11 Important Tips On Teen Dating
1 ACCEPT THAT DATING IS NORMAL Whatever your parents think, teen
dating is normal. You cannot learn everything that you need to
know in a classroom situation. You will have experienced some
interaction about family life at home, but it is important that
you develop your skills, in situation where you have to give and
take.
2. LEARN WHEN TO COMPROMISE AND WHEN TO BE ASSERTIVE Sometimes
You need to make your views very clear to communicate what you
mean. However there are instances when your partner will not
agree with you. Then the art of compromise has to be learned. If
you want to go and see a movie, and your partner really does
not, make it clear that it's important to you to see this
because, and state the reasons. Offer to go and do something
that your partner wants to do and something that does not really
appeal to you. Negotiate a compromise.
3.PRACTISE YOUR DATING SKILLS. You are practising to find the
right guy or the right girl. accept that your first date is not
going to necessarily turn into marriage. If you mess up stand
back and ask yourself why it went wrong. Be practical about this
don't beat yourself up about it, just try and learn from your
mistakes. Non of us are perfect, and we can never attain it, but
there are certain social skills that we all need to learn.
Interacting successfully with the opposite sex is one of them
4. DON'T PUT WITH ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS Jealousy is about the
most destructive force in a relationship. It manifests itself by
someone wanting to know where you are every minute of the day.
For part of the time you are going to have to be accountable,
but you are single - you do not have to account for every single
second in the day. It may be that your partner wants to restrict
the people you speak to. You need your space, and your partner
needs to respect that fact, as you have to respect their space.
5. DATING IS ABOUT INTERACTION NOT CONTROL Don't let someone
control you by not taking into account your opinions. If someone
is telling you what to think, and what to do, then they are
being a control freak. Eventually you will want to break free of
this. It may take 6 weeks or 6 months, but eventually it is
inevitable. So it is better not to put up with that behavior at
all. You may think that person really cares for me, but it's not
caring it's insecurity. Being young is an insecure time for
everyone, but forcing someone to do something against their will
is a type of abuse, and should not be tolerated.
6. DON'T EVER APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR PARTNER'S BEHAVIOR. Everyone
behaves badly at certain times, but you should never apologize
to anyone, about your partner's actions, or about something they
have said. Your partner has to take responsibility for their
actions. If they are not prepared to do this and you feel
uncomfortable, now is the time to think about ending the
realationship.
7. DON'T DATE SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT
YOURSELF. If you do not feel good when you with someone else
there is no point in being with them. You need to feel
appreciated and wanted as a person and make your partner feel
the same. Flattery will get you everywhere, tell your date that
you appreciate the fact they have made themselves look good to
go out with you.
8.DON'T FEEL THAT CLINGING TO SOMEONE WILL MAKE THE RELATIONSHIP
WORK. Again people want to be valued as a person and not a
crutch to prop up someone else's ego. Everyone need their ego
stroked, but by being emotionally dependant on someone you are
denying yourself a chance to grow into your own very unique
personality.
9. VALUE YOUR DATE AS A REAL THINKING INDEPENDANT HUMAN BEING.
Looks come into the equation when there's a chemistry between
you, but don't lose sight of the fact that the person is
important as well. Relationships based on looks alone do not
tend to last. You have to value your date as a person.
10 DON'T BE HYPERCRITICAL OF YOUR PARTNER. It is good to tell
your date when they do something that you're not comfortable
with. However if you are always criticising them,they are going
to wonder what they are doing seeing you.
11. HAVE FUN AND ENJOY YOURSELF. Dating is not running a
marathon, it is about fun and enjoying someone else's company.