Perfect Dating Age

[Lelola]

So some questions:

1. What is an ideal age for dating?


2. What factors play into it?


3. How old were you when you first dating?


4. Does this differ from what age you were when you had a real relationship?


5. How old are you?



Answering my own questions, I think there is a series of factors that go into it. In our country, we rely on transportation a lot. So I think that when a person can drive, usually sixteen, and has a job, usually around sixteen, is a good age to start dating.


Now, I am biased since I didn't date till I had a car. I couldn't imagine asking my mom to drop me off at the theaters. I also couldn't imagine begging her for cash to take someone out to dinner. Now, my significant other at the time didn't drive or have a job so this is a little weird but he had the potential to drive or have a job. He was involved in a car accident where a friend driving killed someone so he didn't want to drive for awhile.

[¯|_(ツ)_|¯]

I don't know if there really is an ideal age for dating. My mom let me start dating at 16, although I still haven't dated, and 16 seems like a p6retty good age. However, maturity is a big factor that means that not everyone may be ready for a relationship at 16 or any age for that matters. They may not be mature enough, they may want to focus on other things like school or friends, or they may just not feel as if they are at the right place to date. There's probably also individual factors such as if you're willing to do a long distance relationship or not if that's the option you're presented with, how much time you two would be able to devote to each other,e tc.

[Coffee.]

1. What is an ideal age for dating?
I don't believe there is an ideal age. People mature at different speeds, and the word "dating" has multiple connotations. Like, what kind of dating are we meaning? Courting? Having a relationship? Sexual behavior? It's all variable.

2. What factors play into it?
Kind of answered this already haha.

3. How old were you when you first dating?
I was 14 when I went on my first date (he was a mess of a person haha), and 15 when I began dating my long-term partner.

4. Does this differ from what age you were when you had a real relationship?
No, but I'm the exception. I've been dating my high school sweetheart for nearly eight years; this is not normal.

5. How old are you?
23

[fallingstargirl]

Like the people above said, I don't think there's a specific age you have to be to start dating. It depends on the people involved in a relationship and the type of relationship - I mean, people "dated" in fifth grade, but that mostly involved holding hands on the playground I first sort-of dated when I was 13 (I'm 15 now). I think the usual age for people to start dating a little more seriously is probably sometime in high school, though like I said, that's not everyone.

I believe the ideal age for dating is between fifteen and sixteen. At that age people have generally had a little time to mature and are better able to decide what they are looking for in a partner. I wasn't allowed to date until I was sixteen, although I did have a couple of "boyfriends" before that point. I consider the relationships I had in my younger teen years to be more "flings" than solid relationships. I don't feel I had a mature relationship until I was eighteen and met a boy during freshman year of college. While that relationship didn't last I still consider it to be my first "real" relationship.

I'm twenty-five now and my view on relationships is a lot different than when I was younger. For one, my entire relationship paradigm is a lot different (I practice polyamory, whereas when I was younger I practiced monogamy). I'm more mature now and it makes relationships a lot easier. I have personal goals that I actively work towards achieving and I pick relationships that complement those goals. I know what qualities I want in a partner and so I only accept partners with those qualities, as opposed to when I was younger I was so eager to be "in love" that I got into a relationship with the first person I felt any semblance of attraction towards. I'm also much better able to handle conflict in relationships. When I was younger I made very self-destructive choices. Now I'm much better at talking through things with my partner in a calm, reasonable way.

In short, I think the nature of relationships changes a lot throughout life. The relationship I am in now, I feel, is the one I will be in the rest of my life. I wouldn't have been able to say that about a relationship even a couple of years ago. I look forward to how I continue to grow as a person when it comes to love and relationships.

[NonIndigenous]

This will probably vary so immensely between people... that there is no way to guess a "perfect dating age". Far too many factors. Depends on what someone wants from life (priorities), depends on their security, depends on their achievements, depends on their personality. That is already a lot, and there's more.


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[Samuel]

I think there is a lot of good comments here and I agree with most all of them. What I think I'd add is that, assuming if your dating someone, you understand about sex.
So if you date someone, you should be aware of whether you are ready for sex or not. Sometimes things can get a bit out of control. I know a lot of my friends brag about this or that, but tbh, are we really?
Back on topic, I think we need to be aware of what the big head is telling the small head how to behave. And the little head need to have enough strength to tell the big head not till I'm ready.

[Clarent]

1. What is an ideal age for dating?

Answer : At whatever age you feel something for another person

2. What factors play into it?

Answer : Feelings? Mostly.

3. How old were you when you first dating?

Answer : About 15 I think? Can't clearly remember but around that time.

4. Does this differ from what age you were when you had a real relationship?

Answer : I've never had a relationship I consider "real" (or in other words, one that wouldn't be LDR or toxic for one or both sides for whatever reason)

5. How old are you?

Answer : 20.

1. What is an ideal age for dating?

I don't know if there is an ideal age for dating but I would say that I think that emotional maturity has a lot to do with it. Some teenagers are very mature at 14 and some aren't mature until much later. However, if I have kids I probably won't want them to start dating until they are 15 or 16. Who knows if I'll actually stick to that though. I mean, if my kids are as mature as I was at 14 I wouldn't be opposed to them dating. I'd just want them to be aware of the different forms of contraceptive.


2. What factors play into it?

I think I already answered this? A lot of it is emotional maturity.


3. How old were you when you first dating?

I didn't start dating till I was 24. I was a late bloomer but my traumatic past had a lot to do with that. I was terrified of being a sexual object to someone so jumping into the world of dating seemed terrifying. I am also extremely shy so I didn't have a lot of exposure to the opposite sex.


4. Does this differ from what age you were when you had a real relationship?

I dated at 24 and didn't get into a relationship until 25. I had a lot of 'expectations' and wasn't willing to compromise on those things. Ended up finding a very good person for myself.


5. How old are you?

I am 26.

[Dawn.]

1. What is an ideal age for dating?

I don't think there is an ideal age for dating. I feel it's when you're ready and are prepared to be in a relationship or be in the dating scene.

2. What factors play into it?

How mature both you and your potential partner are.

3. How old were you when you first dating?

I started dating when I was 16.

4. Does this differ from what age you were when you had a real relationship?

No.

5. How old are you?

I'm 23.

[FlowerPunkPrincess]

1) It's impossible to answer this question in a way that applies to everyone. It's a very individual thing.
2) See above.
3) 16, I think?
4) I don't know, what's a real relationship? I've never dated someone for longer than a few months so could you say I haven't had one yet?
5) 18.