IS IT YOUR TIME TO DATE?.

1. This Strange Feeling - What is It?

A. I am Growing up?

B. Signals I am Ripe for Dating? 

As a child becomes an adolescent, he begins to experience new and strange feelings. At this time, he begins to notice the presence of a person of the opposite sex in a special way. This is normal and healthy for a youthful body. Why is this change in behavior?

At about the age of twelve in female and thirteen in male, the body begins to produce new and powerful hormones, triggering the development of new features in both male and female. this results in physical and emotional changes. This is often called "Secondary Growth." The forces of these hormones could be so strong at times that the adolescent finds it difficult to manage them. This is reflected in craving for increased freedom, constant disagreement with parents, hasty decisions etc. Let us consider the later, hasty decisions.

Often, adolescents enter into romantic relationship too early in this modern times, concluding that they have found the perfect partners at that tender age. 

Baby marrying a Baby

The question is: why the haste? Many erroneously believe they could nurture such a relationship to adulthood. But time has proved this to be folly. The result had always being heartaches. A number of such relationships end up in bitter marriages we often term "Secondary School Love," where the woman looks far older than the man too soon. A Baby having babies in some cases. It might simply be multiplication of heartbreaks.

Better Tomorrow

Like a driver, we can control our life's destination and determine a happy future to large extent for your family. Why not draw close to mature, experience and chaste adult at this time, rather than limiting your circle of friends to those of your age. If you are still living at home with your parents, you have a special asset and good company. They have already experimented and corrected the shortfalls they encountered in life. Moreover, they have your best interest at heart too. Do not think they are restrictive. They do not want you to have their negative experiences.

Above all, remember that values are always changing. What is your best choice today, might as well be your worst tomorrow. Remember too that some choices can never be undone. I had an encounter with a young man having tattoos on his neck. I appreciate him as a person for his humility. When I advised him to consider it well before marking more tattoos on this basis that values could be transient, he disclosed to me, how futile his effort to remove it had been already. "I don't like it anymore," he added.

What then? Adolescence is your precious time to lay a solid foundation and build for yourself, a blissful future. It is the wrong time for romance. Free yourself of the distractions of dating. Strive to improve your school grades and develop good personality. Take control of your life course and choose your destination upfront. Minimize regrets in the years to come. True, you are full of energy as a young person. Direct this for positive outcomes in the choices you make. No matter how much strength you have, control it and do not let it control you. And your choices will lead you to a happy future.