Can I Have A Serious Relationship As A Teenager?
Relationships for adults are hard enough. When we see our teens get involved, it opens up several cans of worry that, if not dealt with, can have adverse effects for all parties involved, including parents who are trying to do the right thing. At what age should girls get a boyfriend? How can I help keep her safe? Can my teenager have a serious relationship now? So many questions come up which are quite difficult to answer.
What exactly do we mean by “Serious Relationship”? The concept, Serious Relationship, has been developed specifically for those who are seeking a committed relationship. You may be interested in a less serious, more casual kind of connection. You may feel that that kind of association is best for you, given your present emotional situation. Most Serious relationships are tended towards marriage for some young people but for teenagers, I can’t exactly explain where they are headed.
Personally I believe that you have to be an adult first before you go into any serious relationship? I believe teenagers are not matured enough to handle relationships let alone serious ones. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that most teenagers in relationships think it is serious. However, in reality most of them are usually not matured enough to understand and experience everything that goes with actually being in a serious relationship. Sometimes it is possible but the majority of people under 18 or who are 18 are not able to commit to a serious relationship but on rare occasions, only few of them are able to.
At 18yrs, you are merely a child even though you think you are an adult. You are still under the watchful eyes or supervision of your parents. You still have school to think about, what university you intend to study, what course and other things so a serious relationship shouldn’t be one of your worries at the moment.
What does a serious relationship entail exactly? Let’s break each one down:
Commitment: when you tell each other that you’ll stick together even when things get difficult, and for a long period of time – {The question is, at this your present age, Are you willing to stay tied to one person for the next several years}
Intimacy: Physical intimacy is sometimes involved (holding hands, hugging, kissing) and emotional intimacy (sharing your deepest, most private thoughts over longer periods of time, and without shame, resentment, embarrassment or fear) – {The major concern here is that; Is this right for you as a teenager to get physically intimate with the opposite sex and are you ready to share deep emotional moments}
Respect: when you realise that your partner isn’t the same as you in many ways, but you still value them, their beliefs and uniqueness – {How much will you be willing to endure when you realise that you guys are different and you view life’s issues from different perspectives, and that you sometimes don’t agree on certain issues. Also you expect one of you to understand when you have arguments}
Trust: when you understand, have faith in, and feel confidently about all of the other things on this list, as well as how you feel about one another – {Knowing that after a while you might start to feel differently about this person; How do you intend to manage that?}
Honesty: when you know that telling the truth, even when it’s difficult, doesn’t change how the two of you feel for each other – {But you’re not so sure if telling the truth will change anything and you’re scared and torn between two difficult situations, either to tell the truth and face the consequence or lie and pretend all is okay}
After reading through this article, I’m sure you will be able to decide if as a teenager you can go into a serious relationship.
You can drop your opinions in the comment box.
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