What my parents’ relationship has really taught me is that when you’re in a relationship you work together not only to live together, but to eat, drive, and do all the other little things that life is based on. Their relationship has really taught me how to behave and control myself, such as that being with another girl when I already have a girlfriend isn’t the right thing to do. My parents showed me what love really means. When you get into a relationship it's not because you just want to be with each other, it’s because you want to live with each other and take care of other things together. To be doing everything and going everywhere together. I want to be in a relationship where my girlfriend cheating on me is the last thing I’m thinking about…a relationship where me and my mate could take care of each other not physically but financially.

The types of elements I would really like to see in my relationship are faith, trust, care, and love. My parents have a kind of relationship that if, let’s say my mother doesn't have enough money to pay her bills, my father will help her. They don't lend each other money, they give each other money. They work together as a team to feed me and my family and they have been there for me since the beginning. That's how I want to be towards my child if I ever have one. To be there to support them, feed them, take care of them, and care about them, just how my parents did for me. I would want to be a good influence on my child the way my parents were a good influence on me.

I wouldn't do anything different from my parents because my parents are my role models for what I want in a relationship. The reason I wouldn't like to do anything differently is because when (if) I become a parent myself, I want to raise my child to be healthy and give him the best education he can possibly have. My parents gave me the best education they could afford; they put me in afterschool programs and gave me tutoring because they cared about my education. They showed me how to be responsible. They showed me how to be independent and how to handle difficult situations. Both of my parents always supported me in everything I did, including sports and other activities. They never get into arguments because they know how to handle things before they got to a point of needing to argue. That’s the kind of relationship I want to be in one day. A relationship that is not only honest but truthful and loving just like my parents’ relationship.

Steven is 17 years old and lives in Los Angeles. On the weekends, he spends his time partying with friends, playing sports, watching movies, going to church, and studying. His role model is his mom because she raised him to be who he is today. Have a question for Steven? Send us an email!