CAUTION, COMMON SENSE AND COMMUNICATION HELPS TO UNTANGLE A WEB OF LIES, DECIENT AND DANGER… BUT IT’S UP TO YOU TO READ & HEED! Dating is fun and 21st century kids are hooking up with the opposite sex for friendship, romance, and physical experimentation in greater numbers and at a far younger age than ever before. New technology such as Internet Chat and phone text messaging makes contact between young people so much easier, more discreet, and in many ways so much more sensible than for earlier generations. Teenagers in a Technological Age. The multi media world makes it easy for young people to take adult emotional and physical risks that can put their health and even their lives in danger, and threatens their educational and financial futures. It may be a great adventure for the kids, but its a nightmare for responsible parents. Television, magazines and the Internet encourage children to grow up earlier. Television soaps and some movies create the illusion of a jet speed world in which relationships are as disposable and interchangeable as clothes. Traditional cautions have been blown away by television, a permissive society, the pill and the decline of religious observance. The Compromise Between Parents and Children. Parents and Teenagers need to meet on common ground to parlay and not to battle. It should be a place for mutual respect, the sharing of views and the freedom to think (by both sides). To the Parents: Teenage flirting and teenage dating is as inevitable as the sun rising tomorrow and no amount of rules, shouting or threats are going to change the way your teen feels. You should also recognize that your kids will know much more about love, sex and relationships than you believe, and in many cases are better equipped to deal with the situation than you were at their age.
Your respect and level headed advice will be much more valuable than aggression or denial. To the Kids: Yes, its a new world and it belongs to the young. But most parents do actually know what it is like to be in love, to date, to grapple with the complexities of sexual relationships and the heartbreak of faithless or false promises. Some parents have experienced horrors they would never want visited on their children. They are probably instinctively aware of the safety issues in relationships in the same way that in earlier years they saw the dangers of swimming pools, hot stoves and stairways. Remember that one day you will be parents and face the same issues with your own children. So give mum and dad a break and listen - even if you pretend not to. Dating for Fun The teenage years are a time for shared experiences, enjoyable group activities, and the joys of slowly growing up and learning the wonders of love and intimacy. So many mistakes can be made which can ruin lives including disease, violence, rape, introduction to drugs and alcohol, and pregnancy. Some of these things happen because of a moment’s weakness or not thinking ahead. Unfortunately, much of this may be traced to Internet and Text dating in future years so now is a good time for teenagers themselves to decide what they want and to regulate their own environments. Most teenagers are informed enough and smart enough to do that now, so take the time to be in control of your love life from an early age. Some big and legitimate Internet companies are successfully providing safe and largely wholesome sites for teens and these are the right place to develop online relationships. Music, video, blogs and shared thoughts
DANGER LURKS AND LAYS WHERE OUR CHILDREN PLAY
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