The idea of your teen dating (or tween) can be terrifying, uncomfortable and sad. It’s hard to imagine them in a romantic relationship when they were all yours just yesterday. But at the end of the day, you just want to ensure your teen is in a healthy and safe relationship.
You want to be supportive and offer solid dating advice, but this is new territory for you both There are so many things to consider, however.
When should your tween or teen start dating?
How should you talk to your teen about dating?
Heck, how do today’s teenagers define dating?
And it’s hard to know what dating rules to establish since dating etiquette has changed so much.
While technology has definitely contributed to a more casual approach to dating and today’s teen hook-up culture gets a lot of hype, this generation still values relationships. They still have boyfriends and girlfriends and while they are still having sex, there’s actually been a decrease in teens who say they are sexually active.
They also still value their parents advice, even though it doesn’t always feel that way. Your teenage daughters and teenage sons want you to talk with them about dating, relationships and yes even S-E-X. While scary, it is also a privilege if you’re willing to get past the initial awkwardness of it all.