Loves You…Loves You Not

You are wonderful and amazing, and you deserve a partner who treats you well! They love you….

BECAUSE you’re not perfect.
WHEN you have an opinion.
EVEN THOUGH you have a life apart from them.
WITHOUT conditions or expectations.
IN SPITE OF the fact that the two of you are different.
THIS is love.

They love you not….

BECAUSE you follow their advice on how to be more perfect.
WHEN your opinions mirror theirs.
EVEN THOUGH they hate your friends.
WITH conditions and expectations.
IN SPITE OF the fact that you still need to work on yourself so you’ll be more like them.
THIS IS NOT love, it’s control and manipulation.

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and statistics tell us that 1 in 3 teens who are in a dating relationships are experiencing abuse. Teens are routinely subjected to physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of their dating partners, and most are not equipped to cope with it. They suffer in silence, ashamed and embarrassed, feeling like they have nowhere to turn for help. Our sons and daughters need to understand the dynamics of dating abuse so they can avoid abusive relationships. They need to understand the early signs of abuse before it turns physical, and parents need to keep the lines of communication open. If you are an adult or teen who is experiencing abuse in your relationship and you are ready to seek help, contact the national domestic violence crisis line at 800.621.4673. If you are a parent interested in starting a conversation with your teen, the following organizations provide excellent resources:

Are you concerned about your relationship or concerned for the safety of someone close to you? Use the Revved Up Kids Relationship Red Flags and Bill of Rights tools to identify abusive behaviors and tendencies.

Revved Up Kids has trained tens of thousands of children to recognize dangerous people, avoid unsafe situations, and escape attackers. Our training programs are available for boys and girls in K-12th grade, for parents, and for youth serving organizations. Contact us to discuss protecting the children you love from predators and violence, 678.526.3335.