Dating Tips for Teens

Tell about your date to your parents. Your parents should know, that you are going on a date, even if you're terrified of their reaction. You parents need to approve your dating, otherwise you might have lots of problems later. And when you're going on a date, don't forget to take your cell phone and leave the phone number of your cutie to your parents. Anything can happen, and you should be able to contact each other.

Avoid drugs and alcohol. It might be hard to resist if your cutie offers you a glass of beer or some drugs, but you should never take them. Drugs and alcohol will influence on your ability to take smart decisions and stay safe during the date. Always keep an eye on your glass! Many teens are sexually assaulted after someone slips a bit of sedative drug. So if you want to be safe, then don't drink any alcohol on your date.

Set boundaries. Setting boundaries is the key to successful and healthy relations. So if someone is pressing you to participate in something that you don't want to, you don't have to. If you partner really respects you, they will back off, but if you see that the pressure is getting stronger, then get yourself out of this situation and end the relationship.

Wait for a few dates and then move further. The first dates shouldn't be too intimate, that's why try to see your cutie in a company. Yes, becoming friends before you start dating is no fun, but this way you will find out, how this person goes along with others and you will get the clues about what to expect from them. You can spend some time alone with your cutie only after a few dates and setting ground rules for this time. In case the person you seeing wants to stroll in an empty park or make out in a car, don't be afraid to say no. It's your choice and your boundaries, remember?

Don't make your boyfriend too important. It's not likely that you will spend the rest of your life with someone, who you date during the middle or high school. You might date for a week or month, and the relationships will be over. So don't make your boyfriend too important and never forget about your friends and your hobbies. Nobody wants you to end up with a broken heart and one less friend.

Keep the signs of dating violence in mind. Many teens get into trouble while dating, because they don't know the signs of relationship abuse. In case your boyfriend is extra charming at first, then you should look for these signs of abusive relationships: angry outbursts, cruelty toward animals or children, blaming others for problems, trying to control you, isolating you from friends and family, threatening to hurt you, extreme jealousy for no reasons.