By dating, I really mean anything that might be consider boyfriend-girlfriend.


We have a 7th grader that is interested in a boy that 15.5 years old and vice versa. He seems nice enough and does well in school. This is really the oldest boy she's been interested in so far, however she tends to be interested in boys that are 2-3 years older.

and...

A former co-worker has a son who is senior in high school and his past two girlfriends have been 13 & 14. I am surprised his parents don't object to him having girlfriends who are still in middle school (8th grade). He is a bit socially immature for a 17 year old, so maybe it is something he'll quickly out grow. Surely don't want him seeking to have girlfriends that young after high school because he'll find himself in serious legal troubles. The thing is, he is a good kid, so there is nothing about him that suggests he seeks out younger girls to take advantage of them, it is more like he is still a 13-14 year old himself, and feels more comfortable socializing with girls of that age. The idea of him having a girlfriend his own age would seem like he was dating an much older girl, yet having younger girlfriends could easily get him into an adult court with charges of having an improper relationship with an underage girl.

I would allow it but only with supervision...no alone dates for a while

Thats really complicated. lol. I would prefer that they be at the same school so the choice would be limited to 7-8 graders then high school would be freshman thur senior. Though if you child is 18 as a senior that gets a little dicey too. I agree with Fallons answer. Supervison. I always dated a guy that was 1 to 2 years older as a teenager. I didnt get my license till I was 18.

My kids aren't allowed to actually date until 16. Their "boyfriends" are all about their age and they don't date actually. They are fully supervised.

I am with Jenilouise on this one. Our kids will not be allowed to date until they are 16. It may sound old fashioned but those will be the rules.

I feel like I am alone on this a lot. I have friends with kids my age going to dances with a date!

I don't have much of a problem with no 1:1 dating until 16. The challenge is if they want to be alone together despite being told they have to wait, they will find a way, and it becomes a forbidden fruit for some kids. Some won't date until after they are 16 even if there is no such rules.

A few decades ago when I was growing up in a very rural logging town (pretty close "Coal minior daughter") there was a lot of hanky-panky going on after the sun went down. When I was in the 7th grade, one studen't parents were 14-15 years older than him; he was 3-4 years old before they were old enough to legally get married. Several girls in my class got married and\or were pregnant before they graduated high school. In all cases, they were involved with boys\men who were at least a few years older. All of this was pretty normal for that logging community at that time.

For our daughter, thankfully we don't live in that place\time. It scares me enough when a 15 year old comes by and wants to hang out with her. When I was growing up, it easily could have been a 23 year old logger looking for a future wife and if getting a girl pregnant sped up the process, then it was considered to be in gods hands.

Any time after 16 and as long as they are both 18 or under after that it dosnt matter.