Dating is both an awkward and inspiring experience for teenagers, but they are likely to be smarter about forging a romantic relationship and stepping up their social life if they have the guidance of their parents.
If your teenager is ready for this phase, then it's time to sit together, discuss some ground rules, and establish the do's and don'ts to set the right expectations. Parents need to let their teenagers know they understand the excitement of dating and are there to help them navigate this new phase.
Here are some important dating rules parents must discuss with their teenagers:
1. Respecting the curfew.
The reason for curfews is simple enough: to create boundaries and ensure that teenagers avoid risky situations that could arise when they are still out late at night. According to Healthy Children, most adolescents will hate curfew because they feel it's about control and lack of trust, so parents need to emphasize to their teenagers that a curfew is for their own safety.
In many neighborhoods, council or city laws impose a curfew on minors. It might help to lead with this conversation and use this basis to establish the time the kids need to be home if they are out on a date.
2. Meeting the date.
Many teenagers will not love the idea of their date meeting their parents, so make it clear to your kids that you only need to be briefly introduced to each other. The introduction would be an important step, especially if your teens met their date online. It provides a safety net and lets the parents get ideas about the person out with their kids. Don't make your kids feel that this is a time for judgment, according to Our Everyday Life.
If they have gone out a few more times, consider inviting the date to hang out at home for snacks or dinner, with your teenager's approval. Creating this casual interaction will open more opportunities to learn about the other person. It will also show your kids that their parents can treat their dates warmly and cordially.
3. Informing the itinerary.
As a matter of safety, it's your right as a parent to know where they are going. Since phone batteries can die or signals can drop, ask for the name, address, or contact number of where they plan to dine or hang out during the date. Let your kids know they should contact you if they get to the venue, if their plans change, or if they are on their way back home.
Some parents set up tracking apps on their teenager's phones, which may be a highly debatable issue for other families, per the New York Times. The teenagers could feel that this is a privacy issue but if parents insist on the tracking app, it might help to discuss this with the kids first and get their permission.
After some time, parents can revisit the dating discussion with their teenagers with more serious stuff like sex, consent, assault, and violence. As difficult as this may be, parents must tell their kids that dating is not risk-free. It's just the start of a complicated life.
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