How unusual is it for a relationship which starts when children are 12/13 to last 12 months?

[Theromanempire]

I think it is really unusual but accept my experience is limited to my own school experience and my DS who is 14 but still in 'mates/FIFA' mode as are all his friends.

Just curious as one of my friend's DS started a relationship when he was 13 (year 9) and his girlfriend would have been 12/13 (year 8) and they are still together 12 months on! Accepting that for a huge chunk of that time, they haven't actually been able to see each other due to lockdown/tier arrangements .

I really don't know but my 13 year old has a new 'boyfriend' quotation marks used because he is a 14 year old in America (I've checked as far as I can he's legit and it's all pretty innocent and I'm keeping tabs). But it's made me think that internet/virtual relationships are probably more commonplace with teenagers today, and if most of the relationship is online there is less to go wrong!

I know a 22 year old who is still going strong with the girl he started dating when they were both 11. Been going steady all that time.

PILs have been together since they were 14 and are now pushing 70. A friend of mine has been with her husband since they were 16, still together married with kids in their mid 30s. It does happen.

DD got together with her BF when she was 13 (and he was 14). They lasted a year, split up for 18 months and have now been back together for 18 months (now aged 17/18) I'd say that was relatively uncommon compared to most of her friends but she has mentioned one or two others who were together long term from that sort of age. One of my old school friends is still married to the girl he started dating when she was 14

Friends of mine just celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary. I was there the night they met, aged 14. They kissed before they spoke, and have been together ever since.

No experience but relationships at that early stage usually end when one or the other meets/gets closer to someone else they like better... so due to lockdown, that just hasn't happened?

@Scarby9 That is both absolutely beautiful and also a little bit terrifying

One of my best friends started dating her dh when she was 12, still together 30 yrs later

I think it depends on their friends to a certain extent, a lot of DS (13) relationships tend to end because one or the others friends make life difficult, spread rumours, interfere in some way. If the couple were both in the same friendship group to begin with the relationship seems to last longer.

@YukoandHiro much more beautiful than terrifying, honestly!

They are a really normal couple with a wide circle of friends who don't live in each other's pockets or anything. They went to different universities and got married a couple of years later. Both work full time in very different professions, have separate hobbies etc. They just found each other very early and have a strong bond and secure family life (two daughters).

I met my first boyfriend when we were three! We had our first kiss aged 11, and "dated" on and off until we were eighteen.

I think it is relatively common. A friend of mine has been with the same boy since she was 14. They're in their thirties now and have been married three years.

When I was 12, a girl in my class started dated a 16 year old! We were shocked, as she was the class nerd. Well, they stayed together, got married, had kids. She’s 46 now.
I’d say it’s pretty rare, but I’ve seen it happen!

It's fairly unusual but not mega unusual. More unusual is couples who stay together from a very young age but even that isn't ridiculously unusual. Amongst my circles (mid-twenties to early thirties):

• DH and I met at 18 whilst we were both sixth formers (well, he wasn't even 18) and together ever since, though that's A LOT older in terms of maturity.
• BIL and his wife got together when they were about 14 - they were friends at school. Still together now about 15yrs later.
• I know of a couple that I went to sixth form with the fella and we've mostly lost touch now but they're still together, they got together when they were about 13/14.
• My grandparents (appreciate different generation!) got together at 15 and stayed together until my DGF passed away in his early seventies.

I'm 50 and I know many couples who have been together since their mid teens

When I was year9 2 of my friends started going out and didn't break up until they were 19. My brother married the woman he's been with since they were 15, they're 32 now.

I'd say it depends on the relationship, at 12/13 it's probably more of a friendship with hand holding and a snog here and there so if they've been friends beforehand it's more likely to be long term but not necessarily serious.

I know 2 couples who got together at 12/13 ish and are now married with children. They are all 38 now.

My Auntie and her husband have been together since they were about 15 - now early 60s.