At What Age Should a Girl Get a Purity Ring?

If you’re a parent planning to purchase a purity ring, you may wonder when the right time is to present your child with this traditional symbol of purity. There’s no easy answer to this question, as there is no one ideal age at which every girl is ready for a purity ring. To find the perfect time, you’ll have to consider a variety of factors, including:

- Her age – Typically, a girl should not be given a purity ring before she reaches puberty. Girls can mature at different rates, but the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that most children reach puberty between the ages of 9 and 14.

- Her maturity – Just because a child has reached puberty, doesn’t mean she’s necessarily ready to think about sex. The decision to remain abstinent until marriage is an adult one. If you give a child a purity ring before she can fully appreciate the significance of it, the ring is unlikely to have a special meaning to her.

- Her dating habits – If your daughter hasn’t yet expressed an interest in boys, you may wish to wait to present her with a purity ring.

- Her personal beliefs – Even if you feel strongly about abstaining from sex until marriage, you should wait to give your daughter a purity ring until she, too, has expressed those beliefs to you. The decision to wait until marriage is ultimately hers. By giving her a ring before she’s committed to waiting, you may upset her or even encourage her to do just the opposite of waiting.

Whenever you decide the time is right to give your daughter a purity ring, make sure that you find a way to mark the occasion with celebration. Take her out for a special dinner, have a party or give it to her after an activity that you enjoy doing as a family. Tell her that you’re proud of her decision to wait until marriage when you give her the ring and remind her that she can always approach you with questions about sex and sexuality.