what is your opinion of teenage/children dating

[Yellowhappysun]

datings good. gives you something to care about.

[MoopToThePowerOfQ]

im 15, so yes

what else is there to do when your 15

[Flyleef]

I think it's alright. No harm in it except Peer Pressure, STDs, and Pregnancies.

[MixMasterLar]

No harm in it except Peer Pressure, STDs, and Pregnancies.

=/

Im agaisnt it. I dont see why children should date at all. Teens need to be extremly mature to handle it IMO, the risk are there. I'll say 18/19 is a good age to think about IF you plan on keeping the outing mature enough that you dont run into the problems listed above in the quote.

[devonin]

I feel incredibly sad for the emotional growth of people who have no romantic relationships until they are 18. They are going to be stunted in arguably the most important method of emotional growth to live a good and fulfilling life.

[tha07carter]

.....this thread is something interesting. I can't believe it actually was posted as a 5-Star thread. First off, to the 15 year old who started this thread, I'm very sorry for you; obviously you've either not been interested in a relationship, or you're openly letting your peers know "Hey! Don't ever consider me for a relationship, I'm not mature enough yet! Wait until I'm 30!"

Me and my girlfriend have been together for 3 years. We've had our ups and downs, shared tons of memories, I feel like I've actually matured simply from being in this relationship. I do stupid things, she lets me know, and likewise with her. That's how you learn.

However, dating for kids? I don't think that's too good. It's distracting for them from school and all that good stuff, but once you hit your teens, it's all good.

[devonin]

Originally Posted by tha07carter

.....this thread is something interesting. I can't believe it actually was posted as a 5-Star thread.

If nobody rates the thread, the first rating it gets is what is displayed. Clearly someone felt the need to rate it as a 5 star thread. If that's not accurate, you can just rate it what you think is more appropriate and it will level out. Criticizing the rating doesn't actually add anything to the topic at hand.

First off, to the 15 year old who started this thread, I'm very sorry for you; obviously you've either not been interested in a relationship, or you're openly letting your peers know "Hey! Don't ever consider me for a relationship, I'm not mature enough yet! Wait until I'm 30!"

On the contrary, I think that by stating that he hasn't fully formed his opinion yet, wants the input of his peers and those who are older and have been through his situation, and feels that dating should have a stronger emphasis on permanant relationships, he demonstrates that he is in fact more mature than a very large percentage of people his age.

Me and my girlfriend

My girlfriend and I

have been together for 3 years. We've had our ups and downs, shared tons of memories, I feel like I've actually matured simply from being in this relationship. I do stupid things, she lets me know, and likewise with her. That's how you learn.

Fair enough, the question being discussed is whether or not kids and to a lesser extent teens ought to be dating, given the impermanance of the situation. The statement is being made that by waiting until you are older and more mature and socially aware, you will be less apt to do those stupid things.

However, dating for kids? I don't think that's too good. It's distracting for them from school and all that good stuff, but once you hit your teens, it's all good.

It's all good to be distracted from the more important school years? If relationships are distracting in general, it is when you are younger that the distractions are least relevent. Being highly distracted in your senior year of highschool is a good way to not get good enough marks to go to the college of your choice, so I'm not sure I buy "When you're young the distractions are bad, but once you're a little older, go for it"

Not that I disagree with your conclusion necessarily, just the logic supporting it.

[beaner692]

I still think its funny how they blamed Columbine on video games

[Izzy-chandess]

I think that 10-year-olds dating is kinda... iffy. However, I think that once they hit their teenage years, it's not so bad. ^-^ 13 is a good age.

[Master_of_the_Faster]

Originally Posted by devonin

I feel incredibly sad for the emotional growth of people who have no romantic relationships until they are 18. They are going to be stunted in arguably the most important method of emotional growth to live a good and fulfilling life.

I feel the same way. Why suppress your emotions? I mean dating is not equal to sex, std's, drugs, pregnancies, etc. unless you interpret it so. If you are responsible, you might as well date who ever you want.

[beaner692]

early age dating is an excuse for kissing and such, but theres nothing wrong with that

I wouldn't say your gonna marry someone you went out with in 6th grade though

[Cenright]

First Devonin, looking at even your first two post here, you make younger dating sound like a bad idea. I do agree with greek, that someone who starts down that road at such an early age is bound to deal with more trouble than is needed. You speak of being immature as a kid, but in many ways, since your world grows so large in your teenage years, you maturity hasn't grown enough to meet the demand.

As Guido said, for most people it IS only practice for later in life, yet that practice is based on how you would do things as a teenager, not as an adult, so really, much of that so-called 'practice' is going in the wrong direction. You become an adult, and only then do you see your mistakes so clearly, even though as a teen, you wouldn't have thought of those actions as such.

A teenager has hormones to understand first. One shouldn't add dating as an extra problem on their plate, especially since the main reason for dating, finding a spouse, doesn't even cross their mind. They are playing the game, even though they threw out the reason for the game.

[devonin]

Originally Posted by Cenright

First Devonin, looking at even your first two post here, you make younger dating sound like a bad idea. I do agree with greek, that someone who starts down that road at such an early age is bound to deal with more trouble than is needed. You speak of being immature as a kid, but in many ways, since your world grows so large in your teenage years, you maturity hasn't grown enough to meet the demand.

I'm not really sure how "I started young, and turned out fine, even if in retrospect I see how immature yougn relationships were" is necessarily a condemnation of the concept. Perhaps you could point more specifically to things I said that suggested that to you?

teenager has hormones to understand first. One shouldn't add dating as an extra problem on their plate, especially since the main reason for dating, finding a spouse, doesn't even cross their mind. They are playing the game, even though they threw out the reason for the game.

I think many people would disagree, teens and adults alike, that the main reason for dating is to find a spouse. For many people, the main reason for dating is because humans enjoy romantic and intimate interaction with other humans. While there certainly is a "dating is for marriage" contingent in the world, just like there is a "sex is for procreation" contingent in the world, I think it is inaccurate to suggest that for even a majority of people, the main focus for dating is to find a spouse.

[AquaTeen]

I feel personally that dating at the teenage years is OK as long as things are mutual. If things aren't mutual and it's like one person is contributing to the relationship, odds are things will be that way in the future. I feel it's better off to date in like college or as an adult because things will be better and there is a better variety of men/ women so you have a better chance of finding the one that you'll possibly spend forever with. Teenage relationships are over rated. During your teenage years you don't know what you want and you don't know what love is but as you mature things will change. Plus, in your teenage years your relationships possibly won't last forever but in college or as an adult, odds of your relationship leading to marriage is a lot higher.

[devonin]

You say that like any relationship that is perhaps not even -intended- to "end in marriage" or "last forever" is a bad thing.

[fido123]

I see a lot of people who date just for the attention or popularity they receive from it, however I don't think everybody is like this. I personally look for a relationship that is intended to last forever, otherwise I just see myself getting hurt later on and it being generally a waste of time. Although the chances are slim that every relationship you get into will be one you'll have forever, you'll never find that one person unless you try. I honestly don't really even care that much about sex as I feel it's incomparable to the actual love for a person, but sex is what 99% of people my age are looking for, especially of my orientation. So in short, there are some people I feel like are ready for dating, but most aren't but you'll never even get that experience unless you play the field a little right? Just make sure it doesn't screw up your life.

[devonin]

But what if your explicit intention in dating in your younger years is simply for companionship and/or physical intimacy. If both people feel the same way, is there anything 'wrong' with that? I think if you ask most freshmen or sophomores that are dating whether they have ANY intention of marrying their partner, the overwhelming majority would say no. (Or at least, would say no out of earshot of their partner)

Dating when you're younger is done for its own sake.

[fido123]

Originally Posted by devonin

But what if your explicit intention in dating in your younger years is simply for companionship and/or physical intimacy. If both people feel the same way, is there anything 'wrong' with that? I think if you ask most freshmen or sophomores that are dating whether they have ANY intention of marrying their partner, the overwhelming majority would say no. (Or at least, would say no out of earshot of their partner)

Dating when you're younger is done for its own sake.

I don't think anything is wrong with it, however my own morals say otherwise but that's not the same set of morals everybody shares. I just personally feel physical intimacy would for one be more enjoyable if the both loved each other, and doesn't degrade it for when you do decide to have it with somebody you love. Then again I'm a virgin so I don't have much ground to talk.

[Lipidman]

Originally Posted by devonin

I feel incredibly sad for the emotional growth of people who have no romantic relationships until they are 18. They are going to be stunted in arguably the most important method of emotional growth to live a good and fulfilling life.

Don't feel sad for us. Our emtional growth is not sustained via only one source. Said one source is also not as detrimental to our life as you seem to exaggerate.

/late response

[devonin]

You'll note that I said arguably, and not, say, proven. I think that you can make a -very- good argument that romantic relationships are among the most significant emotional bonds that people make, and that learning what you have to give and what you need from a relationship in highschool, where the expectation is that your relationships will be largely transient or short-lived, and the consequences are much less dire, does a lot to prepare you for more long-term commitments in the future.

/late response

Only 16 months, no big.