Off Topic My son got asked out on a date!!

[nettyinpa]

OMG. My son called me when he got home from school today. There's a girl that he has known since preschool. They've been in and out of each other's classes ever since. Well, today she asked him out. Mind you, he's not 13 yet (not until January). What would you or have you done??? I like this girl, she's very nice and funny and I have met her parents in the past. I know it's nothing but this is where it starts! Darned middle school!

 

[gymdog]

I don't know. Do you think they would go for a "date" of renting a movie and watching it at home? Not with you, but you know. With you more or less around. It seems a bit young for one on one dates, to me. Maybe going somewhere in a group of friends, or to a school dance. Was it a specific thing she asked him to, or just a date in general?

 

[gymnastgets10]

SHE asked HIM out? Weird...

 

[Megley]

Yikes, that seems really young for a real date. My son is 12 and I don't think I'd let him go out on a date date. Now if it was something where they were going to be at her house or our house or doing something with other kids that is supervised, that might be okay. I'm not looking forward to the whole "dating" thing! Weren't they just little kids a minute ago??

 

[gymkat]

Did she "ask him out" or actually ask him out on a date (like, specifying a date)? Having suffered through many pre-teen conversations about boys, I've learned that "going out" in the 12-year-old sense is pretty much limited to holding hands, posting saccharine-sweet Facebook statuses about *true love*, and maybe hanging out at the mall.

 

[nettyinpa]

I didn't get a whole lot of specifics from him. I just think it's cute, actually. The fact that they've been friends for almost 10 years and she asks HIM out! Holy cow. I know it's not a real date date. Just thought it was sweet. I can maybe see them going to a movie with me kind of hanging out in the background, or her mom or dad along as well. Who knows. I can't wait to get home tonight!

 

[bogwoppit]

Going out with a group of friends at that age would be fine with me, but one on one.... not so much!

 

[gymdog]

Did she "ask him out" or actually ask him out on a date (like, specifying a date)? Having suffered through many pre-teen conversations about boys, I've learned that "going out" in the 12-year-old sense is pretty much limited to holding hands, posting saccharine-sweet Facebook statuses about *true love*, and maybe hanging out at the mall.

Yeah, that was basically what I was wondering. It seems like in some places (not where I grew up, actually) a lot of the kids pair off as boyfriend/girlfriend around 6th grade, but they don't actually see the other kid outside of school.

6th grade was still elementary school where I went to school, and dating/boyfriend/girlfriend stuff was rare (granted, that was almost 10 years ago). I can think of one instance in my 5th/6th grade classes, but it seems much more common where I live/coach now. I'm guessing that maybe there is a sort of a ripple effect. Also, maybe the prominence of social networking like Facebook and texting facilitates these "relationships" which don't really involve much out of school physical contact.

 

[fishchimes]

SHE asked HIM out? Weird...

There's nothing weird about asking a guy out. It's actually quite common these days.

As long as they aren't, you know, completely alone, it's probably fine.

 

[nettyinpa]

Yeah, that was basically what I was wondering. It seems like in some places (not where I grew up, actually) a lot of the kids pair off as boyfriend/girlfriend around 6th grade, but they don't actually see the other kid outside of school.

6th grade was still elementary school where I went to school, and dating/boyfriend/girlfriend stuff was rare (granted, that was almost 10 years ago). I can think of one instance in my 5th/6th grade classes, but it seems much more common where I live/coach now. I'm guessing that maybe there is a sort of a ripple effect. Also, maybe the prominence of social networking like Facebook and texting facilitates these "relationships" which don't really involve much out of school physical contact.

My ds is actually in middle school, in 7th grade. He doesn't have a facebook account, no cell phone or i-phone yet. I think it will be more of an in-school thing. Who knows.

 

[gymdog]

Yeah, 7th grade is when it mostly picks up I think, once they're in middle school. They have more freedom between classes, etc. Although at my old middle school they've banned most physical contact (not kidding, hugging in the halls is technically not allowed) and moved to assigned seating at lunches (this I think sounds kind of draconian but when it was implemented the school was over capacity so I think things were probably getting out of hand). When I was there the no hugging rule was already in place, and lunch periods where there were issues had assigned seating for a fixed period of time, but not always.

But I mean, they don't have cars, and there's still not as much school associated after school activities as in high school, so it's probably mostly an in-school "tell the other girls this is my boyfriend" thing.