Teen relationships aren’t the most entertaining topic to speak about because of the same speech about “kids shouldn’t date young” and that “teenagers aren’t mature enough.” This isn’t wrong, because teenagers are basically hormonal and emotional creatures; however, sometimes it is important for teens to experience things such as dating.
Dating isn’t this monstrous beast that always ends up in heartbreak and manipulation as people make it seem. It’s something that can improve one’s self-esteem, help build social skills, and help develop happiness. Teenagers are in their prime and they are also in school. Schools which are typically filled with drama, lies, and tons of work which can be draining for most anybody. This is on top of their already “internal issues” and out-of-school problems.
Teenagers need someone to love them in a different way than a friend or parent can, no matter how the relationship ends up afterward. They need support, love, and care and it is important for teens to understand how relationships work now in their teen years than in their late twenties. It is also an important way for teens to learn from their mistakes and to know who they can and cannot trust, which is a good life skill to have, especially in the workplace.
For whoever is reading, whether you’re a parent, a teacher, or even a teenager themselves, the number one rule of dating is to make sure to know who you/they are dating. Now I don’t mean it literally, of course we all know who we are dating, that’s why we got into the relationship in the first place. But what I mean is to make sure this person is a genuine, good individual.
According to “2022 Social Media Kidnapping Statistics”, by “Screen & Reveal” the article stated, “In 2022, there were 365,348 reports of missing children, according to the FBI. Though this sounds like a very high number of missing children for one year, it should be noted that a lot of these cases are resolved as ‘runaways’ who often return home. While the FBI has not provided separate social media kidnapping statistics, the Bureau has described several cases of kidnapping where the criminals first contacted their victims on social media apps and subsequently abducted them.”
Knowing who you are dating is important; it’s going to prevent a lot of issues in the future, including potentially life-threatening ones. Nobody wants to date a person who has a bad streak with authorities, teachers, and their own parents, because if they have a bad record with them, best believe you aren’t too far off from them having a bad record with you. This is why parents should have boundaries on who their teens date.
Yes, I said it. Your parents should be all up in that relationship, guiding you in the right direction.
According to “I’ve met someone special: Talking with teens about dating” by “The University of Minnesota Extension”, it states, “Teens mature physically long before they are fully mature socially and understand adult issues. Those include the emotions involved in an intimate relationship. This is why parents should be ready to help teens set guidelines on when they are ready to date. They also should help teens understand when a relationship is getting too intense or unhealthy.”
Teenagers are emotional and sometimes they just need some reassurance that they are going to be okay. This allows a teenager to know that they have someone who is there for them even when situations get worse. Overhearing teenagers who speak about their relationships on a daily basis here at Santaluces is a fascinating experience because these children really have no one to talk to. We have guidance counselors, but they aren’t enough.
No matter what a teenager may go through in a relationship or in anything at all, all you need to do as a friend, teacher, or parent, is listen to them.
