Kids & Parenting

---

What are you doing to encourage your teen to date responsibly? If you don’t do anything, you are asking for trouble. Your teen will face many opportunities when they away from your watchful eye. Some good, some bad.. You can become the mother of a pregnant teen. Why? Because you didn’t talk to your teen about sex. You can become the mother of a drug addict. Why? Because you didn’t discuss drugs with your child. Your teen will not know what to do when offered drugs, alcohol or sex, unless you tell them

How do you promote responsible dating? Here are nine steps to consider:

1. Discuss dating early around or before your child enters junior high school.

2. Explain the basic rules. What do you consider proper dating age fo your teen and her dates? What are your expectations about group or single dating? What do you consider a proper curfew? What destinations are appropriate and which aren’t?

3. Write these rules down in a document. As your teen gets older, bring this document out and review it. Make any changes that you feel are appropriate.

4. Sit down together and talk about sex and morality. Abstinence, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, birth control and emotional issues should be included in your discussions. In addition to talking about the critical issues, open up a dialogue about your moral views.

5. Inform your teen that if she winds up in a difficult situation, you will pick her up no questions asked–whenever or wherever that might be.

6. Advise her to always carry enough cash to take a cab home and to use a pay phone in case of an emergency. Make sure your teen has the phone numbers of where you can be reached.

7. Require that your teen’s date come into the house to meet you upon arriving. Limit the conversation to small talk and friendly questions.

8. Be available to talk with your teen after the date, if she wants to. If you need to go to bed early, let your teen know that you are available to discuss her date in the morning.

9. By keeping your eyes and ears as open as possible, you can spot the first signs of trouble, such as drugs, abuse, etc.

You can’t lock your child up in her room until she is thirty, but you can help her to date more responsibly. Remember that even when your teen doesn’t appear to be listening, she still hears what you say. You are guiding factor in the choices she makes.

---

I am not in the Private Messenger. Please contact me at [email protected]

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE