'Not until you are ___ age' 'Only when you are moved out'

All those sorts of things. Are they helpful?

I am wondering because my parents never had a rule about my brother and I dating. And it wasn't an issue for us or them. Neither of us dated seriously until at least 17. I can't speak for him but I personally waited until I was 18 to have sex just because that's what felt right (and I ended up marrying that boyfriend much at 24 and we are still doing great. Idk if 18 is young or old or whatever. It's just what worked for me.l). We never snuck around because there was no need to. And many of my friends have the same experience with their parents. In fact I can't think of anyone have 'dating rules', unless maybe they never brought them up.

Maybe it's a regional thing? I'm from and have always lived in Northern New England and I've never met anyone who had strict dating rules, not that they don't exist. I've heard of it a lot from people in the South.

I personally would like to approach it the way my parents did because clearly it worked for them, but hey every kid is different. Maybe I'll need to change my mind.

What do you think? What will you do? Do you think strict rules around being aloud to date help or are important?