Why are boys afraid of telling their parents they have a girlfriend?
For some boys, the number one rule on parents is: don't tell them. Whatever it is, just don't tell them.
Don't tell them the gash on your head is from skateboarding, because they'll get you a lame helmet. Don't tell them you're thinking of trying to go see an 18 film, because they'll call the police. Don't tell them the deliciously moreish crisps you're eating are banned in Scandinavia, because they'll donate them to the pigeons.
If you don't want to tell them about all that stuff, you'll definitely think twice before telling them you have a girlfriend. They might ask you loads of annoying questions about it. Or even worse, they may initiate an excruciating chat about "where babies come from". It also depends if the relationship is serious. There's not much point telling your mum about a girlfriend if, two weeks later, you reveal you've split up.
We'll keep our parents out of the loop because, as far as we're concerned, it's none of their business. What boys get up to is kept close, between us and our mates.
Having said that, it's not strictly true that no lads tell their parents about their girlfriends. It depends on the boy and, especially, on the relationship he's got with his rents. Some lads will happily discuss their love life at home, which seems pretty healthy to me. Or he might tell one parent and not the other.
But all grown-ups will react differently: one mum might freak out and insist on interrogating the girl to check she's not a murderer, another might be really happy and phone your girlfriend straight away for a girly chat. Horrific.
Often, it's not worth the risk. Unlike these banned crisps I've been eating, whose sensational flavour more than makes up for the very rare side-effects of blindness and hair loss.
Please remember: Kev is not an expert, he is just a boy and sometimes quite a silly boy. The main thing to remember when it comes to lads and relationships is to expect respect as the absolute minimum. Find out more about a Women's Aid campaign of the same name.
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