Unsteady: What Every Parent Must Know about Teenage Romance

Young love. The simple term can bring to mind an innocent crush—the blossoming, tender emotions of two young hearts. To marriage and family therapist JeaNette G. Smith, however, it means something far different. Through her experience, she has come to know that too many of the Church’s teens are going steady far too early. Going steady brings about premature emotional intimacy, which can not only cripple teens’ social and emotional development, but also often leads to physical intimacy. The sad truth is that parents are often to blame for unintentionally encouraging emotional intimacy before their teens are ready for it. Written in a clear, friendly, and often humorous style, Unsteady explains how to head off emotional intimacy before it starts and how to deal with it if it becomes an issue in teenagers’ lives. It is an ideal complement to the For the Strength of Youth booklet, and should be read by parents and leaders of teens for its timely, vital message.