MY PARENTS WON'T LET ME DATE!

ou're too young to date." "Why do you have to rush things? You'll have plenty of time to date later on." "How do we know you can be trusted on a date?"

Sound familiar? Whenever you hear these words, the temptation to blow them off is strong -but wait! Stop and think for a moment: What good will it do to ignore them? Is it going to convince your parents to let you date earlier? Probably not. So what should you do?

When you first discuss dating with your parents, one of the main arguments your parents will offer is your age. They might feel that you're just too young to be dating. A lot of parents have the rule that their teens can't start dating until they turn 16. And contrary to popular belief, parents don't adopt this rule simply because they want to spoil your fun! Good parents love you and will want to protect you; they don't want to see you hurt in any way, and when you start dating, there is the possibility of getting hurt.

If you're having problem convincing your parents to let you date, don't worry --there are thousands of other teens out there who are in the same boat. Jill Martin, 14, of Eugene, Oregon told us: "I really like this guy, but my parents say I'm too young to date. When he finally asked me out I had to tell him 'no'. I was so embarrassed. My parents are really old-fashioned."

In a situation like this, you might be tempted to sneak out of your house to date someone. But don't do it! That's one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Just listen to what Stacey Bishop, 15, of Orlando, Florida told us: "I was afraid that people would think I was a geek or something, so I used to sneak around behind my parents' backs. I would tell them I was going to the movies with my friends and I would meet my boyfriend at the movies. I felt so guilty! Then I got caught. Now my parents have a really hard time trusting me. It wasn't worth it."

Speaking of trust, that's another obstacle you may run up against when trying to convince your folks that you're ready to date. If you haven't been trustworthy in the past, chances are good that your parents won't trust you enough to let you start dating. If you sneak out of your house, or do other stuff to defy them, that only reinforces the idea that you aren't trustworthy.

Instead of getting into a big fight ending with you running to your room and slamming your door (another move destined to show your parents that you're not mature enough to date), you should take the time to sit down with your parents and really talk about this issue; ask them why they feel you shouldn't be dating (without boiling over with anger!), and try to state your own case in a calm, mature manner.

They just might change their minds--or at least offer you something of a compromise. Marie Daniel, 15, of Seattle Washington told us, "My parents don't let me go out on dates when it's just me and a guy, but I can go out with a group to dances and stuff."

Through all of this, remember that God wants what's best for you. He gave you the parents you have for a reason. Ask Him for the wisdom to know what to say to your parents, and for acceptance of any decisions you might not like. Remember that God gave each of us the commandment to "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12) --so if you have to wait a little while longer before your parents let you date, don't fight them. You want PEACE in your life, don't you?