Inside the Mind of the Boy Dating Your Daughter

The data also suggest that teenage boys will be receptive to parental messages about the importance of getting to know a girl and respect within relationships, even if they act otherwise. “Very few parents really talk to their sons about relationships,'’ Dr. Smiler said. “We know that many parents do have these kinds of conversations with girls.'’

Dr. Smiler said parents should talk to boys and girls and try to
teach them about both romantic and platonic relationships, how to
develop and maintain them, how to deal with ups and downs and how to
forgive and regain trust.

“Somehow we buy into this idea that guys aren’t emotional, that guys
aren’t interested in relationships, so we don’t give our teenagers the
information,'’ Dr. Smiler said. “Boys rarely hear this kind of
information about relationships from parents, whether about friendships
or romantic relationships.”