Don’ts –
1. Men – please don’t invite her to “hang out” with you rather than go out on a real date. Show her some respect by taking her out to a nice restaurant, movie, etc. She probably does not want to come over your house for drinks like one of your buddies but rather be treated like someone special by being taken out on a real date.
2. Women – please don’t try to bring your lonely girlfriends out with you on the date. I get the fact your girlfriend just broke up with her man and you feel guilty that you are going out at such a critical time but it’s not fair to your date. He asked you out on a date and not your girlfriend. Besides, you can call her when you get back home. If she’s a real friend, she will understand your decision.
3. Men – please don’t talk about yourself all night long on the date. I know that you want to impress your date by telling her all about what you do for a living but give her a little light to shine too. Allow her time to share something about herself as well. Remember, she’s judging you on how much you are listening to her which goes a long way in a budding relationship.
4. Women – please don’t talk about your ex-boyfriends or ex-husbands on a date. If there was one rule I think you should adhere to, it would be this one. Even if your last relationship caused you to have chest pains, please do not share this on the date. When you go on a date, you are trying to put your best foot forward. Telling your date about how your son or daughter’s father was no good will turn him away faster than you can count. Remember to keep the focus on the two of you.
5. Men – please don’t disappear between dates. Fellas, when the girl you are dating does not hear from you for a week or two, it makes her think you’re not interested in her. In many cases, she will move on. If you have to take a “leave of absence”, the least you can do is let her know beforehand or just give her a quick 5 minute call to let her know you’re okay.
6. Women – please don’t try to extend the date past the time that it should end. Picture this: He looks into your eyes as you into his and you don’t want to look away. You hold hands and watch the stars in the sky. The night is perfect and you don’t want it to end. This is where many women miss the signals to end the date. I recommend the golden rule of no more than 4-5 hours on a date, particularly the first few dates. The reason is because you want to have something more to look forward to in the future. Try to savor the moment. If you play your cards right and leave him wanting more, you’ll have many more dates like this one. Patience is key.
So there you have it! My take on grandma’s rules remixed for modern day men and women. Sure, we certainly can’t turn back the hands of time but we can at least utilize some of her best kept secrets for dating. And who knows maybe a few marriages and long term relationships can be made as a result.
Good luck!
For more helpful dating tips, please check out my website at www.liveloveaspire.blogspot.com or you may inquire about my dating/relationship coaching services at www.liveloveaspire.com.