Is there a “right” age for your child to start dating?

THE question was feared, And My girl expected patiently For her answer. She was ten years old. I can to have had A heart attack. After A moment has calm myself, I First of all request Why She was ask And was immediately relieved that She was not of THE mindset has to start dating but that her friend In 4th grade had just announcement She had A boyfriend. In addition has that, She recalled Me that her cousin had has been said She had has be sixteen Before She could date.

My answer was has ask her THE even questions. "How old TO DO You think You should be Before You to start dating?"

She opted For THE typical sixteen, probably because that seems has be A standard In a lot families were around. Fast Before, And she is GOOD on her path has be fifteen, SO hypothetically, were only about A year And A half far Since THE Magic dating age of sixteen. We had A similar conversation THE other day; only I initiated that.

"SO, are You going has to start dating When You are sixteen?"

She look at has Me In shock that I request And SO answered, "For what waste My time?"

After I obtained do TO DO My secret happy dance In THE kitchen And launch broken spaghetti noodles as of Fortune confetti, I accomplished that was A interesting answer For A teenager girl has give. I called her back In And request her Why shed reacted that way.

"GOOD, It is not as I am going has get married When I am sixteen. Not has mention, THE entire dating thing seems has destroy friendships, And Identifier instead not TO DO that When There is No END game has dating. I will wait until I am older. As maybe eighteen. When I can to start thought about THE in the long term."

He was all SO practical And nonchalant; not THE atypical teenager. SO I will take he. But that brought Me has My indicate. If You request Me Today how old My girl needs has be Before I am comfortable with her dating, Identifier say She can TO DO up her own spirit has This indicate going Before. But It is Also because she is watch A outstanding And, I believe, God given Rising of maturity When weighing THE benefits And the inconvenients of dating as A teenager. Her motivations For dating are not Status, competition, emotional tops, Or hormonal impulses. RIGHT NOW, anyway, her motivations For dating are has find someone WHO actions her values, heart, And faith And has A END game In spirit.

SO What East he about THE Magic age of sixteen? I think We have landed on to apply A age has dating because he sets expectations And, In A path, given We, as parents, A out For THE younger years. Sixteen East THE age has which children to start has to drive, often to start be employee more regularly, And to start essay THE waters more seriously For adulthood. I could TO DO THE argument that, base on those pressures alone, add A relationship And dating East THE Perfect reason Why sixteen East simply Also young has date. But I I won't do it.

Instead, THE argument Identifier as has do - or instead THE challenge Identifier as has put out there For parents - is has avoid THE Magic age of Nothing For dating. There is A plot that go In teenager relationships. Must I list THE pressures? Physical affection, peer pressure, Boy girl dating drama In high school, THE added elements of social media, Pictures, send text messages, And the rumor, etc. It is A plot has process as your brain East always development In adulthood. And Really, What East THE END game of A teenager dating relationship? I have known two sets of high school Dear In My lifetime that obtained married. It is not A strong statistical For A long term probability of loyalty.

That be said, A parent can argue that teenager dating East For learning how has interact with THE opposite gender In A relationship construction. They can say teenager dating is not it supposed has be For court Or marriage, but instead, It is just For amusing, socialization, And THE learning experience. And You could be RIGHT. I am not here has argue For Or against teenager dating but instead has help We determine THE RIGHT age has to start dating.

SO, as parents, let's go ask ourselves these questions instead:

Do My child to have A track save of integrity And self-control?

Do My child to have enough self esteem has say "No" When It is necessary And has stay up For themselves In THE event of abuse, intimidation, And SO lit?

Do My child respect themselves enough has be content as their own individual, Or TO DO they example A more needy personality that rests on another person For their satisfaction, happiness, And self-esteem?

Do My child to have THE means has refuse their own emotional impulses?

Do My child to have THE ability has together in good health limits?

Do My child to have A clear idea of What they to want And need In A boyfriend/girlfriend?

And THE list of questions go on. I realize a few of We are while reading that list And thought, "I am not Of course I even fill THE appropriate answer has those questions!”

The bridle lies My indicate. Dating...