Parenting Teens: What About Dating?

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Parenting Teens: What About Dating?

Living Free Every Day®
A ministry of LivingFree.org

Today's Scripture

"Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

Thoughts for Today

Teenage dating is an important concern. Help your teenager choose dates wisely. Teach your teen to look for more lasting qualities than appearance or popularity in making choices. Teens need to understand the importance of choosing dates with the same characteristics he or she would like to have in a wife or husband. 
 
Make your dating teenager a matter of serious, prayerful concern. Pray daily for God to guide and protect him.
 
Encourage specific activities that will expose your teen to godly members of the opposite sex. Youth groups at your church, summer activities at church camp. Have youth groups in your home with godly teenagers. Have parties to which your teen can invite appropriate friends.
 
Consider this . . .

Encourage sexual purity. Virginity can only be lost once. Even if the loss is regretted, it can never be recovered. After covering yourself with prayer, discuss with your teen God's reasons for delaying sexual activity until marriage. Talk about the dangers of promiscuity, even with protected sex. 

Prayer . . .

Father, I pray you will guard my child's mind, heart, and emotions. Provide friends and occasions that encourage moral purity. Prevent friendships with ungodly, rebellious teenagers. Place in my teen's heart a desire for a godly mate. In Jesus' name . . .

These thoughts were drawn from …

Godly Parenting: Parenting Skills at Each Stage of Growth by N. Elizabeth Holland, M.D. This study addresses parenting skills from the time of conception until the child has reached adulthood. It suggests methods for raising healthy, godly children in an increasingly secular society. Specific emphasis is placed on communication and teaching skills, discipline, protection and sexual issues at each age. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.

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