So turn from your youthful desires, pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on the Lord with purity of heart
(2 Tim 2:22).

Q1: When should teens begin dating?
Q2: What should I warn my children about intimacy with dates?
Q3: What should I tell my children about abortion?
Q4: How do I talk to my teens about drugs and alcohol?
Q5: What advice would be helpful to give teens about peer pressure?
 
Ask Your Own Question

Q1: When should teens begin dating?
A: If we look at dating as finding someone to marry, then what is the purpose for teenagers who are not ready to get married to start dating seriously?  Most young people are not ready for marriage or even thinking about marriage.  In fact, most young boys and girls are trying to figure out what the opposite sex is all about—and this is not an easy job.  During this teenage period it is important for them to understand the opposite sex, because in doing so they will discern the type of spouse they will want to marry.

This is why, for young teenagers, it doesn’t make sense to have what we call one-on-one dating.  And the reason for this is that they are not ready to “commit” themselves to one person.  I believe that teenagers would be wiser to consider group “dating” at this stage of their lives.  It is a time to develop a great many friends of both sexes and to spend time together as a group.  In this way they can get to know a large segment of the opposite sex in an informal way without any pressure.
 

Q2: What should I warn my children about intimacy with dates?
A: You should warn your children to set limits of intimacy when they are about to start dating.  The Church teaches that sexual intimacy is only for married couples —that is between one man and one woman.  Dating is not a time to experiment with sex and one should know when going too far is too far.   There are a lot of steps between kissing and sex—and this is where the word “no” comes into play.  Teach your children to learn to say no to premarital sex acts that will hinder their living chaste lives and committing sins against the Sixth Commandment.
 

Q3: What should I tell my children about abortion?
A: You should make it very clear to your children that abortion is wrong because it is wrong to kill an unborn child—very wrong.  Also, after a woman has an abortion her life is never ever the same.  Abortion can leave a woman with guilt, regret and depression sometimes leading to drug use and suicide. An abortion can also hurt your chances of having a baby later due to uterine scarring or weakened cervical muscles, which can make it difficult to carry a pregnancy to term.


Q4: How do I talk to my teens about drugs and alcohol?

A: I think in the case of talking to your teens about alcohol and drugs it is crucial to show that these substances when mishandled and misused can wreck one’s life.  Alcohol and drugs have wrecked more lives and families especially when they have become an addiction.  It is also important to mention that there are 12-step programs like A.A. etc. which do work with those that have problems with alcohol and drugs.  The notion that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and we need to care for them is a good image to present to our teenagers.
 

Q5: What advice would be helpful to give teens about peer pressure?

Every friend declares his friendship, but there are friends who are friends in name only (Sirach 37:1).

A: In order to avoid the wrong peer pressure I would advise young teens to form a group of friends who accept and support what you believe in.  Friends who have the same Christian values that you have.  That is to find people who belong to a church youth group or a scouting group.  I definitely would steer clear of groups whose values go against your Christian values and morality.  I believe the litmus test for this is that your friends will be there for you when things get rough.