Episode 38: Dating Daughters

“Hey Mom, I just wanted to let you know: I am dating a girl!  And you don’t have to worry about it because I already went ahead and talked to her dad about it.”  Despite her son thinking that this statement would take care of any questions his mom might have, the opposite was true: Tricia had SO many questions! She opens this episode by sharing the direct advice and cautions that this young girl’s dad delivered to his daughter’s first “suitor.”  The father had a list of four expectations (also known as “rules!”) ready to pass along to this 14-year-old boy who was interested in ‘dating’ his daughter.  Tricia shares those four ‘guard rails’ as a discussion starter for this episode. (This middle school relationship lasted all of about fourteen days, proof that those rules were followed—or it would never have made it that far!)

In this episode, Tricia and Rob talk about the “ups and downs” of those first dating relationships and the deep value of dads who help sons (their own, and the ones who want to date their daughters) learn how to treat this young potential girlfriend with respect and honor.

Tricia shares the ‘liberal’ approach that she and her husband Peter have chosen to take with their young sons in watching movies that can be found on TV in their home, and why. They choose to treat carefully chosen ‘mature audience’ movies and series together as a family so that they can use the plot and action of the movie as points for real-life discussion with their sons.

 

Sources mentioned or quotable quotes from this episode:

“Wouldn’t it be great if the wisdom we got for learning to date when we were young was followed through in our lives as adults?” – Rob

“When [sex] becomes the only thing you want and the only thing you do, suddenly before you know it, you have this great physical relationship without the emotional scaffolding to hold it up.” – Tricia

“Dissecting humor is like dissecting a frog: you can do it, but both of them tend to die in the process!” – Rob

“Gentlemen, be gentlemen.” – Rob, as quoted by Tricia

“Let’s just be respectful.”

Let’s Talk Soon is honored to promote our sponsor for this episode, Heyer Expectations, an executive recruiting company.  Specializing in the fields of technology and cloud design as well as the broader areas of business and management, Peter Heyer, CEO, can find anyone for any position to meet your company’s needs!  If you’d like to chat with him about your hiring needs, send him an email at heyerexpectations.com!