[future_adoption_mommy]

I know the church encourages waiting until you're 16 to date, but what about groups going to dances as friends?

Let me give you an example. Your fifteen year old is in a group of friends who range in age from 14-17. (Let's pretend that they are all in the same seminary class.) the 16-17 year olds want to go to the Spring Fling at school. The 14-15 year olds mention that they have never been to the Spring Fling before, so the 16-17 year olds decide that they will ask the 14-15 year olds to the dance, but girls will ask girls and boys will ask boys so there won't be any dates on the sly.

Do you let your child go to the dance even though they are not 16 yet? Do you count this as a date?

[broncos08]

Well, from personal expierence, my mom let me go to the dance. Starting in 7th grade for my school, we had dances. and when I got into high school, my mom didn't mind since the church dances allowed 14 yr olds too.

So if it were me being the parent, and I knew all the kids going, I wouldn't mind my kid going either. A group of friends going was a lot more fun than asking a guy to go with me and meeting up with friends.

[Brittanie]

My dad would always say a mixed group constitutes a date, and wouldn't let me do it until 16. Actually, if you really read into it, the mixed group date is how the beginnings of dating is encouraged (by the church), with one person specifically asking another coming later, and one-on-one serious relationships I've seen discouraged on a high school level.

If I went to a dance before I was 16, it was only allowed if the group was all girlfriends (not that having a boy go with me was even an option outside of my dad's rules at that point!)

I actually sort of agree with that premise...sort of. I won't be as strict as my dad (I WILL be letting my daughters wear makeup before 16, so that they can get good at it before they get to dating age and want to "attract boys with it").

I'm not sure how I feel about the situation you described, actually. On one hand, it seems completely innocent and even fun, but on another hand it feels like keeping the letter of the law but not the spirit of the law.