When should teens start steady, one-on-one, dating?
Parents and teens disagree about when parents should allow teens to begin steady, one-on-one dating. • Eighty-seven percent of parents of teens said teens should be at least 16 before they begin steady, one-on-one dating. • Fifty-five percent of teens, however, said that 15 or younger is when kids should be allowed to begin steady dating. • Fifteen percent of teens said that steady, one-on-one dating should be allowed for those between the ages of 10 and 13. • The older the teen, the more likely they are to say that steady dating should begin later47 percent of teens age 15-17 say teens should wait until they are 16 or 17 to begin steady dating, while only 36 percent of these teens think that kids as young as 14 or 15 should be allowed to date steadily. By contrast, 44 percent of teens age 12-14 say it’s okay to begin steady dating at age 14 or 15, and only 34 percent of these younger teens think that kids should be at least 16.
