After you’ve been in a relationship for a while and you suddenly find yourself single again, it can feel like you’re in over your head and don’t even have an idea of how to start dating again. Instead of drifting from boring date to boring date, take a step back and look at what your teens are doing.
They rarely come to you for advice, so whatever they are doing, it must work to some degree. Here’re a few things that you could stand to learn from your Mini-Casanova.
1. Plan a fun date. When teens date, they aren’t dating like we are.
They aren’t going out for a dinner and drinks to play a game of 20 questions while you analyze what each other says. No, they are more likely to go to the mall with their crush and just walk, talk, have fun, and window shop. Sometimes they’ll go to the bowling alley or attend some outdoor activity like the fair, go to a ball game, or something of that sort. The name of the game here is to have fun!
2. Forget the “must-have” list.
Teens almost never know what it is that they want in a partner, so they are dating just because they like someone—not because they fulfill some sort of checklist. You should do the same. Now, don’t get us wrong, teens do have some sort of must-have list, but it usually only means that they have to be attractive, be smart, and maybe enjoy similar extra-curricular activities. When you are looking for someone to date, just pick out your top 2 or 3 qualities and that’s it.
3. Technology is a great way to nurture a bond, too.
While nothing can quite compare to holding your crush’s hand or seeing them laugh at your jokes, sometimes you can’t spend as much time together as you’d like. Fear not, technology can be a huge part of your relationship because it can help you bond with one another without having to be face-to-face. You might think that you had to wait to tell your date about a funny thing you saw that reminded you of them… But you don’t have to! You can shoot them a quick text and be done with it. Why you can even be a little flirtatious with your texts and emails. These small things can go a long way in fostering a relationship with someone.
4. Lighten up a bit.
Perhaps you feel like you need to settle down with someone this second, which is making your search for the right person all the more exhausting. Again, take a page from your kids’ book and just relax a little bit. Love will happen when it is ready to, not when it’s convenient for you. So, instead of trying to rush into a relationship and commitment, simply take a step back and let the puzzle pieces fall into place. You’ll be thankful that you did.