Welcome to the DAD.Info forum: We are not open to new posts at this time
Our forum aims to provide support and guidance where it can, however we may not always have the answer. The forum is not moderated 24 hours a day, so If you – or someone you know – are being harmed or in immediate danger of being harmed, call the police on 999.
Alternatively, if you are in crisis, please call Samaritans on 116 123.
If you are worried about you or someone you know is at risk of harm, please click here: How we can help
It seems that our kids are starting to date younger than we ever did. What role should a father play in developing appropriate boundaries and attitudes ?
Quite often they start dating before a father thinks they are ready (especially with daughters), when will they be ready - when they are 30 if you ask most dads 😆
To me fathers need to talk to their children early about dating - you were after all a "lad" once! and can see any dangers that may occur.
There is so much peer pressure to conform, the biggest laugh of all ( and one that does not become clear until you are older) is that most of their mates are "all mouth and no trousers" - by that I mean they say that they have gone on a date or to "1st base" when really they are as terrified as your child.
It has been documented that the more attentive the dad — and the more he knows about his teenage child's friends — the bigger the impact on the teen's sexual behaviour, While an involved mother can also help stave off a teen’s sexual activity, dads have twice the influence.
Give us your views
mags
I'm through this with some of mine. My son is 21, and I haven't any worries about him. My daughter is now 18, and started dating just before she was 17. The first time she asked if she could stay over with a boy caught me by surprise, so I said no, but then the following day has a chat with her and said that if she asked again, I would agree, as long as she was careful - I'd rather that I knew about what was going on rather than pretending it wasn't happening. She seems to be careful who she goes out with, and I like them when I meet them.
- Samaritans – call 116 123
- Shout – text the word ‘Shout’ to 85258
