There Are No Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter!: Surviving the Pitfalls and Pratfalls of Teen Relationships

The world of teen romance is sometimes chaotic and oftentimes confusing. What do you say when your 13-year-old asks, “How can I make a guy go out with me?” How do you respond to a 17-year-old who says she’s in love? What do you do with a daughter who gets involved in endless hookups and breakups that leave her an emotional wreck? The answers, just like dating relationships, aren’t always easy.

This book gives parents a window into the teen dating scene and shows them how to maintain their sanity amid all the crushes, courtships, and infatuations of adolescents. Both the fears and the fun of teen dating are revealed as the authors look at some of its biggest issues: • Age (How old should your daughter be before she starts dating, and what age should her dates be?) • Car Dates (Does your daughter have an escape route if a good date goes bad?) • Appropriate Attire (When skin is in, is a bare midriff, backless blouse, or plunging neckline being fashionable or foolish?) • Gift Giving (Are gifts of underwear going over the top?) • Internet (Are virtual relationships a safer, better alternative for your daughter?) Parents are urged to sit down and talk seriously with their daughters about the purpose of dating and to create family dating rules. Sample activities to help get the conversation started are included. Sprinkled throughout the book are real-life dating stories, many silly, some scary, but all serve to remind parents that dating is a valuable experience that shouldn’t be denied or trivialized.

2006 Winner of The National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval

Laura J. Buddenberg has two teenaged daughters, Kathleen M. McGee is the mother of one, a former teacher and creator of a relationship education curriculum used in schools. Together, they have worked with children and teens for more than two decades and are the co-authors of "Who's Raising Your Child" and "Unmasking Sexual Con Games." They have presented workshops throughout the United States on social and cultural issues, including sexual harassment, cyberbullying, and teen relationships.