Do you have to date?
Everyone’s capacity and desire for dating are always unique. Some are ready to date at the age of 13, while others never want to date.
People look for different things: some look for friends, some intimacy, some sex and new experiences or all of these. You should be honest with your expectations and at the same time subtle so that you do not cheat or insult the other. There are also many forms of relationship, read more here.
Expressing your feelings does not automatically mean that it will lead to dating or being together.
If someone tells you about their feelings for you, that does not necessarily mean that you will have a relationship.
Sometimes it is hard to know whether you want to date someone or not. If you do not know exactly what you want, it is perfectly okay to say that you do not know – as long as you do it directly and honestly. You may say that this situation requires more time to get acquainted in order to find out what kind of feelings emerge, alone and together.
If the idea of dating or being together feels anxious, scary or uncomfortable, it is a message of something – maybe you need more time to get to know each other, or dating just is not your thing. There may be many reasons for this feeling; perhaps the timing is not right. Maybe your feelings for each other are not that strong or starting a relationship just does not seem like a good idea. Respect and be honest about your feelings.
Youth Service Experts, the Family Federation of Finland