Tuesday, October 23, 2007

As my oldest child has embarked on her first year of high school and her social life is ringing off the hook, it occurs to me that I need to establish some dating guidelines for my children. These guidelines will set the tone for the two following her.

I see my role in motherhood changing and confess I feel a little daunted by the teen years I have only begun to parent through. Although this is new territory for me, I see the path is well worn ahead of me.


So I ask you,
What dating rules and guidelines should I establish for my children?
How do I distinguish a dating relationship from a friend?

7 comments:

Anne said...

How about the rule my mom used on me: you can't date until you're married.

TAG said...

I have a daughter who is a freshman in college so I feel your pain. For some good general rules I think this web page has a pretty good list from which to begin.

It might be a touch tougher for you to pull off; but, I have a friend who had 6 daughters. He always insisted any young fellow come in the house so he could meet the young man. He told me that every time a new one showed up, he would tell them "If you hurt my daughter, I will kill you."

The approach was quite unpopular with his daughters at the time. But he tells me some guys left the house without going on the date. Since all the girls are grown and married now, he says several have thanked him for scaring off the losers.

Good luck.

TAG

MarkEC said...

Tag - thanks for the link, I may use that. AM - new territory for both of us. I am hoping to keep mine on the farm, covered in dust and horse manure, hopefully that will slow the dating thing down a bit. :-)

julie said...

You will be just fine....just keep talking.

The rollercoaster? Do you feel like you are on a rollercoaster or your children are or dating will make you feel like that? What?

AM Kingsfield said...

Anne, it looks like your mother's rule worked well for you. Hhmmm

Funny web page link. I'll have to vary it to suit me.

I don't have the horse manure option.

I just have this feeling like I'm on the uphill part of the roller coaster of parenthood - perhaps because I remember what I did in those years, and I feel like gripping tight rather that lifting my hands and saying wheee!

julie said...

You are on the uphill but so far I haven't found the downhill whee part. I will let you know when I do.

Tracy said...

Uhhhh. I got nothing.