As a general guideline, Dr. Eagar advises not allowing single dating before age sixteen. “Theres an enormous difference between a fourteen- or fifteen-year- old and a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old in terms of life experience,” he says.

What is an okay age to start dating?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, kids start dating at an average age of 12 and a half for girls and 13 and a half for boys. Every teen — or preteen — is different, though, and your child might be ready sooner or later than their peers.