It actually happened. Your daughter or son have decided they want to start dating. It was never easy, and I struggled with wanting to be honest with my parents but also gaining some independence for myself.
As a parent, you want your teen to be equipped with the right tools to navigate through the ups and downs of relationships. From a Christian perspective, relationships leading to marriage are viewed as a sacred bond between two people who share their lives with each other in a loving, caring, and respectful manner. However, with the rise of technology and social media, the definition of relationships has changed, and many teens are struggling to find their way.
Here are some tips to help you get started:. Be honest with yourself and them As much as you may want to ignore it, your teen is going through changes that will change the ways they see the opposite gender. The culture around them will bombard them with messages about sex and dating, from the movies they watch, to the games they play to the conversations they have with their friends.
Start with the basics Before diving into more complex topics, start with the basics. Talk to your teen about what love is and how it is demonstrated in relationships. Explain how love should be unconditional, forgiving, and selfless. The Bible gives us one of the best ways to describe relationship health in 1 Corinthians Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Teens will pick up on how you treat your spouse, friends, and other family and often that will teach them more than what you say.
