The other day, I blogged about my efforts to be intentional in helping my son become a man. The same applies to my girls. However, as they are younger, the issues are little more basic. The girls are 10 ½ and 7. Naturally, at those ages it is time to teach them about dating, right?

What, you don’t think so? Okay, so I am not ready for them to start dating anyone other than me just yet. But, I do take them on dates, and I am beginning to teach them some of the basic rules of dating. This i an idea I stole from Mark Driscoll. I am sure that he got it from someone else. The idea, is to get them used to being treated properly. That way, when they are teenagers, they will have high expectations and high standards.

So here are the rules of dating that I have been teaching so far:

1. Meeting the Dad first. Anybody who wants to date my girls has to meet me first. Not a casual out at the mall: “Oh Dad, this Steve. He is taking me on a date tonight.” Before Steve can take one of my girls out, he has to come to the house and actually talk to me. If he passes the test, then he can take her out. I have actually had the chance to do this once. A couple of years ago, we had an exchange student living with us. When it was time for the prom, we had her date over for dinner. Actually, we did it at my parents house. Then after dinner, I took whats-his-name into the den and talked to him for a while about respect, etc. It was rather odd, but good. Lorraine, said that she liked it. Her dad had never done anything along those lines.
2. Meeting Her at the Door.  This is the next rule.  If they are taking her out, they have to get out of the car and meet her at the door.  No honking the horn and expecting her to come out to them.
3. Opening the door.  They have to open car doors, house doors, and restaurant doors for her.
4. General princess treatment.  The summary of the behavior, is that they should treat my daughters like they are princesses.
5. Loving Jesus.  This is the prerequisite.  If they don’t love God, they don’t date my daughters.  Period.

All of this reminds me of a story that a friend tells about when he and his sister were in high school.  One weekend, his father had come home from hunting.  He was cleaning his shotgun when the door rang.  He picked up his gun, and answered the door, gun in hand.  Two guys who new my friend’s sister were standing at the door in shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops.  They asked to see the sister.  Dad asked: “Is she expecting you?”  “No, we thought we would just stop by.”  “Well why don’t you come back another time, dressed more appropriately.  An call before you come by.”  The guys sheepishly walked away.  By Monday morning, everyone at school had nicknamed my friend’s dad “The General.”  My friend loves the story.  His sister may not have liked the impact it had on her dating life.  I bet it weeded out some of the guys she was better off not dating.

So, are there any rules that I am missing that I need to teach my girls?