This article was written by Matt

It is a stressful, somewhat clueless practice so a few dating tips for teens can mean the difference between a great date and a reputation killer. Do not make the mistake of allowing your teen to ‘find their own way’ when it comes to dating. Instead, send them out there a mature, respectful and confident person setting the standard for their future relationship choices.

Getting the Date
Tell your teen not to worry so much about impressing someone with forced charm or wit but to approach them from their own truth. If they do not try so hard, they will get noticed. You like someone, you ask them out. Simple.

Preparation
For a male, tell them that they must have somewhere to take the girl that they think they will enjoy. Tell him to ask her if she has a favorite food or favorite genre of movie and plan from there. Tell him to shower, put on deodorant, brush his teeth and wear something flattering. If it is a female, tell her to not have high expectations and to understand that her date is also just learning his way.

Keep in Mind
A male teenager has minimal primping when it comes to getting ready so he usually does not take the enormous effort the female will go through prior to their date. He must be told that:

• She probably told all her friends and family about him
• Spent many days choosing what to wear
• Had her hair done
• Worked on her makeup for hours

As cliché as it sounds, a male teenager should pick his date up at her home and make sure to meet the parents, taking note to use a firm handshake and make strong eye contact. He is, after all, taking responsibility for their most prized possession. He should act like it.

Who Pays?
This is tricky. If he has a job or parent cash flow he should pay for the date. However, given the little money a teenager possesses, he may want to somehow throw in that they could split a movie or dinner when asking for the date.

Sex
This is even trickier. Teenager’s hormones are intense. A male should be versed on respecting a female’s body. The more innocent he can keep it, the more possibility of a lasting relationship. It sounds old fashioned but a female teenager is really only interested in good companionship and maybe a first kiss. As much as he would like to get crazy horizontal, tell him to control himself until he decides if this is a person he would like to invest in. Also, tell him to listen to her and not talk so much. Females need to talk twice as much as males.

These dating tips for teens should be added on to your own advice. Sit them down and let them know that is an important step in their lives.

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