# Your children....dating?!? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 25, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897 "2005-10-25T22:42:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/1 "2005-10-25T22:42:23Z")
Hey, i’ve heard that supposedly, for a dad, having a female child is a nightmare because of worrying about their boyfriends; I’m 19 and male, and having a daughter go out with some of my friends would indeed be, not scary, but…troublesome. I just was wondering if people (fathers and mothers) had opinions or stories on their children (male or female) starting to date. Anyone chase off hopeful boys with shotguns? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/2 "2005-10-26T01:00:27Z")
If I had a daughter, I’d be afraid she would date someone like myself. God’s punishment on you for being a man. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/3 "2005-10-26T01:49:02Z")
A father’s relationship with his daughter(s) is a progressive sort of thing. It goes as follows: When she’s ages 1 through 16–He seriously entertains ideas of killing any sum-bitch that even vaguely entertains an idea of placing even _one finger_ on her. At ages 17 through 23–He hopes that one of those Nice Young Men that dates her will want to marry her and give her a good home. They’ll live nearby, but not too close, in a house with a white picket fence and have a dog and happy grandchildren for him to spoil. Age 24 and beyond–He’d gladly pay the local bank robber several thousand dollars if the guy would only _take her away from here!_ Been there, done that, got some T-shirts. Now, most dads aren’t really crazy in that area. They’ll usually trust that they’ve raised their daughter in such a manner that she’s able to handle herself while out on a date, and they are usually right. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/4 "2005-10-26T06:24:25Z")
My daughter got the scarcasm gene and the doesn’t suffer fools gladly gene from me and the humor gene from both of us. Frankly, I felt sorry for guys that did not have all of their shit packed in the right bag. They have never stood a chance with her. She just blows off losers. 😃 Tis truly a lovely thing to watch. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/5 "2005-10-26T16:51:43Z")
My daugher will be born in January and I’m a bit anxious about all that. I just keep telling myself that if we raise her right she’ll do all that on her own but who knows? I may very well wind up displaying my 5’ barbarian sword over the wood stove which is visible the moment you walk in my front door… ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/6 "2005-10-26T17:05:43Z")
Reminds of a story my brother heard from a friend of his… He was Japanese-American, and had much Japanese “stuff” on his walls – prints, weavings – and a genuine _katana_. His daughter’s prospective suitors would receive this performance: “How are you, Prospect? Coke? Sprite? OK. Oh, you’re looking at the sword… yes, it belonged to my great-grandfather – been in the family for over 100 years. _(taking sword down)_ Tradition means a lot to me… _(wrapping hands around the hilt)_ family… _(sighting along the blade)_ protecting my family… _(swishing blade through the air)_ if anything happened to my family, I don’t know what I’d do. _(Looking prospective suitor in the eye)_ So, what time are you bringing Daughter home?” “Uh… 9:00?” _(A magnanimous toss of the head)_ “Make it 10.” ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/7 "2005-10-26T17:53:02Z")
My dad used to sit us down in the living room, wander out, then wander back in again, sharpening our meat cleaver. :rolleyes: What made it worse (or funnier, depending on your perspective) is that he never acknowledged the giant knife in his hands in any way- just sat down and started making small talk. ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/8 "2005-10-26T19:05:06Z")
Lines I’ve been told to use: “I kind of look forward to going back to prison. You know, catch up on some old friends.” [While holding baseball bat] “You mean you can play a sport with these?!” “About the best part of working for Search and Rescue is that you find all the best hiding spots.” I think our martian friend is right, you attitude evolves. I’ve gone from, “They can’t have sex until their 10th anniversary” (I have 15 year old twin girls) to “I’m gonna fix them up with 18 year olds who agree to their younger brothers where ever they need to be.” But right now, it is pretty much just the joking stage. The are very quiet and shy like their mom, and geeky like me. I’ve actually had to encourage them to wear make up. ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/9 "2005-10-26T19:07:22Z")
that should have been “… agree to drive their younger brothers…” ---
**Author:** ![MadPansy64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MadPansy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPansy64)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/10 "2005-10-26T21:30:55Z")
> [@John Carter of Mars](#): > > A father’s relationship with his daughter(s) is a progressive sort of thing. It goes as follows: > > When she’s ages 1 through 16–He seriously entertains ideas of killing any sum-bitch that even vaguely entertains an idea of placing even _one finger_ on her. > > At ages 17 through 23–He hopes that one of those Nice Young Men that dates her will want to marry her and give her a good home. They’ll live nearby, but not too close, in a house with a white picket fence and have a dog and happy grandchildren for him to spoil. > > Age 24 and beyond–He’d gladly pay the local bank robber several thousand dollars if the guy would only _take her away from here!_ > > Been there, done that, got some T-shirts. Now, most dads aren’t really crazy in that area. They’ll usually trust that they’ve raised their daughter in such a manner that she’s able to handle herself while out on a date, and they are usually right. This is my experience, after observing five teenaged stepdaughters (2 husbands). Let me add, that at age 30, the daughter moving back into the familial abode, will cause the father to take out a large loan and actively pursue the local bank robber to take her FAR away from here immediately. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/11 "2005-10-26T21:39:22Z")
> [@MadPansy64](#): > > This is my experience, after observing five teenaged stepdaughters (2 husbands). Let me add, that at age 30, the daughter moving back into the familial abode, will cause the father to take out a large loan and actively pursue the local bank robber to take her FAR away from here immediately. And if he can’t arrange that, to take _him_ FAR away. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/12 "2005-10-26T23:32:45Z")
I’m relieved - I parsed the OP as suggesting that the children were dating … each other. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/13 "2005-10-26T23:58:20Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m relieved - I parsed the OP as suggesting that the children were dating … each other. Er. If anyone’s had experience with that, please **don’t** post. We don’t want to know. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/14 "2005-10-27T00:21:33Z")
My friend’s dad was a fireman who retired to become a Pastor of a local church. He had his fireman’s axe hanging above the fireplace. He used to give us The Talk: “I have a nice car, not too expensive, but not too cheap. I have a nice house, a nice computer… but do you know what is more dear to me than any of these? That’s right. My daughter. Do you see that axe? It’s 9 lbs with a carbon-fiber handle. Chops right through… anything. Do you know what will happen to all those nice things? They’ll all turn to dust. Do you know what will happen to you if anything happens to my daughter? That’s what I thought.” I actually had a dream years later that her father chased me around my old hometown throwing flaming axes. ---
**Author:** ![Kiminy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Kiminy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiminy)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/15 "2005-10-27T01:43:50Z")
Of course, the said daughter could simply take the route that our 14yo daughter has taken–she’s decided she is gay, and has no interest in dating guys at all. Now, is my husband supposed to be jealous of her girlfriends??? I don’t think my own father ever met any of the boys I dated, until he came to my wedding (where I asked him not to walk me down the aisle, and he was happy to oblige). ---
**Author:** ![3.885AM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/58956e/32.png) [@3.885AM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3.885AM)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/16 "2005-10-27T02:02:08Z")
We just sent our daughter off to collage. Well it didn’t take her long to meet someone. She has been IMing my wife and I with questions about when we met, how did we know we were in love, when did we know, etc., a bit funny, a bit cute, but a bit disconcerting, especially given that it is a coed dorm, and he is just down the hall. I trust her and I know she can handle herself well in just about any situation. We have met the boyfriend and he seems decent enough. But they always do, don’t they? ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/17 "2005-10-27T04:18:19Z")
My daughter had her first birthday last week. A few weeks ago, I was picking her up from daycare and her caretaker told me that my little girl has a boyfriend. His name is Jack. The next day, I was told that she and Jack sat together and played all day. The next day, I was told that she kissed Jack. I shot a look over at Jack. He looked up at me and started crying. I apologized to the caretaker and had a little chuckle. “Oh my! I guess I **AM** a big, mean father!” 😃 But, on the inside, I’m pumping my fist and hissing _YESSSSS!_ I have a feeling there’s gonna be a few more boys crying before she’s on her own. ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/18 "2005-10-27T05:43:31Z")
One of the reasons guys are so protective of their daughters is because they remember what they were like as pubescent hormone factories. I don’t even have kids yet, but the thought of a daughter doing some of the things my girlfriend does with me makes me a bit homici. . .er, upset. This is decidedly odd considering that I’d be considered a wild-eyed liberal on most sexual issues (I think prostitution should be legal and think that statutory rape laws are stupid). It’s a visceral reaction that bypasses rational thinking. Hopefully I’ll mellow by the time I’ve got a daughter or I’ll soon run out of room to hide the bodies 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-children-dating/327897/19 "2005-10-27T16:33:39Z")
My niece just turned 11, and my brother the cop commented that in the not-so-distant future when she starts dating, he’s going to meet her dates at the door in full uniform, gun on prominent display. DH opined that it’d be scarier to be cleaning the gun while talking to people nobody else can see. This is the brother who met one of my dates at the door wearing a hockey mask and brandishing a chainsaw.