I have a 14-year-old daughter, only child. She is currently trying to talk me into letting her date in a couple months at 15. The only problem...the guys she is interested in are 16-17...we've all been there huh? I guess I will end up giving in since she is the only 14-year-old that isn't allowed to date that she knows
A 3rd grade girl told my 3 grade son she wanted to F*CK him!!!!!!! I was like OMGosh!!
Michelle: My daughter is in 9th grade and has been homeschooled for the past 3 years. She really wants to go back to public school next year. She has had to deal with sexual talk since about 3rd grade....not only from boys, but girls also. I guess the "cool" thing is to say you are bisexual now so all the girls hit on each other and make up stories that straight girls are gay. It is really a mess. I blame the behavior on bad parenting.
michelin - that's horrible!! If you do give in to dating, how about making a policy that she must invite the boy over to meet you first, like for more than 5 minutes. That way you can put the fear of God in him?!
Maybe allow them to have "dates" in your home first, like a movie or something? Or suggest "group dating". I know a lot of parents that have done that, where the kids basically all hang out together for awhile, until they're older and mature enough to date.
I haven't posted on the 30 something board before, but liked this thread of parents and kids....so here goes my introduction...
I am Jen(34), a single mom to Katy(10) and Christian(7). Katy is as healthy as anything but a tad bit overweight(follows right in her mom and dad's footsteps). Christian is a different story. He has Down Syndrome, a heart defect(had one open heart surgery when he was 3 months old and requires another one around when he's 10 or so), has feeding issues(who knew that a kid of mine would have feeding issues..LOL) and is struggling to gain weight, is globally developmentally delayed...etc...
hmwrknmom ~ Gorgerous kids. That little girl of yours is simply beautiful!! You are going to have to beat the boys off with a stick! You are right in demanding a sit-down meeting with staff and parents. I wish you good results!
luvmyfam ~ I can't help but giggle. I don't know how I've gotten away with no "artwork" drawn on our wall. I have three kids and they paint and color constantly but only on paper. However, you should see our table!
michelinwoman ~ I agree with Lauren's suggestions. Doing things in a group is much safer and puts less pressure on kids. However, I must admit that 15 sounds too young to date. We have kids in our neighborhood that are dating at 14 and that is nuts. I have a feeling that I'm about to be rudely awakened...
KnCmama ~ I couldn't help but laugh when I saw that you had a cat named, "Rory." Too funny. My oldest has *no* interest in food and we make him a huge milkshake each night; whole milk, ovaltine, malt, etc., etc...
You might want to consider that for Christian. Anytime that he wants a milkshake I give him one. That is about the only fat that he gets in his diet. Can't say the same for Mama....
LBH & IrishJoan: Thanks for the advice. We tried a similar arrangement. This is really funny, but we tried group dating with my husband and I as the group ! The boy was 17 but very immature for his age (thank God). He was allowed to come over to our house while we were home or go out with us as a family. I called it double dating (it was pretty funny actually--my daughter hated it). He put up with it for awhile but I think they ended up breaking up over the strict rules. I told her that if he "really" is interested, he can put up with the parents being around for a year or so. Here is my baby's pic.
I hear 'ya KarenK!! That is exactly what I was thinking as I was reading the posts. The gal that cuts my hair has teenagers and she tells some stories that scare the heck out of me! Whew... Suddenly, my concerns seem trivial. I love having this thread!
Mich...She's gorgeous!! She's only 14?! Thank you Lord for my boys...I agree though, if he liked her that much, he would've stuck around and proved his worthiness!
Michelin--I have a 15 y/o step daughter and she started "dating" at 14...The boys parents would pick her up and drop them off at a restaurant or movie and they would be picked up again..Of course, the boy was 15 also....She broke up with him because he criticized her weight all the time(size 3) and told her he hated her "love handles" she finally told me it wasnt worth it..Now, life is different, boyfriend is 16 with a car...My DH is really tooooo lenient with that scene and we fight all the time..He will bring her home from school(of course we are not home) and I just dont like the idea of boy/girl alone in this house...IT can be 7pm and I ask him, where is she?? I guess she rode home from school with him and they must be shopping or something..It is very hard as a step parent..We have different values I guess....I just become the mean b$$ch when I ask questions....He feels sorry for her cuz of her losing her mom soo early and makes it up to her by being a softie..She is a 4.5 GPA and active in Sports etc but I think you need to be in control of your children...
Good luck!!!
RR
What a great pic Michelle! We've done that a few times for my grandparents, gotten a pic of all of us, from their kids (my mom and her siblings), to the great-grandkids! DH even photoshopped in one of the great-grandkids that couldn't be there!
Michelle: My daughter is in 9th grade and has been homeschooled for the past 3 years. She really wants to go back to public school next year. She has had to deal with sexual talk since about 3rd grade....not only from boys, but girls also. I guess the "cool" thing is to say you are bisexual now so all the girls hit on each other and make up stories that straight girls are gay. It is really a mess. I blame the behavior on bad parenting.
We homeschool, too!!! With today's world, I am so afraid of putting our kids in school. They will NOT go to public school if and when we do put them in. It'll be Catholic school for our children, and if we can't afford that or there isn't an option for one where we live, then we'll be homeschooling. I know Catholic and other religious schools are not always perfect, but at least moral instruction and standards are expected and accepted.
It's such a screwed up world. I was publicly-schooled until college, which was a Catholic college. In high school I was able to find some nice friends who shared my morals, even if we were of different denominations. Even though there were plenty of kids who had different backgrounds & views than I did, it didn't feel as crazy as what kids have to go through today.
In college of course there were those who were into the parties and such and those who weren't, but it was a strong faith community and support.
I think there was always a lot of garbage to put up with in schools, but I think it's gotten worse, largely because everyone is afraid to morally guide children because of fears of imposing one's views on someone whose parents have different views/beliefs.
I heard of a situation with a public school where 6th graders were having sex on a bus while other kids were watching. It's INSANE and it's not something I'm willing to put my kids through. It's not about hiding them from the world. It's about guiding them so they can be decent people living in this crazy world of ours.
The more horror stories I hear about schools, the more I want us to be the ones to guide our kids as long as we can.
LOL, Michelle, that's why I started this thread with:
JET, Welcome! Sorry, I'm laughing at Maria's "artwork"! We don't have anything buy washable markers here! I know my boys too well!!
Thanks! Thank goodness the marker was at least mostly washable, but it was flat paint and there seem to be some faded lines left. I need to remember what might work out. I already tried a Magic Eraser--nope. Maria has already decorated our hallway walls time & again. I think we're just going to be repainting places here whenever we leave (we're renters--oh, joy). I've learned that WD-40 takes off even non-washable crayons. Rubbing alcohol works on pen pretty well. Goo Gone helps with some things.
(No diet talk here, go to the daily thread for that, just kid talk.)
Welcome! Sorry, I'm laughing at Maria's "artwork"! 
We don't have anything buy washable markers here! I know my boys too well!!
If you do give in to dating, how about making a policy that she must invite the boy over to meet you first, like for more than 5 minutes. That way you can put the fear of God in him?! 
