Most girls start in middle school to hang out with a group of friends that may include both girls and boys. Certainly by the time your daughter is old enough to join a club at school or get into athletics, there will be quite a few occasions when she is going to an event — a movie, a college game, a banquet, an awards ceremony — with a large crew. Encourage her go out with a group and ask the whole bunch over for a cookout afterward, or to watch the video of the latest athletic meet they were in, while you have popcorn and soda waiting for them.

Provide transportation for the group when they go to a theme park with their club advisors. Your best move really is to encourage group dating. As long as your daughter and her teenage friends travel in a pack, they can have fun but rarely get into a sticky situation. The sheer number of people along on the date usually prevents that from happening.