7 Steps to Middle School Dating in Any Group

Middle school is a confusing time for students, and the new idea of dating can throw a huge wrench into the mix. Kids are going through huge physical, mental, and emotional changes. Girls notice boys, and boys reject girls. Suddenly, the boys become aware of girls, and their world is rocked.

Middle school students can have a very hard time with the concept of dating. During those 6th, 7th, and 8th grade years most students are still too immature and unprepared to deal with the physical and emotional pressures of these kinds of relationships. Still, the emotions that they are feeling are very real, and can't be turned off on a whim.

There are a number of telltale signs that your middle school student is becoming interested in dating a each other when they are together. These signs are best observed when students are in groups. This entire dating process can take as little as a day, depending on the amount of time the group is together (i.e. camps, youth group gatherings, etc.). Some steps can be skipped altogether.

Step 1 to recognizing a developing middle school dating relationship: The Standby
It all starts simply. Your middle school student will start moving to stand beside a particular person in the group. The two will face inward together, but will keep a good bit of buffer space in between them.

Step 2 to recognizing a developing middle school dating relationship: The Isolation Move
This step involves one of the middle school students (most often the male) swooping in to corner the other and isolating the other from the group. This is their opportunity to get to know one another before the dating relationship can begin.

Step 3 to recognizing a developing middle school dating relationship: The Warm Shoulder
The students will continue the standby, and will up the ante by sitting next to each other with their shoulders just barely touching. Their middle school immature minds may not know how to be subtle, but they do know exactly what they are doing. This physical contact charges them and gives them the confidence that they need to move forward with their plans.

Step 4 to recognizing a developing middle school dating relationship: The Gentle Touch
Step 4, 5, and 6 in this developing middle school dating relationship involve the students' feeble attempts at sneaking physical contact. If playing a game together, the kids will place their hands on the table, pinky fingers lightly touching. Other opportunities for unnoticed gentle touching, whether they actually are noticed or not, are taken as they come.

Step 5 to recognizing a developing middle school dating relationship: The Beezknees
Continuing their intended, albeit failed attempts at subtlety, the students will find ways to make their knees touch under a table.

Step 6 to recognizing a developing middle school dating relationship: The Holy Cross
As their final move toward what they believe is at this point an inevitable dating relationship, the kids will sit next to each other and cross ankles. Keep in mind that this will happen any time that they think they will not get caught doing it.

Step 7 to recognizing a developing middle school dating relationship: The Announcement
And finally, the kids will at last make an official decision about whether or not they will start up a dating relationship (the decision is rarely ever "no"), and will announce to their closest friends their decision. The "dating" has begun, and all this within a matter of days.

Sources:

11 years in church student ministry