When my daughter was 5 years old, and just starting kindergarten I would occasionally tell my daughter “Just remember, no dating and no boyfriends until you turn 30 years old”.
Wishful thinking, I know.
I told her this her first day of kindergarten, and she replied “okay daddy”.
Then I would tell her the same thing every once in a while. Not too often to be annoying, but often enough that she knew my rule.
Then one day, later in the school year as I was getting ready to drop her off at school, once again I said to her “remember now, no dating and no boyfriends until you turn 30 years old”.
This time she had a totally different reply.
She turned to me, and looked right at me with those eyes that she could use to get whatever she wanted from her dad, and said “Well, if I get good grades all through school, can I start dating when I am 29”?
It took all the willpower I had to not smile and start laughing when she asked that. With a very serious look on my face, I showed her that I was taking a moment to consider what she had just asked.
Then I replied to her “Hmmm…..Well okay, you’ve got a deal. If you get good grades all through school I will let you start dating at 29”.
She replied, “okay daddy”, got out of the car, and bounced her way on into school for the day.
For those who are going to ask, yes she waited till she was 29 to start dating, because she always followed daddy’s rules.
Just kidding.
She had her first boyfriend at around 13 years old, breaking her Daddy’s heart. I mean what did you expect? Kid these days don’t listen to their parents anymore…