From TODAY, Voices,
Thursday August 14, 2008
By Dr James Dobson
Views about dating differ from family to family. Some parents believe in courtship, where children are encouraged not to date until they are ready to get married. Other parents allow teenagers to date, but only after a certain age or only in groups. Some fathers would like to lock their girls up until they are 30!
However you feel about dating, it’s important that you communicate it clearly to your children. And their 16th birthday is the wrong time to do that. The groundwork needs to be laid while they are still young — before they even show an interest in the opposite sex.
Decide how you plan to approach the subject, then start talking early to your children about your feelings. Give them a clear sense of your expectations and the reasons behind this decision. Otherwise, you are setting yourself up for a lot of conflict during their teenage years.
Thursday August 14, 2008
By Dr James Dobson
Views about dating differ from family to family. Some parents believe in courtship, where children are encouraged not to date until they are ready to get married. Other parents allow teenagers to date, but only after a certain age or only in groups. Some fathers would like to lock their girls up until they are 30!
However you feel about dating, it’s important that you communicate it clearly to your children. And their 16th birthday is the wrong time to do that. The groundwork needs to be laid while they are still young — before they even show an interest in the opposite sex.
Decide how you plan to approach the subject, then start talking early to your children about your feelings. Give them a clear sense of your expectations and the reasons behind this decision. Otherwise, you are setting yourself up for a lot of conflict during their teenage years.
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