years old when i had my first bf. i was about to graduate my nursing degree. it was a deal my parents and i had. i must say the first relationship i had really had an impact. he made me stronger and wiser when it comes to dealing with men.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
Mine too, I would definitely say that he had a real impact on the way that I've dealt with men since that time.
• United States
9 Dec 10
I was 13, not quite sure if I was his girlfriend but he sure acted like my boyfriend at the time. It certainly sparked my interests in boys and I have no clue where he is today. I think it only last a few weeks. LOL as I thought I was so in love.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
My first relationship lasted much longer than a few weeks, but then I was older as well. You know, I saw my first boyfriend a couple years after it was over and only then was he coming to realize the fact that if he had been more mature the two of us could have had a future.
@daiweian06 (1405)
10 Dec 10
I was only 14 years old. And our relationship last for only 1 month. So funny! And because of that i've been in a bad relationship with my classmate. My group to another group who fight just for that stupid love that last for 30 days. And now even if its done and happen after 10 years there still a gap between us. But for me its all according to past and given them up. And we are now adult. We never go back. The past lovelife is so crazy. Puppy love is so immature.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 10
It really is sad to hear that your first relationship of only a month was something that caused a rift between yourself and your friends. I am glad to see that we all grow up and move on with our lives.
14 Dec 10
i was like 12 i think and i dont think it was real girlfriend but we did act like we are couple,but i know you cant have serious relationship that young
@dilrajj57 (1757)
• Pakistan
24 Jan 12
i didn't any girlfriend still.