Meeting Someone Online

While many of us are skeptical, some people are comfortable with looking for a partner or a mate online. News programs such as Dateline and 20/20 have completely turned me against any type of online relationships. Having said that I likely should retract. There are several Families.com readers and writers that I feel I have created a friendship with through comments and private messaging. However, I am not one that would go out looking for someone special through the Internet. When using online dating services, one must be very careful. It is true that some of these sites work. I … Continue reading →

Marrying Your High School Sweetheart

As those of you who read my introduction to the marriage section know, I married my high school sweetheart. We began dating when I was only fifteen. We dated throughout high school with a few break-ups along the way. We married after graduating from college. Therefore my husband and I have been married for seven years but have been together as a couple for fourteen years. I have dated other people but not seriously. I have never been in a true lengthy relationship with any other person than my husband. I know several other couples with this same situation. If … Continue reading →

Fun Winter Dates

The best part of winter is snow and the worst part of winter is snow. For those who live in snowy areas, the first few snowfalls are something to look forward to, but they also bring with them road hazards, school closings, snow shoveling and higher electrical bills. In the southern states, where snow is far more rare, the idea of snow is one filled with romance, fun and a reminder of what it was like to be a kid on school holiday. So if you’re looking for a few fun things to do with a date this winter, dare … Continue reading →

Should You Date a Co-Worker?

It is a very controversial subject. We see actors playing out the situation on television shows. Should you or should you not become involved in a relationship with a coworker or boss? First you must consider how the relationship will affect your job? How closely do you and the other person work? What will happen if the relationship does not work or ends poorly? Having a relationship with a coworker that works on a different floor in a different department from you is completely different than dating the person at the next desk. Consider how often you see each other … Continue reading →

Today’s Dating Emasculates Men

Normally I watch the Today Show as I eat breakfast in the mornings, but today Providence saw fit I should flip over to CBS’s The Early Show. It was right before Julie Chen started interviewing April Beyer, a Relationship Coach and Matchmaker. Can We Ask a Man Out? I didn’t exactly care for the word choice Chen used when she was starting off the interview. “Can we ask a man out? Can we pay?” Duh! Of course we “can.” We can do anything we want. The better question, and what I think she was probably trying to get at, would … Continue reading →

Promises or Commitment – Is There a Difference?

Is there a difference between a commitment and a promise? Yes, there is. It can be confusing I’ve known women who’ve been involved with men who made them promises but they were never actually committed. It’s a tricky place to be – where you hear lots of promises or you receive a lot of promises – but promises aren’t a commitment. For example, an engagement ring is a promise to get married – but it’s not a commitment. The commitment happens when you actually get married. That’s when you make the commitment. Yes, I know it’s semantics, but we live … Continue reading →

Courting Before Dating?

The concept of courtship or courting is really a precursor to the modern-era of dating. In ‘traditional’ courting, it is a highly structured series of activities and the rules are very specific. To court someone involves seeing him or her in a structured atmosphere, usually with a chaperone of some type. To court in modern society would involve invitations to events where the intended will be. Parties held by mutual friends, outings with other couples and so forth. These controlled ‘dates’ would allow the couple to get to know each other without undue stress of maintaining personal images. It’s worth … Continue reading →

How Long Should You Date Before You Get Married?

There’s a great discussion going on over in the forums with regard to how long you should date before you get married. I say discussion, because no one is arguing and everyone has his or her own personal experience. I don’t think there is a designated recipe that dictates exactly how long to date prior to getting married. I’ve known couples that dated for four years, limiting their contact to a couple of evenings out and maybe one evening in for months prior to engagement. I know couples who moved in together after just six months and still others that … Continue reading →

Getting Over a Break Up

The first few days after a breakup are the worst and breakups themselves are terrible. The best way to start on the path of recovery is to focus on you, yourself and you. Don’t dwell on the person who’s not there anymore, instead allow yourself to be a bit selfish and self-centered. Do what makes you happy. If you like romantic comedies, go see them, if you like sports, go play them, if you saw some new shoes that you really liked and you can afford them, go for it. The first few weeks after a breakup are about you, … Continue reading →

What To Know Before You Ask Someone Out for a Date

A good rule of thumb, if you ask someone out on a date, know where you want to go or what you want to do before you ask them. There are several reasons for this, of course, but the best reason is that people are indecisive. They are never quite sure what they want to do, but will often agree to do something if it sounds like fun. So for the average person who wants to go out on a date, the first issue you should acknowledge is that money is likely to be involved. Whether it’s just paying for … Continue reading →