What do you think is the point of teen dating?

I have seen young people as young as 11 dating. As they are so young, and probably don't know what love truly is yet, it is incredibly unlikely that the relationship would last. What do you think therefore is the point of dating anybody as a young teenager, say at 13? Surely, the purpose of going out with somebody is to build a potentially stable relationship?

I'm just curious- please post your opinions :smile:

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Reply 1

Pafeetus

11

There is no "point".

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Reply 2

Joe2Jonas

16

As a muslim girl its against my culture to date. However, I ended up having a boyfriend at the age of 13 and well it wasn't love at all lol but did made me realise how as in any realtionship you have to have trust and support each other. I dated this boy for 9 months and he broke up with me on MSN while he was on holiday.

So its pointless to date someone at that young age but even though the "relationship" I had wasn't love it kinda off opened my eyes to what a realtionship really is about.

This probably doesn't make sense because I am hardly having much sleep due these exams.

Reply 3

DeceitfulDove

19

Just like little children copy their mothers' actions like ironing or looking after a baby with their dolls, dating is a way to feel like a 'grown up' and is a transition to adult life. It's also just fun and natural Also, I got with my boyfriend at 14 and we're still together now I'm 22 he's now 25. So that was not a pointless relationship. The statistics showing how many people end up with their childhood sweetheart are reeeally high.

Sex.

Original post by JennaEmBee

Just like little children copy their mothers' actions like ironing or looking after a baby with their dolls, dating is a way to feel like a 'grown up' and is a transition to adult life. It's also just fun and natural Also, I got with my boyfriend at 14 and we're still together now I'm 22 he's now 25. So that was not a pointless relationship. The statistics showing how many people end up with their childhood sweetheart are reeeally high.

Natural?

Reply 6

Millie228

9

There is no point. Of course everybody wants to go on dates, experience romance and eventually have sex. But I have never had an LTR, I see no reason to commit to someone monogamously unless I know it will be long term, i.e. ending in marriage. I have dated a couple of guys 3-4 months, but I cut it off when I realized they weren't "the one". Now I am 22 so I don't waste time with guys I know I'll never end up with. I didn't at 17 either, it would just be a fling. Up to the age of 16/17, I only focused on school.
Serial monogamy do more harm than good, it is not beneficial to emotionally attach yourself to someone and then withdraw over and over again. That's how people become cynical. Whatever's not permanent is temporary.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 7

Ilovechocolate09

9

There isnt a point, all the young kids do it just for fun really

Reply 8

dreadpiraterach

13

Hormones start to kick in and crushes develop, so I suppose if you're lucky enough to have your feelings returned by the person you like, you might as well date them. I didn't have a relationship until I was 16 but plenty of my friends went out with people in Year 8/9/10 and they seemed to be having fun, even though the relationships never lasted more than a few months.

I also think that at that age you're less likely to focus on your studies and use that as a reason not to date, and you're more concerned about what people think about you- there are some people who genuinely like each other but others who only go out with each other because it's "cool" to have a boyfriend/girlfriend and they worry that they're (insert age here) and haven't had their first kiss yet, etc. In a way, it gives young adolescents a vague idea about what it's like to be in a relationship- it helps them to develop their own ideas about what is and isn't acceptable in a relationship in terms of what would be considered as "cheating", how often couples should spend time together, etc.

Reply 9

Dirac Delta Function

14

Original post by Joe2Jonas

As a muslim girl its against my culture to date. However, I ended up having a boyfriend at the age of 13 and well it wasn't love at all lol but did made me realise how as in any realtionship you have to have trust and support each other. I dated this boy for 9 months and he broke up with me on MSN while he was on holiday.

So its pointless to date someone at that young age but even though the "relationship" I had wasn't love it kinda off opened my eyes to what a realtionship really is about.

This probably doesn't make sense because I am hardly having much sleep due these exams.

Experience I guess.

teen screwing.

I guess to look mature as well as making their little friends jealous.

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Reply 13

Eljamaispa

17

Original post by Aspiring Medic 7

I have seen young people as young as 11 dating. As they are so young, and probably don't know what love truly is yet, it is incredibly unlikely that the relationship would last. What do you think therefore is the point of dating anybody as a young teenager, say at 13? Surely, the purpose of going out with somebody is to build a potentially stable relationship?

I'm just curious- please post your opinions :smile:

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Experience. And it's natural to have sexual urges at that age. Attraction is natural. The point of relations isn't to find the one and settle down. That's a social construct.

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Reply 14

kunoichi

20

For fun?

Also the experience helps, i doubt my current relationship would be going so well without me having made and learnt from mistakes in my previous ones.

Reply 15

Aoide

11

Lack of "real" love as a mature adult would see it doesn't mean there isn't some kind of feeling there. Childish crushes might not be as important as real love but it makes sense as motivation to be in a relationship. A lot of it is also a matter of copying adults which is a natural behaviour for children. Its also a way of transitioning and learning some of what it is like to be in a relationship without all the major difficulties that come with adult relationships. If people suddenly started feeling he desire to enter relationships aged 18 they would find it more difficult because they not only would have to deal with completely new social situations and expectations but all the responsibility that comes with real relationships. By having childish relationships they gradually get used to it.

Reply 16

M1011

19

Original post by Iron Lady

Natural?

I find this amusing. Are you implying it isn't natural? What's that thing that happens somewhere around the age of 9-12 called again? Of course it's natural. You can question whether it is acceptable in today's society, but to say it isn't natural for teens to be attracted to each other is just idiotic.

Reply 17

wildbluesun

11

Well when you're a kid, like 13 - 16, you're just doing it because you want to, out of curiosity, because you think it might be fun, and also - sexytimes. (Hopefully more at the 16 end than the 13 end...) I think a lot of younger teenagers are really idealistic too and have all these Disneyfied ideas about meeting their true love and staying with them forever, and confuse hormones/lust for love.

I think it is a valuable experience though, because you start to learn what you want out of a relationship, how to resolve relationship-based conflicts, you get some experience starting and ending relationships and can learn what kind of set up works for you. I think it's useful to have a couple of casual, shorter-term relationships that allow you to learn how to take on the boyfriend/girlfriend role while you're still living at home in relative security, rather than having your first experience with relationships being with someone who expects you to eventually move in and have babies with them.

Reply 18

bottled

12

Original post by JennaEmBee

Just like little children copy their mothers' actions like ironing or looking after a baby with their dolls, dating is a way to feel like a 'grown up' and is a transition to adult life. It's also just fun and natural Also, I got with my boyfriend at 14 and we're still together now I'm 22 he's now 25. So that was not a pointless relationship. The statistics showing how many people end up with their childhood sweetheart are reeeally high.

Your case isn't a common occurrence though. I can literally count so many break ups within a few months. More people break up at that age then stay together and get married