Dating - are you going to attempt to prevent your teens from dating?
By mommyboo
@mommyboo (13174)
United States
August 30, 2009 11:35pm CST
If you are, be prepared for them to lie, sneak out, and do it anyway. If you make it taboo, it is only that much more important. Also, it will become the ONLY important thing to them and you will not possibly be able to understand.
Were you allowed to date when you were a teen, or did your parents steer you away from it, discourage it, or outrightly FORBID it? I am still 'recovering' from my dad thinking I never had a boyfriend. I also think if I had had a boyfriend earlier maybe I would have made FEWER mistakes when I got older.
So, what's your decision? Don't say I didn't warn you. 
2 people like this
5 responses
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
31 Aug 09
I dont forbid my teenagers from dating
but I do have to meet the boyfriend/girlfriend-to-be before they start going out
dates are either at my house supervised by me or at the boys' house supervised by the boys' parents provided his parents are responsible people
in the event that the couple want to go out in public they must be chaparoned by a responsible adult
when at my house or the boys house they are to stay in one of the common rooms and NEVER alone behind closed doors
I may not always agree with their choice of boys but at least I know who they are with and what they are doing
more importantly I know what they are NOT doing LOL
@aznrice69 (100)
• Canada
31 Aug 09
yeah that's real fun for them, no privacy at all during their dates. :/
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
1 Sep 09
safety and protecting my child comes before them having fun!!
@peace001 (726)
• China
1 Sep 09
yeah,it is forbiden when you are in teenage.i can remembered that my parent told me :don't not do that,dating is no the right you can do. you should study hardly.when i graduatee from university i was allow to date with somebody.i have not steady with anybody untill now.maybe it is too difficult to date with a stranger.i am so confused! it should better do the right things at the proper time,then you can not miss some special things that God prepares for you.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
31 Aug 09
Today the term dating have a different meaning than it did when I was raising my kids. Then a date meant going to the movies or the like. When my grandkids were in their middle school years it meant hanging out, like at the play grounds. That was about 8 or 9 years ago. You can't stop kids from having boy or girl friends. My kids were told that they couldn't start dating until they were 16 and I told then very early. They were allowed to go to school functions with their friend but that was it. It was the same with the grandkids. They were also allowed to go out with groups. They didn't really start dating until they left high school. Same with the grandkids. I think that with kids you have to give them age appropriate privileges. You can't control who they like or dislike but you can control. but kids still need limits.
@sameroad (3179)
• United States
1 Sep 09
I was allowed to date i guess? lol i never told my parents about my love life.
i still don't. I've always been a private person when its comes to things like that... i never acted in a stupid way that would hit off that i was with someone either. like some teenages when they get into a fight or something with their boyfriend or girlfriend.. they world knows about it lol i don't think i would ever not allow my kids though i don't plan on having any lol but yeah, i wouldn't not let them. i would just talk to them about it and make sure they understand what they are doing and things not to do.
