Dating Before 16

Dear Bro Jo,

I heard my friends say that President Hinkley said that it's OK for girls to date at 16. Will you please tell me where to find that so I can show my mom that it's OK for me to go to Prom this year?

- Fifteen in Florida


Dear Fifteen,

Nope.

'Cause it's not true. People choose to believe all kinds of stuff in a effort to excuse or justify behavior; this is no different. Dating is after 16, not at 15.

Formal dances should be no excuse.

My oldest daughter's birthday is right around Prom time in our town, and I get asked by girls all the time if I'll let her go to Prom if it's the day before her 16th birthday and the answer is "No".

"But Brother Johnston that's so mean!"

No it's not. It's consistent.

16 is 16.

15 is 15.

If it bothers her, she should plan ahead and get on the Prom Committee at the beginning of the year and make sure Prom is after her birthday.

"But Bro Jo, we get to go to Church Dances at 14! And this is the same thing!"

I hear that every formal dance.

And no it's not. A Church Dance is a bunch of kids in a mixed up group being social. A school dance is the same way. A Formal Dance is a Date. Period.

I know there are kids that go to Formal Dances without dates. Some of you (parents and kids) are going to hate me for writing this, but going to a Formal Dance dateless is Lame. No Date? Don't go.

Not every Event is for everybody. Some things, like Prom, should be preserved as a Formal Date affair; it's one of the few times in a person's life where something like this can happen.

Which of course leads to the question: How Does a Girl Make Sure She's Got a Date for Prom?

Stay tuned!

- Bro Jo