Honest parenting questions re: tweens.. [View all]

[Oscarmonster13]

I have a couple delicate questions to ask but I don't want to offend or make it seem like I am trying to stir shit.
Let's see where do I start?

My kid just entered middle school this year. We are a really liberal family and my kids actually impress me with their level of maturity when it comes to being accepting and non-prejuduced regarding race, sexual orientation, etc... so that's all cool.

There's a few of her friends who say they are bi and lesbian, and a guy she recently liked turns out to be gay...okay here's my question - How can you know that at 11 or 12 years old?
I just think that maybe these kids are saying this or trying these roles to be 'fashionable' now...or can you really be that sure of your orientation that young?(am i an idiot?) I just think you should at least get more than *halfway* through puberty before you start leaning one way or another...especially before acting on it! sheesh, I won't let my 12 year old date, how is it these kids are having these experiences so young?

With this comes another dilemma...sleepovers. If my daughter wants to have all the girls over that's fine, but I feel like I have to designate that the girls who are 'dating' can't come together, because that's like allowing a co-ed sleepover where someone can make out with their boyfriend...right?

I feel like such an old fogey asking these questions, but I am seriously confounded at how to handle this angle of parenting...