It's kind of sad not to encourage your kids to date. I mean dating doesn't have to mean unchaperoned, let's screw in the car instead of going to the movies, dating. I think well chaperoned group dates are excellent and a good way to get to know the opposite sex. I certainly don't want my girls trotting off to college without any dating experience.
My son, with his disabilities, probably won't have much dating experience. But that's sad and pathetic, and I wish he could have dating experiences. I hope there will be girls along the way who may be a bit different themselves, and who will find him an acceptable date. Poor little guy had a crush on a girl this year. She was a very nice little girl who had just moved here from England. And she was very nice about the whole thing. But I feel very sorry for him.
Having your kids refrain from dating seems like having them refrain from a normal life. Of course that's fine- we all have the right to do pretty much as we wish with our children. People do all sorts of things, from taking their children to communes to making them believe masturbation is going to send them straight to Hell (talk about WEIRD!). But if you're going to go against what most people consider normal you can't expect a parade. Most people think homosexuals are pretty normal now- that's tough, isn't it? And most people think dating is pretty normal too- darn normal. Has been for several decades. But there you are.
I go against what is probably considered normal. After all my husband and I are really tolerant (more than normal I would guess), we're better educated than most people, and we do exactly what we want- without regard to institutions of any kind (save for the IRS and the police- we believe in paying our taxes, and following the laws). But we don't expect any parades. Parades are for people in the muddy middle of society. Or for real active troublemakers- who want to march and shove something in societies face. I don't think anyone else ought to expect a parade. Unless they want to be disappointed. And some folks want that. More power to them, I guess.
You will note I am NOT apologizing if any of this has been previously covered or if this does not dovetail neatly with whatever conversation you were having. Because I don't care. |
