Dating for preteens

Your mother is smart...but your brother is smarter! I'd say...wait until your daughters are old enough to tell a boy "NO!" and mean it...and to get the respect...to have your number and her uncle on speed dial...as well as the local cops. *lol*

My husband and I have set the age for dating at 16. I have a 14 year old daughter and, thankfully, she has shown no interest in dating as yet. It's only been the last year or so when the parties started becoming co-ed, and now the guys are starting to go to the movies with the girls (well, one guy did). I don't mind the group situations but I will not let my daughter go out one-on-one with a guy, unchaperoned, until she is sixteen. It is not that I don't trust my daughter, because I do. She has her head on straight. It's the boys I don't trust. Nobody wants to see their baby get hurt physically or emotionally. Even at 16 I don't think they are old enough to make their own decisions. They are not an adult until 18. At that time they can move out and their life is their own and you can do nothing about it. I would prefer to be a part of the dating process when it starts. What I mean by that is, I want to see who these guys are, get to know them and their parents. I can't do that if my daughter has already moved out of the house. I think she needs to start dating while still at home when she still has her parents to guide her and give her advice. But eleven? That is way too young. My younger daughter will be 11 this summer and right now all she is interested in as far as boys go is playing sports with them. I do draw the line if I think something is inappropriate even if it is innocent. She has to learn early on what is right and what is wrong. Also, where are these kids going on dates at 11 years of age? Are they walking the streets alone at night? That is not safe for either of them.