That’s a really great question, thanks for reaching out! Relationships in general can be difficult to navigate, and can only get more complicated. As for the legality of the situation, I recommend the MyHealth.Alberta.ca website to answer some of the questions you may have about the age difference and the law.
Basically, the age of consent (the legal age when a youth can make a decision to have sex or not) in Canada is 16, with a couple exceptions (see the website). If you are under 16, you can consent if the other person is no more than 5 years older (if you are 14 or 15) or 2 years older if you are 12 or 13.
With an age gap comes a possible gap in what each person is ready for in a relationship.
And the younger you are the more significant even a small age gap can feel. So trust is a huge aspect of any relationship, but especially if you are concerned about other things, like age. It is so important to make sure that your partner is at the same place as you when it comes to feelings about each other. Something to consider is how comfortable you are with your partner and the level of trust you have with them. Maturity is another big factor in how dedicated you want to be in your relationship and it might help to reflect on that, especially when an age gap is involved.
When it comes to telling your parents, it can be really stressful, and it completely normal to worry about what they might think about the situation! It’s important to remember that no matter what their reaction is, they are reacting like that because they want you to be safe as well as happy. Open, honest communication with your parents can be super important, even if they don’t react the way you want them to. If they are freaking out, stay calm, they might need some time to digest the information. Everyone has their own opinion so it may be helpful to hear them out so that you can try understand why they reacted the way they did and see their point of view on the relationship.
If the person you are with is saying that you should keep your relationship hidden from your parents, that could be a really big red flag that something is wrong.
The main thing with any relationship is that you feel comfortable and safe with whoever you are in a relationship with, we care about your safety and I’m sure your parents are on the same page. If you ever need any support, call, text, or chat with us and we would be happy to chat with you!
