Editor’s Note: This post was written by Beverley’s daughter in 2014, when she was 17 years old. Here, she shares her views on teen dating.
Sometimes, there are moments in life when teens want to know what it feels like to be committed.
Many teenagers are interested in forming a meaningful relationship with the opposite sex. So what should parents know about dating? Is dating right, wrong, or a part of life?
Some parents believe that dating should start when a child is out of college and more mature, but like everything in life, I think that it should start earlier.
Cases for Monitored Teen Dating
Would you tell your child that he or she has to wait until he or she graduates from college to learn about managing money, budgeting, and buying a car or a house?
No.
Why? Because at that time it would be too late.
They would have to learn the hard way. If they had the habit of spending all their time in high school and college, they would continue to spend throughout their adult life.
Yes, budgeting and managing money are huge responsibilities for a teen, especially when they have to think about school. After all, a parent should think about that, but if a teen cannot learn about responsibility now while learning from their parents, they will learn the hard way.
The Struggles of Successful Women
Here is a next scenario. Successful women who are career focused cannot find a partner or have a hard time dating.
Why? Because these same ‘career-focused’ women were also focused on education in their former years and were not interested in dating. Of course, we understand the reasons why parents would be concerned that their daughters are dating in high school.
Peer pressure, teenage pregnancy and immature young boys who take advantage of their little girls, but parents may allow their daughters to begin dating in college.
College Dating
Studies show that at college age, teens are more mature and are more responsible. In high school, parents should focus on teaching their sons and daughters about the negative effects of teen pregnancy and pre-marital sex, what to look for in a partner, and how to handle situations such as break up.
At this time they are learning the theory and is not ready for dating. But as soon as they graduate, although we are not encouraging them to spend their college years looking for a boyfriend or a girlfriend, we are sure that if they ever do start dating, they are well-equipped and can apply what they have learned.
Balancing Parenting and Dating
Learning how to balance a relationship and school can help for her to balance family life and job.
If you refuse your children to have a ‘monitored’ experience now, then you would be in for a shock when they begin their adult life. The majority of teen pregnancies, abuse, and infidelity in relationships occur when parents are too strict and so their children become rebellious, or parents do not have an interest in their child’s life and so children become carefree.
Be interested in your child’s life, teach them about dating, and trust them. Adult women and men who have successful relationships today began dating in college, maintained good grades, and had parents who looked out for them.
Becoming the Oil and Wine 
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