Here’s what her sister did:
• She ridiculed Seema for being silly and absurd.
• She took the high moral ground from which she had to hastily retreat when Seema threatened to tell their parents of her own boyfriend related misdeeds, both past and ongoing.
• She took the position that falling in love at 14 or 15 was all right, but not at 12.
• She told Seema all sorts of nasty stories about the boy in question in an attempt to get her to dislike him.
• She pinched and slapped Seema every time she saw her on the phone or mooning around the house.
• She tattled on Seema regularly to her parents and was hand in glove with her mother’s master stroke and actually went with her to the boy’s house.

Here’s what her sister could have done:
• She could have warmly welcomed Seema into the confused world of adolescence instead of feeling threatened.
• She could have understood seema’s predicament and tried to talk to her about the baffling feelings that the state of being in love often generates.
• She could have served as a bridge between Seema and her parents and helped the latter understand the former.

Here’s what her father did:
• He didn’t take his daughter’s feelings and pronouncements very seriously.
• He escaped more into work to stay away from his wife’s ranting.
• He secretly felt that what Seema was doing was not so alarming, but had no clue as to how to tell his wife this.
• He refused to speak to his daughter about this and studiously kept out of it.
• He drank more than he usually did.

Here’s what he could have done:
• He could have consoled his upset wife, for it is perfectly natural for any mother in this situation to be a little unsettled, and helped her deal with the situation calmly.
• He could have had a quiet, firm chat with both of his daughters and communicated to them how exactly they were expected to behave when it came to boys.
• He could have insisted that the family spend more time together to resolve the crisis instead of performing his Houdini disappearing trick.
• He could have handled his emotions constructively by talking about them to his wife or with a friend, or obtained some books on the subject of adolescent behavior, or set up a consultation with a professional. 

Advice for teenage kids:
Although 12 is certainly not too young to get into a steady relationship which involves any form of intimate activity simply because your mind is not yet ready to handle this. Your mother’s reaction may be over the top, but remember this is only because she is afraid of what may happen to you for she knows you are far too vulnerable at this time in your life.

When your sister pooh-poohs you, it’s only because she wants you to learn from her mistakes and doesn’t know how to tell you. When your father withdraws, it’s not because he doesn’t know how to handle this situation. Of course, there’s nothing you can do about this, but try not to take it too personally.

You still have a long life ahead. There will be many relationships you will have. Just be patient and bide your time. Every adolescent has her day.