With so much exposure tweens have to the media, marketing companies, and to their peers, it is too difficult to just simply stop them from being part of the outside world. The Liz Claiborne Inc. survey proves that many parents today do not realize how far tweens today have gone. When asked if they have spoken to their children about relationships, the majority responded that their tweens (11-14) were far too young. Clearly, it is the parents who allow their children to wear over-sexualized outfits and allow them to watch television with sexy and inappropriate images. It is therefore up to the parents to teach their tweens about relationships and what can happen if the relationship goes wrong. Below are some guidelines parents and guardians can follow when dealing with tweens and relationships.

1.    Discuss the benefits of finding a balance in a relationship (especially if the child is too involved or obsessed with the relationship.

2.    Be open to communication and don’t judge them.

3.    Set limits on watching television, telephone or internet time.

4.    Suggest activities and time spent with friends.

5.    Teach them the characteristics of healthy relationships (Sorenson, 2007)

a.    Some may misinterpret constant-messaging and jealousy as a sign of love.

Programs are also useful for adolescents to learn about healthy relationships. Research found that most children actually want to receive more information on this subject matter (Sorenson, 2007). These programs can work to:

6.    Change attitudes toward dating violence

7.    Explore the negative consequences of gender stereotypes

8.    Help build conflict management, negotiation-problem solving, and anger control skills.

Understand the “dating” behavior of tweens

·         What defines dating (including romantic relationships and “hooking up”) for tweens?

·         When do tween relationships begin? Who are tween “daters”?

·         To what extent do these relationships include sexual behavior?

Assess potential abuse in tween dating relationships

·         Do tweens recognize or understand abuse in their relationships?

·         When do signs of power and control enter tween relationships?

·         Do tweens think they are in relationships that might be abusive?

·         Is there a relationship between early sexual behavior and subsequent dating abuse?

Understand what parents know about their tween’s dating behavior and signs of abuse

·         Are parents in-the-know or clueless on the topic of abuse?

·         Would parents recognize the signs of abuse in tween relationships?

·         Are parents having conversations with their tweens about abuse?