22/08/2026
Young Love and Importance of Personal Guidance
Young love is becoming increasingly normal these days. I have seen many teenagers, and even children younger than 12, becoming involved in romantic relationships. It may seem cute to some people, but I think it can become concerning if parents allow young children to act on these feelings without proper guidance. It does not matter whether these feelings come from boys or girls. There should be clear boundaries to prevent young people from becoming involved in serious relationships before they are emotionally and mentally ready.
I am not against young people expressing their appreciation for someone's beauty or personality. In fact, when I was a teenager, I also experienced feelings of infatuation toward the opposite s*x. I was blinded by my immature emotions, and I almost dated someone when I was around 14 to 17 years old. However, I never accepted the idea of dating someone I liked, even when I knew that person liked me too. At that time, I was more focused on my studies than on temporary romantic feelings.
My father played a huge role in shaping my attitude toward dating when I was young because he was extremely strict about relationships while my siblings and I were still minors. We knew the consequences of disobeying him. He would simply say, "Choose either education or dating." I would say that he meant every word he said.
Frankly speaking, I hated him for being so strict about that. I often wondered why my classmates and friends were allowed to date by their parents while I was not. I did not understand his intention at the time, but as I grew older, I began to understand his point of view. The heart can be deceitful. We may think our emotions are stable, but sometimes the opposite is true. When our hearts beat faster, we feel butterflies in our stomachs, or we become nervous when we see our crush, these feelings can simply be part of puberty and adolescence.
Fortunately, I never allowed my infatuation to lead me astray, even though I experienced roller-coaster emotions toward that person. I tried my best to avoid becoming romantically involved with him and chose to remain friends instead.
One reason I believe parents should provide proper guidance is that some young people can make decisions that seriously affect their future. Some teenagers become s*xually active before they are emotionally or financially prepared for the consequences. As a result, some become teenage parents, while others may consider abortion because they are not ready for such a huge responsibility. In some cases, the boys or men involved may also refuse to take responsibility for the pregnancy. This can create extremely difficult circumstances for everyone involved.
Instead of enjoying their teenage years and focusing on their education, these young people may suddenly have to take on the responsibilities of parenthood at a very young age. If you truly love your children, you should not simply allow them to do whatever they want. Discipline, communication, and guidance should be the foundation of parental love.
However, parents should not become overly controlling either. They should guide their children toward the right path by explaining the possible consequences of their decisions rather than simply forbidding everything. Young people need to understand why certain boundaries exist and what they might face if they act only according to their emotions and desires.
I am sharing this story because I have seen parents suffer because of decisions their children made when they were young. In my opinion, the best approach is not to control children completely, but to guide them, educate them, and help them understand the consequences of their choices. Good parenting means giving children enough freedom to grow while also providing the discipline and guidance they need to make responsible decisions.
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" is a famous proverb found in Proverbs 22:6.
