Dear Dish-It: Desperate For A Boyfriend
Dear Dish-It,
My mom won't let me have a boyfriend until after college. I don't think it is right. I am currently IN LOVE. I don't know what to do. My cousin is two years older than me and she says I should only have a boyfriend when I am her age – that’s in two years for cryin' out loud! I can't wait that long! Should I date my love without tellin' my parents or just wait for more than 10 years to get a boyfriend? I’m very desperate to get one!
TheGirlWhoIsDesperateToGetABoyfriend or TGWIDTGAB
Dear TGWIDTGAB,
I wonder why your parents feel the way they do about dating? Have you and your parents actually sat down and discussed dating? Such a discussion would give your parents the opportunity to explain why they have concerns about dating at an early age. Such a discussion also would give you the opportunity to bring out some important points, such as the following.
1. Dating is an important part of growing up. It allows the adolescent to gain experience and social skills that actually will be helpful in avoiding risky situations in the future. You might explain that learning to deal with boys now might actually help you keep relationships appropriate.
2. Dating gives an adolescent the opportunity to form friendships with the opposite sex and to gain understanding of what boys are like. Actually, it is important to experience some of these relationships in order to make wise decisions about really important partnerships like MARRIAGE. Dating is learning how to know the difference between a not-so-good relationship and a really good (awesome) relationship that hopefully could be permanent.
3. It would be great to be able to go to mom and dad for advice during some of these dating experiences...again, preparing you for adult relationships.
4. It would be great to be able to call home for a ride if things get out of hand. This might not be possible if you have had no dating experience and start dating after you’re on your own (college or job). The best time for such discussions is before you start dating.
If you've got a burning question, need some love advice or find yourself thinking about things like sex, depression, self-esteem, boyfriends, girlfriends, best friends, bullying or peer pressure, don't hesitate to Dish-It here. Send your questions to deardish@kidzworld.com. And if you hang out in the chat rooms with other Kidzworld members who know you by your username, just send in your secret question using a different nickname if you want to stay anonymous – we promise that no one will ever know it's you. Remember: Dish-It gets a load of letters every day so it may take a while to reply to yours. Keep checking back for her reply, or watch for answered Dish-It questions that are similar to your own.
More Great Advice:
When it came to the perfect chance to ask her out, I froze up and just didn't do it... now she has a boyfriend. I feel like an idiot. I know we both want to go out with each other.
Here's your chance to listen to the brand-new album for the brand-new full-length animated Disney movie - The Princess And The Frog (in theatres December 11, 2009).
Want some Halloween party music or do you just want some beats to put you in the spirit? Here are some tunes for a ghostly evening of fun!