When it comes to dating, we find various people matched with the other, just like a senior dating a sophomore in high school. Some people may wonder, can a senior dating sophomore in high school? Is it weird? Or not really?
We’ll discuss the details about that matter here. Let’s check it out!
Contents
What Are Senior and Sophomore?
Generally, high school students have to go into four years before graduating. First years are called freshman, second years are called sophomore, third years are called junior, and fourth years are called senior. In some countries, you can pass high school in three years.
But the point, sophomore is in the second year of high school. And senior is the third or last year student at high school. They’re the same high school student with different grades and most likely age too.
Sophomores are generally 14 or 15 years old when seniors are 17 or 18 years old. They may have two years of age differences, more or less. This condition may not apply to all students because of one thing or another.
Is It Weird if They’re Dating?
Actually and logically, no.
Nowadays, it’s not weird for two people with age and grade difference dating. This feat may be an ordinary thing that you can find in many high schools out there. They’re students in the same school anyway, so it’s not weird if they’re got attracted to each other and start dating.
While it’s not a weird thing, it may generate worries from people around them. Especially from parents, more likely the parents of the sophomore. About these worries, we’ll talk more in the next part.
Things Parents Might Be Worried About
A senior can date a sophomore in high school, and it’s not a weird thing. But as parents, they may be worried if their kid is dating a senior. Here are things that parents may be worried about:
Age difference
As mentioned above, a senior and a sophomore generally have two years of age differences. This age difference may not matter for adults, but it is shown for a high schooler. The grading system also contributes to this, as they’re in a different grade.
Moreover, the senior, usually 17 or 18 years old, is already in the legal age. At the same time, the sophomore is still underage, usually 14 or 15 years old. This adding worries to parents, as the distance between legal and under-age, seems terrifying.
Age difference also affects the view of maturity. Girls are considered more mature generally than boys. This trait would make people think that the relationship may not be that bad if the sophomore is a girl. The girl can keep up with the boy in the aspect of maturity. That’s the majority perspective.
But it’s a different case if the sophomore is a boy. Parents may be worried whether their kid is already mature enough to build the relationship. The boy might have trouble keeping up with the girl’s maturity, leading them to break up.
The senior will graduate soon.
As a last-year student, a senior will graduate soon and leaving the school. Be it college or work. The old will go and being away from their lover. This concern may become an inconvenience for parents. They might be asking; if you’re going to go anyway, why date my kid? Then how about the relationship later?
The seniors only want to have fun.
This statement is discriminatory, but many parents think of this when found out their kid is dating a senior. They will be wondering whether the senior wants to have fun and is not serious with their kid moreover if their kid is a good and naïve child who knows nothing about the world. Well, in the parents’ eyes, at least.
This worry has to do with the age difference, again. As a sophomore is just turned out 14 or 15 years old, parents still think of them as kids. Then, parents see a 17 or 18 years old senior dating their little kid. This description may seem like a joke, right? Parents might be highly doubting the true intention of that senior.
Getting a bad influence
This worry most likely comes when a sophomore is dating a seemingly flashy senior or popular in a sure thing. Parents who think of their child as a naïve kid may be worried if the senior will give the bad influence. The worry will get worse if the kid is a model student who never breaks a rule before.
But Things May Not That Bad
Yes, it may be not so bad, not as bad as you think. The worries maybe just a group of concerns inside your head, not the reality. Reality might be so much better than what you’re worried about. Here are why:
Age not continually defines maturity
Age is just a number. Maturity depends on each person, the individual itself. The perspective about girls or older person more mature is not always proper. The boy might be more mature, or maybe the younger one. You’ve seen many cases of it already, right?
The age difference might have seemed like a big deal because you see them as senior and sophomore. Or as the 15 years old minor and a 17 years old legal age. If you try to see them personally as individuals, your perspective may get more expansive and not trapped in age difference.
They’re still high schoolers anyway.
Both the senior and the sophomore, they’re still a high school student. They’re just high schoolers who like each other and start dating. It’s as simple as that.
It’s the adults who make things complicated, weighing things here and there. Point out about age difference and maturity. They doubt a real intention behind the act. Afraid your kid will get a bad influence. Questioning the future of their relationship as if they’ll get married tomorrow. They’re just dating, for God’s sake.
Your kids are precious in your eyes, of course. But let your kids enjoy their high school life and live their life the fullest. High school time won’t come twice, and it often becomes the brightest time in one’s life. You surely wouldn’t want to let it go to waste.
Just because they’re young, it’s not love
As an adult, you might see them as immature kids who misinterpret love in their way. This thinking might be accurate, but not always the case. Their relationship might be a passing fling, but it might be a once-in-lifetime destiny. We don’t know.
Just because they’re young doesn’t mean they can’t feel a powerful feeling like love. That feeling and relationship may be a serious matter for them. Just like we’ve fallen in love in our youth, that’s maybe what they’re going through.
Build a good communication
To lessen your worries, you can build good communication with both of them, your kid and their partner. When you’re communicating well with them, you’ll know what’s going on between them. You might find that your worries are nothing at all, and you’re just overthinking inside your head.
And when you’re communicating well with them, they will be more likely to listen. This understanding will make things easier for you, especially if you have something to worry about. They’ll be glad to open up to you and accept the suggestion you made.
Believe in your kid
Sometimes this is what kids need from their parents: to believe them completely. Rather than tie them up with many restrictions, giving them trust is much better. The confidence their parents give could be the strength for trying to be a good kid.
Believe in your kid is pretty much the same as believing in yourself. When you think that you raised your kid well, you’ll feel that your kid will do well. So whoever they’re dating, they’ll be just fine.
Things to Watch Out
When things may not be as bad as you’re worrying about, there are things you need to watch out for. But please take a note that they are not excessive worrying. It’s more like a careful step to protect your precious kid.
First, take a look at your kid’s grade. Dating may be resulting in dropping grades, whoever your kid is dating. Dating consumes time and might take the slot for studying. So make sure that you’re monitoring your kid’s grades when they’re dating.
Then, monitor whether your kid got influenced by bad things. This suggestion may seem as contradictory to what we’ve discussed before. But as long as you’re not too restricting and got your monitoring under control, it’s okay. Just because you believe in your kid doesn’t mean you’re letting your hands off completely.
Last, you need to know whether your kid is engaging in sexual things with their partner. This narrative may be taboo and hard to bring up, but it’s an essential matter. Even though age doesn’t matter, they are still young. You need to monitor and guide them so that they won’t fall into a dark cliff.
Again, communication is the key to make sure that things you need to watch out for are under control. With this, you can ease your worries as well as protect and guide your precious kid.
