Talking to your teenager about dating can feel awkward. Offering advice to an adult daughter or son isn’t always easy either. One way to open the conversation? Watch a dating show together.
Honestly, I think anyone who is dating could benefit from watching shows like Love Is Blind, Patti Stanger: The Matchmaker, and Indian Matchmaking with a thoughtful eye. They give you plenty to talk about without making the conversation about someone’s own relationship.
Start with the questions that matter
Love Is Blind puts conversation before appearance. It’s a good starting point for asking, “What would you want to know about someone before getting serious?”
For teens, that might mean discussing respect, expectations, and whether they feel comfortable being themselves. For adults, it could include commitment, children, faith, or the future they want. Learning to ask “What are you looking for?” can help someone stop guessing and start listening.
Remind them they’re choosing, too
My favorite takeaway from Patti’s advice is to stop focusing so much on being liked that you forget your own needs. Many women can relate to people-pleasing, but this lesson matters for sons, too.
Instead of only asking, “Do they like me?” encourage them to consider, “Do I like how they treat me? Can I say no without feeling guilty?”
Indian Matchmaking also opens up conversations about preferences, values, and family expectations. Being flexible about hobbies is different from setting aside deeply held beliefs just to keep someone interested.
Keep the conversation open
The same applies to intimacy. Rather than treating a TV personality’s timeline as a rule, talk about readiness, consent, and choosing a pace that respects their values. Pressure shouldn’t make that decision for them.
For teens, choose age-appropriate content or scenes. With adult children, ask whether they want your perspective rather than turning watching together into a lecture.
These shows are edited entertainment, and not every example is worth following. But a simple “What did you think of that?” can start a useful conversation about the kind of relationship someone actually wants.