- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- twins today articles
- twins today q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Going Out?
What to Expect When Young Teens Start Dating
By Gina Roberts-Grey, LCSW
As a parent, you need to be aware. Once again, welcoming communication with your child is key.
Although our children relish feeling independent, they often rely on a support network when dating. Conspiring to set-up her best friend with her boyfriend's best friend is a natural process. Although young teens think they're ready to have a relationship and share their lives with a partner, their subconscious tells them otherwise.
Needing the reassurance that friends provide, most teen couples can be found among groups, taking in a movie or hanging out in the mall. While this seemingly perfect plan offers children the chance to multi-task and spend time with friends and heart throbs at the same time, it can also backfire.
A teen whose best friend does not share his affection or affinity for his girlfriend can find himself in an uncomfortable predicament. The pressure of having to choose between spending time with his friend or girlfriend is tough for children. Guiding him to balance spending quality time with everyone important to him, while following his instincts and taking time for himself, helps teach your child how to preserve the different relationships in his life.
As parents, we know all too well that children will nurse broken hearts and wounded egos on the path to true love. Understanding what they experience upon initially starting this journey helps you prepare them for the many bumps in the road of dating.
