Teen Tuesday: Too Young To Play House

It's Teen Tuesday and I have something weighing heavily on my mind.  I recently learned of a recent high school graduate who has decided to move from her parent's home (yay) in with her boyfriend (boo).  I can think of so many reason why this is such a bad idea but that's not the purpose of this post.

I have a teen girls group which I love dearly. I started this group to help guide them along their journey to success in education and in their professional lives.  We've been together for a year now, and it is finally time to discuss boys.  I haven't heard of any of them having boyfriends so I don't know what's going on.  At least one of them has to have one, right?  But listen up.  Boys/Girls can throw you off of your educational game if you're not focused.

Here are 3 problems and my solutions:

Problem: If a boy/girl encourages you to forgo your college education to be with them, run the other way.  I dated a few guys in college who weren't enrolled in college.  I made the mistake by skipping a class or two to hang out with them while my grades began to suffer.

Solution: Find a like-minded boy/girl to hang out with.  Someone who has similar goals, i.e. education at the least, who understands the importance of going to class.  Make an appointment to meet in the school courtyard or Student Union and study together.

Problem: A young boy/girl wants you to move away from your support system after high school graduation just so you can be with him/her because they're lonely.

Solution: Tell them to buy a dog.  If they want to be with you so much, they will come back to you.  It does not make sense for you to leave your support system, your job, and your family to relocate into a state of insecurity.  Unless he/she is wealthy.  Just kidding.  You now will have to find a new job, and we know how hard it is to find a job these days. And...you have limited skills.  Zero. Zilch.

Problem: You have no skills, real world experience, and now you want to play wife/husband by moving in together.

Solution: Don't do it!  You are way too young to start playing house as a teenager.  This is the time to go have some fun.  Learn who you are.  Get out there and enjoy your life without any strings attached.  While you are in college, there are so many programs and courses abroad to give your international experience.  Once you marry and start having children, these opportunities are still possible but are harder to accomplish.

Here is my takeaway:

Go to college. Graduate. Enjoy life.

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