Summer Romance: How to Navigate in a Healthy Way

Ah the joy of having no school and the possibilities for a summer romance. Do you remember the freedom many teens looked forward to as June began and they knew school was about to get out?

Navigating Summer Romance

More free time!!!

For many teens, that means MORE FREEDOM. Parents at work + no school = opportunity. Add in a summer romance and times could get interesting.

Now does the teen actually look for trouble? No, most do not.

However, the teen can be presented with situations they would not have normally been presented with during the school year when their schedules are more tightly regulated and most of the time they are home, a parent might be home with them too after work.

Summer Romance and Navigating Your Way

Here are 3 keys to helping teens navigate summer romance in a healthy way:

  1. Have FUN!
    Do so by making good choices. Bad choices can have consequences. Summer does not give anyone an invincibility cloak that makes all consequences disappear. You are smart. Be YOU and think when making decisions that can impact you and others. You can have a TON of fun while making awesome choices while engaging in a summer romance.
  2. YES to YOU!!
    Sometimes people will be in relationships in the summer with partners that they would not normally be in a relationship with during the school year. Why? You are not around the same group and are more free to be yourself without the peer pressure of a certain group at school. This can be GREAT!! If you catch yourself doing this and like your choices, learn from this. Be yourself year-round and surround yourself with people who love for exactly who you are both in and out school.
  3. Stand for your Standards
    True standards you believe in should never change based on the time of the year or who you are around. As summer is approaching, revisit what your standards are when it comes to romantic relationships. Write them down. Look at them before going out (whether to a party, to hang with friends, and/or on a date). Stand for your Standards. You deserve to be treated with respect at all times!

BONUS: Family Matters
Talk as a family about what you expect when parents are not home and share WHY you believe in the expectations you are sharing. ASK your children what they think of those standards and WHY they feel the way they do. Listen with sincere interest and curiosity. The goal is to help them come to the right choice on their own. Then, they have much more ownership over making great decisions.

Start with Ice Cream!! Yes, its summer time and so go out for a FUN summer treat. On the car ride to getting the treat together, have this fun, engaging conversation. Be humble. Acknowledge that you know teens might make choices their parents wouldn’t make. That is expected. You are your own person. Yes, empower your child.

Wrap up the conversation letting your child know they can ALWAYS come to you – regardless of what choices they make. Also remind them that no matter what choices your child makes, no one has the right to disrespect them and/or disregard your child’s boundaries!

Summer should be FUN! Enjoy it and know I love you!!

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