WSJ article - Some Date: How Homecoming Is Losing Out to Hanging Out

Terrific article by Jeff Zaslow How Homecoming Is Losing Out to Hanging Out. He writes as the concerned and involved father of three teenage girls about issues that teen girls are dealing with in an evolving culture of dating.

When working with teen clients and their parents on different school and social issues dating comes up at some point. Some teens aren't comfortable talking about it right away but inevitably it's a topic that needs to be addressed. Teens are discovering their identities in many areas and dating is one area that needs to be talked about earlier rather than later.

The behavior that a girl accepts and becomes comfortable with early on can effect her dating behavior as she gets older. Assertiveness, self-esteem and respect, self-knowledge, self-worth and a sense of direction all impact her choices.

Most girls and young women have difficulty navigating the dating terrain and when working with adult clients through Daily Life Consulting it is amazing how much of adult behavior clients attribute to dating patterns that were set years, sometimes decades, before.

Life Skills for Teen Girls: Begin from where you are speaking with your daughters about dating and the social scene they're involved with.

Find ways and programs to encourage and develop their assertiveness, self-esteem, self-respect, self-knowledge, self-worth, sense of direction, education goals, career aspirations, family, relationship and cultural goals and desires. Do it now. It's the perfect time to start no matter what's gone before. You can't change the past but you can impact the future.

Good luck and please email me with any thoughts, suggestions, questions or comments at rebecca at dailylifeconsulting dot com

RK