Wondering at what age should you start dating?
You’re in the right place as this is exactly what we’re going to talk about today!
Dating can be a lot of fun if it’s done right and you are at the right age.
If you start dating too soon, when you don’t feel ready or not even know what it is about you might be taken advantage of by others and even end up traumatized.
Obviously experience comes by doing a certain activity, but there also isn’t any point in rushing.
It’s not like ‘dating’ will ever go away.
All the generations before us have dated and many more will even after us.
The only thing that tends to change is the age and the way they do it.
But even this transition is not too abrupt from one generation to the other.
So don’t worry… dating will be here for a while.
Don’t rush into it.
What is dating?
Before we get to talking about what age should you be to date and how young is too young to date, we need to know what dating is in the first place.
According to Wikipedia dating is: ‘a stage of romantic relationships in which two individuals engage in an activity together, most often with the intention of evaluating each other’s suitability as a partner in a future intimate relationship’
Basically is getting to know someone and doing fun things together. These can be anything from going out for a coffee or tea, to dinner, to playing sports together, even to having a walk in the park and just hanging out.
The activities we do whilst dating should normally help us understand whether we’re compatible with a person, do they have similar interests and do they feel about us the way we feel about them?
Before thinking of starting to date, take a piece of paper and write down a list of things that you like to do and you think are your strengths.
Then make another list of the qualities you tend to like in others. Your friends for example. What do you like about them? Or if you see someone in a movie and you like them. What is it specifically that you like in that person?
This second list will help you when deciding whether or not you should date someone. It will give you clarity on what are the things you enjoy most in others and then try to find someone with those qualities that you would like to date.
One thing to be aware of is that what you like will change over the years. And that’s ok.
By experiencing, in this case dating, we learn whether we actually like something or not.
It’s like trying a new flavor of ice cream. How do you really know if you like it, if you haven’t tried it yet?
Be aware that there are certain things that you should not try unless you’re certain that you really want to try them out.
Like if a certain icecream flavor doesn’t sound good for you, it is ok to refuse.
The same is the case with any activities related to dating.
As you start dating, some more experienced people might want to push you or bully you into trying things that you might not feel ready for.
It is ok to refuse, even if they get upset.
What is a good age to start dating
Although scientists have researched many things, interestingly enough they haven’t come up with an exact age at which people should start dating.
What counts the most when it comes to dating age is the level of maturity you have. And how responsible you feel you are.
Data does tell us that people get curious about dating at quite a young age. And are still interested in dating for many years to come… Unless they are one of the few lucky ones who find their soulmate soon. And settle down with them for the rest of their lives.
Here are some questions to help you determine whether you are at the appropriate age for dating:
Do you know what dating is? Have you talked about this with your parents? Did they impose any limits on you? (don’t worry most parents do it, you’re not the only one) Have you talked about this with your friends?
Is there anyone you like and likes you back and want to hang out with them exclusively?
Once you have your answers to these questions you can tell if you feel ready for dating.
It’s a feeling more than an age that you’re ready.
Normally people date in order to assess if someone is compatible with them and to have a stable relationship.
Most experts in the field agree that the appropriate dating age starts at around 12, but it REALLY depends on the level of maturity.
For me personally, I actually started dating when I was in my last year of high school, so I was almost 18. But that was my experience.
If I would have a daughter or son I would advise them to hold on dating at least until high school.
How young is too young to date
There is such a thing as too young to date. Even the law prohibits certain activities under a certain age.
And there is a valid reason for it.
The teenage brain is not quite as developed and experienced as an adult one and doesn’t know many times what to say no to and what to say yes to.
The discernment between good and bad is not fully formed yet and the curiosity and hormones might make a teenager agree to things that might traumatize them. And it might put them off dating altogether if their first experiences were not pleasant.
But definitely around 10 years of age or lower it seems to me way too young to date. Pre-teens at that age can definitely meet up as friends or playmates but not for real dating.
Conclusion
I hope I answered your question ‘At what age should you start dating?’ as it is not the age that counts when starting your dating life.
There are some people that are in their 50 and 60s and still are not mature enough to actually date and they still do it.
It really depends on the level of maturity you feel you have and your own sense of readiness.
Dating is a process and if you don’t do it well the first time… guess what… you’ll be fine.
You’ll get enough opportunities to redo it over and over again.
All that being said, dating can be a lot of fun too if it’s done right.
