Teenage Dating Tips
You May Want to Consider

• Parents - give your teenager a little break.  If you raised them right and instilled strong family values and sound relationship advice, he/she will make the right choices.

• Teens - lighten up and cut your parents some slack.  Although they might seem a little dorky now, remember that they have your best interest at heart AND have been through what you have been through.  Who else is going to look out for you like they are.

• Believe it or not gals and guys, your date is just as awkward as you are, no matter how cool they seem to be on the outside.

• Teenage dating is so often about the desire for sex, that so few of us, as teenagers, actually think about our partner as a person.

• Our advice is to chill on the sex talk and focus on building a relationship.

• Teenagers tend to word poor personals adverts.

• Their dating profiles tend to be short and they can't make them longer because they "can't think what to say".

• Know what is good and what is less good about yourself and yourself...and show the good side.

• Do not upset or offend your date's parents.

• Dress well. Jeans with the backside hanging out do not give a parent confidence that their little Sam or Samantha is going to be taken care of properly.

• Get your date back home on time.

• Realize that, while sex may be on your mind, friendship is the best thing to build.

• Talk to them about them...and listen to their answers.

• Low cost dates are fine. Nobody needs a 5 course meal for a date. The Bowling Alley is acceptable...and can be fun.

• SMS (text message) your date afterwards: "I had a lovely time. Can we do it again?" Do it about 10-15 minutes after you part. Do not forget. Don't do it in "textese", do it in full words.

• As a young person, dating has unique challenges.

• Teenage dating should be a fun adventure without getting you into unpleasant situations.

• Although many teens (maybe you?) think they know everything there is to know, dating is something that even most mature adults haven’t mastered.

• Always, always go to the door when picking up your date.

• Greet her parents with respect and let them know when you’ll have her home.

• If there is a curfew for the young woman, make sure you get her back on time or a bit early.

• Parents have a big say in whether a girl can go out with you again.

• Don’t defy your parents if they say you have to be home at a certain time.

• If you want to negotiate this after a few dates, that’s fine.  If your date has made a good impression on your folks, you’ll be in a better position to negotiate based on trust.

• One-on-one dates are great, but don’t exclude group activities after your first few dates.

• First, you may risk ending up with friends who resent your girlfriend or boyfriend. Second, it’s important that anyone you date be comfortable with your friends or it won’t last long.

• Yes, your parents have told you this time and time again. But we're repeating it here too.

• Becoming physically intimate in any way will inevitably lead to complications.

• If and when the relationship ends, the hurt feelings and betrayal will feel much deeper and you may regret what you’ve done.

• Don’t use overkill to make sure he/she is interested.

• If you start calling several times a day (or a zillion text messages) you will sound like you’re desperate or a stalker. Neither one is attractive or intriguing.