As Christian parents, our greatest desire for our kids should be to see them flourish by living every square inch and second of their lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. One of the most common roadblocks to this kind of flourishing is the teenage dating, romance, and love scene. The pressure to be in a dating relationship can be strong. And for those who aren’t, they can somehow come to the wrong conclusion that they are less than their friends. If you’re a parent like me, you’ve pushed back on the pressure your kids feel to date. A new study from the Journal of School Health says that there are benefits to not dating. The study found that 10th grade students who are not in a romantic relationship have stronger social skills and are less depressed than their peers. In addition, those students exhibit greater leadership skills. Parents, let your kids know that they don’t have to conform to the latest dating pressures. Relationships can become an idol that derails their love for Christ.