Teen Dating Advice

Instructions

1. • 1
     Date someone you truly like and would like to get to know better. Look for someone who has many positive qualities, is friendly and shares some interests with you. Don’t judge potential dates on appearance alone. That hot guy could be unable to discuss anything but football and weightlifting and if those things don’t interest you, it’s going to be a long night.
   • 2
     Consider going on group dates before you advance to one-on-one dates. Group dates give you the opportunity to get to know several people without the pressure of solo dating. You might just decide that one of these guys is the type of person you would like to date exclusively.
   • 1. • 3
          Avoid dating guys who are into alcohol, drugs, cigarettes or criminal behavior. Whether you engage in these activities or not, your association with this kind of guy increases the chance that you’ll eventually get drawn into his lifestyle. What your parents told you is correct: People do judge you by the company you keep.
        • 4
          Find someone to date that you feel comfortable introducing to your parents. If you date the type of person that you have to hide from your family, that doesn’t say much for the character of your date. Follow the curfew your parents set for you. Don’t give them a reason to distrust you or your boyfriend.
        • 5
          Take it slow. You may feel a lot of pressure from your boyfriend to begin a physical relationship. There is nothing wrong with enjoying kissing and holding hands. Think long and hard before developing a sexual relationship with a guy. You may get pregnant, and while pregnancy won’t ruin your life, it will make your life a lot harder than it needs to be. You also run the risk of developing a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
        • 6
          Bring your cell phone with you on your date. Make sure you always have a means to contact your parents or a friend if you find yourself in a bad situation and need advice or a ride home.

Tips & Warnings

• The first person you date will probably not be the person that you marry. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself or your date and expect perfection. Your goal should be to have fun and get to know your date.
• Be careful when dating someone you met on the Internet. Talk to him on the telephone first and make sure that talking with him doesn’t trigger any alarms in your head. Bring a friend along for your first meeting, which should be held in a public place, not your house. Make sure your parents know that you are meeting someone you met on the Internet.