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Relationships between guys and girls can be pretty amazing.  While they’re fairly easy and natural for some, they can be pretty scary and threatening for the rest of us.  Let’s take a look at this thing called dating.

Let’s look at some ADVICE!

  1. Be Yourself! 

    2. If we say or act like someone we are NOT, then we are only lying to others and ourselves.  Who we are on the INSIDE is special and unique, and that’s what we want people to see.  Don’t try to be someone else or let someone change you because… the best us is the real us.


  2. Don’t RUSH! 

    3. Why do we feel like we have to rush into a dating relationship?  If we hurry into dating it can really tangle us up.  We can make bad decisions that will cause heartbreak or even physical consequences. 
    -What age is a good age to start dating?
    -Why should someone date?
    -What is the difference between a friend relationship and a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship?

  3. Be Truthful

    4. Trust is the glue that bonds people together.  If you aren’t able to trust a person, you definitely can’t grow together.  Remember when you enter a relationship, you are entrusting them with a lot!

    1. Your hopes and dreams
    2. Future plans
    3. Successes
    4. Insecurities and failures
    5. And even a chance to be your possible life-long mate

    That is a lot to just give anyone…make sure they have your best interests in mind first. 

  4. Be Encouraging

    5. We all remember the classic chant we used to say as kids:  “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”  It didn’t take long before we realized that the phrase didn’t tell the truth – words do hurt.  By the same token, kind words build us up – and we need the encouragement.  When we’re feeling mashed and trashed, bruised and broken, or low and slow, words that build us up are precious.   One of the greatest gifts we can give someone in a dating relationship is a strong view of him or herself. 
    Some of us – especially males – think that we have to be rude and obnoxious to be cool in relationships.  That’s just plain stupid.  Rudeness to the opposite sex is often a sign of insecurity about who we are on the inside.  As we build our character, let’s try lifting each other up rather than tearing each other down. 
    SO HOW FAR IS TOO FAR?!

  5. Set Boundaries!

    6. Once you do decide to get into a relationship you have to figure out how far you are going to go physically. Is holding hands ok? Is kissing ok? Is making out ok? When is sex ok? Go to the 9 Steps of Intimacy page and let an adult you trust help you set some of these boundaries now!

The thing is that you don’t HAVE to be in relationships right now. I mean, think about it…if you start dating at 12 (and they are all the wrong people for all the wrong reasons) and you have two bad relationships each year, that is FOURTEEN breakups before you are 18! Now that’s a LOT of drama to bring into your life! So wouldn’t it be better to have fun with your friends now and wait on those great relationships to come along when you get older?!
Really think about what these relationships cost you verses what you are getting…IS IT EVEN WORTH IT?