This trend weirds me out: parent/child dates (children, darling, health)
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For those who do not understand why some of us find this creepy:
1. You do not need to simulate a dating experience in order to teach your child how to behave on one.
2. These things can easily be taught to your child by talking to them and explaining it to them.
3. Some of these people do this on a regular basis. Dating is not rocket science. It's creepy to continuously date your child to "teach" them how to behave. Once should be enough.
4. These are not typical family outings. Some of you are comparing it to simply hanging out or having dinner. But these things are clearly set up to simulate a dating experience. Stop making it seem like it's typical family bonding, but with the word "date" attached to it. It's not.
5. The whole thing contradicts itself. Having platonic "date" with your parents is not going to teach you everything about going on an actual romantic date. On an actual date there may be flirtation, physical contact, kissing, etc. Having a pretend date with mommy and daddy won't prepare you for that.
Holy over reacting.
When we have one of our girls nights out, we frequently call it a date. Yet, we are not dating. My mother and I go on lunch dates, every other weekend or so. I have heard her call it a "date with my daughter" when she tells her friends she is busy. Strangely no one seems to think that is creepy. Why it is suddenly gross when it is a Dad and a daughter says far more about your mindset than the fathers.
The word "date" can just signify an important meeting and is not necessarily romantic at all, especially for kids who rarely go on traditional "dates" anyway.
How about you stop assigning motives to people you don't even know? And if parent/child "dates" creep you out, don't go on one. Easy. But pretending these parents have ulterior motives is just gross on your part.
When we have one of our girls nights out, we frequently call it a date. Yet, we are not dating. My mother and I go on lunch dates, every other weekend or so. I have heard her call it a "date with my daughter" when she tells her friends she is busy. Strangely no one seems to think that is creepy. Why it is suddenly gross when it is a Dad and a daughter says far more about your mindset than the fathers.
The word "date" can just signify an important meeting and is not necessarily romantic at all, especially for kids who rarely go on traditional "dates" anyway.
How about you stop assigning motives to people you don't even know? And if parent/child "dates" creep you out, don't go on one. Easy. But pretending these parents have ulterior motives is just gross on your part.
Yes, I agree!
I do not have sons, but my friends who do talk about how fun it is to go "out" with their sons. And yes, kids do learn how to relate to the opposite sex by interacting with their opposite sex parent, or other related adult (aunt, uncle, etc). That is among other ways they learn it.
When we have one of our girls nights out, we frequently call it a date. Yet, we are not dating. My mother and I go on lunch dates, every other weekend or so. I have heard her call it a "date with my daughter" when she tells her friends she is busy. Strangely no one seems to think that is creepy. Why it is suddenly gross when it is a Dad and a daughter says far more about your mindset than the fathers.
The word "date" can just signify an important meeting and is not necessarily romantic at all, especially for kids who rarely go on traditional "dates" anyway.
How about you stop assigning motives to people you don't even know? And if parent/child "dates" creep you out, don't go on one. Easy. But pretending these parents have ulterior motives is just gross on your part.
How about you stop making it seem like you know what their motives are? You don't know them either. Who's to say that some of these parents aren't projecting romantic or sexual feelings unto their kids?
My husband is out of the country for this Valentine's Day...and even though I get the dating thing is weird in some cases...I am making my kids my valentines (a day early because I don't want to go out tomorrow). I gave them a stuffed animal, Hershey kisses and a muffin. Going to take them to a movie and to their favorite place for dinner. I don't know, this doesn't feel creepy.
My husband is out of the country for this Valentine's Day...and even though I get the dating thing is weird in some cases...I am making my kids my valentines (a day early because I don't want to go out tomorrow). I gave them a stuffed animal, Hershey kisses and a muffin. Going to take them to a movie and to their favorite place for dinner. I don't know, this doesn't feel creepy.
You're missing the point. These "dates" are set up like dates between two people who are interested in each other romantically. I don't see what people don't understand about that. What you described is not the same thing. I'm tired of trying to explain this, if anyone wants to discuss this with me further, please just PM me because I'm not coming to this thread anymore. It makes me dizzy with confusion.
Ugh, this trend is creepy to no end. Is it normal as a parent to want to spend time with your child? Sure. It's weird when you start using that as a date or somehow instructional to their romantic life. I saw one the other day on facebook and the little girl was maybe 8 and had a ton of makeup on and it just was...weird. My husband has taken my girls out to eat, I have taken our sons - and we have never used that as a "date". They learn how to treat the opposite sex by watching how we model a relationship with each other, not by us projecting that onto them.
The really weird part - I work in a church, and the same people who are big into purity rings and abstinence are the first ones who are all into doing this, as young as possible and frequently. I'm sure most of them have their heart in the right place, but it just seems weird, especially if you want your child to put off dating as long as possible! Why would you start practicing so young?
How about you stop making it seem like you know what their motives are? You don't know them either. Who's to say that some of these parents aren't projecting romantic or sexual feelings unto their kids?
Ew. You are actually claiming that any or most of these parents are actually trying to start a sexual relationship with their children? Really?
Father daughter formal dances have been going on ages, or at least since I was a kid. Dad would dress up, sometimes even buy a corsage, strangely hooking up in the car was not the point then and isn't now.
Geez, it must be awful to go through life thinking those whackadoodle thoughts you got going there.
Ugh, this trend is creepy to no end. Is it normal as a parent to want to spend time with your child? Sure. It's weird when you start using that as a date or somehow instructional to their romantic life. I saw one the other day on facebook and the little girl was maybe 8 and had a ton of makeup on and it just was...weird. My husband has taken my girls out to eat, I have taken our sons - and we have never used that as a "date". They learn how to treat the opposite sex by watching how we model a relationship with each other, not by us projecting that onto them.
The really weird part - I work in a church, and the same people who are big into purity rings and abstinence are the first ones who are all into doing this, as young as possible and frequently. I'm sure most of them have their heart in the right place, but it just seems weird, especially if you want your child to put off dating as long as possible! Why would you start practicing so young?
I don't go to church, I practice no religion, same for most of my friends, we will still call going out one on one with one of our kids "a date". My bestie just posted on Facebook about her "date" taking her daughter to get all dressed up and go see a show in New York city. Not weird and not tied to some purity ring.
Geez, people.
We're talking about those weirdo things where the girl goes and gets a mani/pedi and gets all glammed up and her dad puts on a suit/tux and meets her as she comes down the stairs and they go off on their "date" with each other. And the whole thing is chronicled in pictures on facebook.
Seriously nutty. Seriously.
I spent TONS of time with my dad alone and with my mom alone and we went to special events or did road trips and none of it looked like two people getting ready for a date.
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