What age did you let your kids date?

[Anonymous]

My son is 15 and he told me he would like to take a girl out to dinner and a movie. I think 15 is too young to date, but my husband said he started dating at 13 (yeah right) and that I should let him go. What do you guys think?

[Anonymous]

Why not?

[Anonymous]

I think 15 is an appropriate time to start dating, for an otherwise responsible teen. Your son will be an adult in 3 years. Its best to let him start making some of these decisions for himself while he's still at home, and has you to guide him.

[Anonymous]

Group dates freshmen year of high school, driven by a parent and not another teen.

Solo dates at 16, given the driving requirements are met.

If not, still mom/dad drop off and pick up.

[Anonymous]

Let him start out with a double date. And you and your husband should know the other kids. Can they hang at your place for pizza or something?
Good for you to be questioning this, OP.

[Anonymous]

My son will be 14 in less than two months. OP I'd probably be OK with that.

[Anonymous]

16 is my goal, but I'd be flexible depending in my child's maturity, etc. I would not allow dating in middle school. A great opportunity to have a refresher convo about how to treat others, and how to be treated.

[Anonymous]

I went to the movies with a boy at the age of 12 (nearly 13). He was the same age. Was that a date? I guess so. I think 15 is fine.

[Anonymous]

My oldest will be 15 next month. I'd be fine with this, but would wonder where he's getting the money. I don't think I'd pay foe dinner and a movie. Movie maybe.

[Anonymous]

Don't you think kids should earn their date money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest will be 15 next month. I'd be fine with this, but would wonder where he's getting the money. I don't think I'd pay foe dinner and a movie. Movie maybe.

My son doesn't work, so this is something I question too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest will be 15 next month. I'd be fine with this, but would wonder where he's getting the money. I don't think I'd pay foe dinner and a movie. Movie maybe.

My son doesn't work, so this is something I question too!

Does your son get an allowance? I think by this age kids should definitely have a way of earning money, even if it's just a weekly allowance.

[Anonymous]

"let" ? they will have a boyfriend/girlfriend, or not - and it won't have anything to do with you "allowing" them to "date".

If you don't allow it, you just won't know about it. Better to know about it.

Emotionally healthy young people will have very gradual sexual exploration and age appropriate - unless there are other emotional issues involved - such as getting-back at their parents.

[Anonymous]

9:42 brings up the most important thing. If your son feels it is time to start dating, he's gonna do it one way or another regardless of what you tell him. You may be able to prevent the "dinner and a movie" date, but you can't prevent interactions at school.

So, the trick is to figure out how to tell him "yes" in a way that makes you comfortable. Personally, I think 15 is an ok age to start dating. I would want him to start with double dates or parent-supervised dates.

Dinner and a movie is kind of a big formal date. It is great that your son wants to treat his women so well, but you might suggest starting out a little smaller.

[Anonymous]

Why? I went on my first movie date at 15. It's nice that he's so traditional and open about it and being gentlemanly instead of having oral sex in his non-girlfriend's basement while he told you he was hanging out with friends.