Even if your kids aren't dating yet, it's never too early to prepare them for romanitc relationships and set healthy boundaries.

Set a Good Example. Treat the mother of your children with respect. Your sons will learn how to treat women well and your daughters will have good standards for the men that come into their life. It may seem trite, but it really is true - kids may learn more from your behavior than they learn from the words you say.

Brush Up Your Listening Skills. Give your kids a chance to sound off about relationships and the opposite sex. Spend one on one time with your kids and earn their trust. Without this trust, getting your kids to talk about their life can be like pulling teeth, but showing them that you care and want to listen will open up the communication lines and give you more opportunities to help guide them.

Speak The Lingo. Does your kid speak only through text messages with his friends? Learn 2 txt! Learn the language your kids speak and then communicate with them using tools they'll respond to. If your daughter is receiving all her other information from friends via text, she'll already be primed for a word of encouragement or a reminder from you.

Set Boundaries. This point is crucial. Time, locations, activities, and required numbers (group dates vs. one on one dates) should all be included. Discuss how you came to these boundaries with your kids and let them join in the discussion as appropriate. Remember to adjust boundaries according to your kids' age and maturity levels.

Be In The Know. Meet your kids' friends and their dates. Ask questions. No, your teen won't like it, but being a parent sometimes means you can't be a friend.

Start Early. Erik Vecere, NFI's Assoc. VP of National Programming, has been preparing his pre-teen daughters for dating for years now. “I’ve used movies, books, television shows, and real-life situations as opportunities to discuss the importance of making good choices when it comes to dating.  I take both daughters out on “dates” so show them how they should be respected and treated.  Probably the most important thing I do that will help them make good choices with dating is to model a healthy marriage with my wife.” It's never too early to start talking about relationships and teaching your kids important lessons.

Bottom line – it’s always going to be tricky, but by modeling / listening / parenting – even the weirdness of your teen’s dating relationships can be survived and even possibly enjoyed.