29th post ~ And They Called It Puppy Love!

During the 1970s I was among the many young girls who would sit mesmerised watching Donny Osmond on television singing "Puppy Love." I spent my teen years unable to speak about the crushes I had and the intense emotions I felt at the time caused me a great deal of confusion and frustration. The period of adolescence signifies a time of transition and development and is well known for bringing with it a variety of challenges.

One of the stages of development that Erik Erikson said demands resolution before the following stages can be successfully negotiated regards learning about intimacy. This stage is essential to resolve if the individual is to experience a good marriage or genuine and enduring friendships


Today's parents are concerned about the numbers of young people becoming parents and are unsure if and how they should talk to their sons and daughters about "affairs of the heart" which is clearly something that needs discussion.


A recent article in The Wall Street Journal discusses the importance of parents having open and frank conversations with their children to support them during their dating experience:

...while parents' dating advice may seem about as welcomed by teens as the swine flu, the research suggests the opposite—that young people not only value parental input, but tend to have healthier relationships when they receive parental advice.

Stephanie Madsen, an associate professor of psychology at McDaniel College, Westminster, Md.

Young people whose parents make themselves available to talk with them or give advice about dating tend to have warmer, closer, more positive romantic relationships, with less fighting and tension, reveals a study by Dr. Madsen and others of 225 young adults ages 22 to 29. If parents don't offer help, however, and keep out of offsprings' love lives altogether, that is linked in their offspring to poorer-quality relationships, including less affection and support and more conflict.

Young people like it best when parents take a consulting or coaching role, listening—and offering advice only when asked, Dr. Madsen says.

Sue Shellenbarger ~ Wall Street Journal Nov 11th 2009

As adults who have experienced being teenagers and learned about love, often the hard way, surely we owe it to our young people to share with them our knowledge and support to ensure they are able to learn some essential skills to give them a better opportunity to develop healthy loving and committed relatinships.

I welcome your opinions and look forward to hearing from you.