Saturday, December 3, 2011

Kiddie Dating

Does anyone else have a problem with 11 year olds "dating"? Am I really that old fashioned?

They just grow up so fast these days and I see no need to push them. Let them enjoy their childhood. The last thing these kids need is more pressure.

It is entirely possible that I was creeping on a social networking site when I came across a humble brag by another 5th grade mom about her son going to the movies with his girlfriend. I just want to grab her by the shoulders, shake her and yell WHY? WHY? WHY? At this age their relationships are complicated, competitive and changeable. They are trying to figure out who they are. Why push them into relationships they aren't mature enough to handle?

Also if kids start dating at 11 what do they have to look forward to? If they are going to the movies and holding hands in the backseat of cars at this age what will they be doing at 14? 15? 16?

I fully encourage friendships between males and females at all ages. But sending them out on movie dates? posting about your son's girlfriend? To me it's just a recipe for disaster.

What do you think?

2 comments:

JoAnna said...

I can't agree more! I listened to a mother of a 13 year old talking about him going to the movies with his girlfriend and how much it would cost and who would pay and how every time she sends her kid out the door, it's $20 here, $20 there and paying for the girlfriend, etc. REALLY? I wasn't even allowed to look at boys when I was 13, let alone sit in a movie theater!!

Kerstin said...

I'm with you on that one for sure!
My son is 10 and he "likes" a girl, but there is no talk of dating! He says they just hang out in school, and we leave it at that.

My daughter is 14 and a boy asked her if she wanted to be his girlfriend at a school dance and she said yes because her friends "encouraged" her, but she dumped him the next day and said she just wants to be friends and he said "fine" :) (OMG thank you thank you thank you for my almost 15 yo daughter not dating yet!)