What’s this week’s dating question? Let’s dive straight in…
Question: Like I mean to be honest, I’m 20 now, but I can easily remember 10 or so years ago when I was hitting the top of the Junior school. (which is the 2nd stage of schools in the UK for those in America). And by then I was easily ready to start dating, and many around me did. I don’t see what the big deal is.
Certainly only being able to start dating at 16 seems ridiculous, do you not agree? It’s part of growing up, what’s wrong with a bit of fun whilst you’re a child - or is that not allowed these days?
Answer: Parents are just being very overprotetive nowadays. I mean you hear plenty of stories of young mums living in council flats with a broken family, and their "boyfriends" doing a runner, etc, because they weren’t mature enough to handle that he had a kid.
I don’t know. I personally think if the child wants to try dating a bit, then he/she should be allowed, as long as they weren’t doing anything too stupid.
I had my first boyfriend at 14/15 and although that only lasted a month or so, I got a lot out of that experience to make my future relationships better… Depends on the individual really.
Wishing you all the best.
I don’t know. I personally think if the child wants to try dating a bit, then he/she should be allowed, as long as they weren’t doing anything too stupid.
I had my first boyfriend at 14/15 and although that only lasted a month or so, I got a lot out of that experience to make my future relationships better… Depends on the individual really.
Wishing you all the best.
I agree ! I went on a first real date when I was in Grade 8 LOL…I was 13
Perhaps your parents were old fashioned. People didn’t used to date for the hell of it. They used to court. Meaning you wouldn’t just go sleeping around with people, which is what 16 year old kids do these days. When I have kids I don’t plan on letting them date until later either. The digression in societies morals are repulsing.
Kids aren’t mature when they’re 10. They might be horny, but they’re not mature enough to maintain a real relationship.
I’m glad I chose not to date until I was a teenager. Dating when you’re not even a teenager yet really cheapens the experience.
And seriously— what are you going to do? Have your mommy drive you to dinner?
The age most people start driving is 16 as well. My guess is that parents believe that if you are old enough to drive, you are old enough to date. It may also be in an effort to help cut down on the amount of chaperoning the parent would have to do while the ‘dates’ were happening.
Well Greg, parents are just taking precautions.
Alot of people I’ve known are not virgins anymore, I guess parents are afraid of things like that. Theres nothing wrong with dating as long as you have respect for yourself and know what your doing.
My opinion only:
Many young people go through puberty at a very young age now which means that hormones are in full effect in the body. The younger someone is in a romantic relationship, the more likely they will give in to pressure or just not be able to control their impulses. I think the hope is that by 16, even though you are still young, you are more likely to have the self control to say no if you choose to and more likely to make intelligent, informed decisions regarding sexual behavior.
This is not to say that 16 year olds (and older) do not make bad decisions or make mistakes but at a point you have to let go and 16 considered a right of passage in our society.
Many times parents are not worried about their own children - they know whether or not they are mature enough emotionally to handle a relationship - they are more worried about the person you are dating and what kind of decision making ability they have.
Well, i see you are in the UK. I do not know if it is different there but here the dating while you are young is a total joke. "couples" stay together for about 2 weeks tops, and it seems like nothing good really comes from it. It is just people bad mouthing each other, and it forms divisions between classmates like crazy. I am turning 20 in a month or so, and i used to think it was cool to have a gf in high school, but now that i am a bit older i realize how much of a joke it really was. Especially now that i am in a real relationship. One where mommy doesn’t need to drive me, and i pay for stuff myself, etc. I used to think i loved a girl in highschool, i have been with my current gf for close to a girl and i realize every romantic emotion i felt in high school was a joke.