One thing they don't tell you when your kids start dating....

[Disney Doll]

My brother had a "girlfriend" in 8th grade, named Brea. She was so cute. She'd come over to the house and watch TV and play video games with him, and eat dinner with us every once in awhile. Well, they stayed close and dated all throughout high school. She was seriously the sweetest girl I ever met, and my mom LOVED her. Bought her birthday presents, took her on vacation with us, brought her dinner at her after-school job... you get the picture. Well, my jerk of a little brother broke up with her the week before prom. I think my mom stopped talking to my brother for like a week. Which isn't fair to him, but, it's funny. Anyway, my brother is 20 now and dates these bimbo-like girls (ugh, don't get me started on that..) and my mom refuses to like ANY of them because they aren't Brea. I'm sure she'll get over it eventually (hopefully, anyway...) but it sure can be rough getting attached to people like that.

Tell your mother to hang in there. Most guys between the ages of 18-25 aren't known for thinking with their brains, if you KWIM. They generally go for girls pretty high on the "Bimbo-Ometer" at that age.

Eventually, Brea may be back...if some really smart guy doesn't snap her up first!

 

[PatsGirl]

Tell your mother to hang in there. Most guys between the ages of 18-25 aren't known for thinking with their brains, if you KWIM. They generally go for girls pretty high on the "Bimbo-Ometer" at that age.

I'm still waiting for DS20 to hook up with a girl that I like. His high school sweetheart is "waiting" for him. She's a sweet girl with a very disturbing family background and is now a high-school dropout and unemployed. He fortunately only comes home sporadically on leave, I'm still hoping for the time she isn't sitting on the porch waiting for him ~ in the meantime, he gets the lecture every time he comes home about their lack of ability to care for a baby

 

[Christine]

One thing to consider on the flip side of things is liking the significant other so much it puts pressure on you child.

There was a situation with a coworker of mine. His son started dating a girl from high school. The family LOVED her. They took her on all their vacations. The two went off to college together and dated all through. The family of the boy was thrilled. Fast forward and they graduate and he is going off out of the state to pursue a further degree, she has no plans. He needs to really concentrate on his studies but she wants to go with him and move in. He had a hard time telling her "no" and the family didn't want to see him break it off with her. I felt bad for the guy because there was so much pressure from his family to "be with this girl" because they adored her that he really didn't get to do what he wanted.

 

[Becky2005]

Awww....I'm just entering this world and who knew! My DD & her first boyfriend just broke up -- it was surreal. They had only been dating a rather short time though -- about 2 months.

He came over on Saturday, things were fine. I leave for a meeting on Sunday, come back home to find out they broke up. OK, then. My first thought was "that was fast" -- not that I pictured them being together forever or anything.

 

[ckay87]

One thing to consider on the flip side of things is liking the significant other so much it puts pressure on you child.

There was a situation with a coworker of mine. His son started dating a girl from high school. The family LOVED her. They took her on all their vacations. The two went off to college together and dated all through. The family of the boy was thrilled. Fast forward and they graduate and he is going off out of the state to pursue a further degree, she has no plans. He needs to really concentrate on his studies but she wants to go with him and move in. He had a hard time telling her "no" and the family didn't want to see him break it off with her. I felt bad for the guy because there was so much pressure from his family to "be with this girl" because they adored her that he really didn't get to do what he wanted.

I completely agree with you. I would never ever even strongly encourage my sons to be with/stay with a particular person because of my preferences. That is the one thing that needs to be 100% their decision.