Valentine’s Day is a day of joy. Still, it is also a day of anxiety for many. With that in mind, here are some fun dating rules to ensure that if you meet your Valentine, or already have one, you will have the same one next year.
The simplest rule to guarantee you have a successful dating experience is that the minimum age you should date is half your age plus seven. For example, if you are 30, then the youngest person you can date should be at least 22 years old. Half of 30 is 15, plus seven equals 22.
This works for all ages and allows for gold diggers once you reach old age. An 80 year old can date someone who is 47.
You can only plan for as long as you have been dating. So, if you met your Mr. Right on Saturday, you can plan to get together on Sunday, Monday might be questionable. If you have been dating for six months, you can plan a vacation in six months. You get the idea.
I always laugh when friends tell me that they are planning to go away to Europe next year with someone they just met. Highly unlikely!
You can only vacation together for the number of nights you have consecutively spent overnight together. If you have spent a week together at home, spending each night together and waking up together, then you can plan a week’s vacation. If you only spend 48 hours together on weekends, then that 10 day Hawaiian vacation may be a bit premature. Try Palm Springs or LA for the weekend.
He has his friends, you have yours. Now they will be mixing. Telling him you don’t care for his best friend is not the best dating strategy. Suck it up and keep your mouth shut. After all, he may be doing the same thing. Remember his friend thinks he probably will outlast you.
No borrowing of your date’s clothing without permission. Don’t come in the kitchen wearing his Prada top asking, “Don’t I look fabulous?” You will be looking fabulously single in a short period of time.
If you are of the same economic class, then you should share the responsibility for meals, movies and events that you attend together. However, if one person is a student, while the other is a successful lawyer, then you need to work out how things will get paid. If you vacation in St. Bart’s every year, your student boyfriend surely cannot foot his half of the bill. You know you don’t want to stay at a youth hostel.
Dating involves spending time in each other’s home and car. It is critical that you be respectful of each other’s space. You may hate hearing Lady Gaga for the 10,000th time, but changing the radio station or CD without asking is looking for trouble.
No farting in each other’s presence for the first year. Also goes for belching. ‘Nuff said.
Also, if you are Oscar Madison and he is Felix Unger, you need to respect the cleanliness of his space. Of course, he can just pile his dishes in your sink or tub.
No one completes you. You are a whole person, a circle. You and your date may become intersecting circles, but you both should be complete with and without each other. Doesn’t that sound a lot healthier? It also allows you to maintain activities and interests you do not share with your partner. You can go antiquing and he can play Assassin’s Creed.
You must have spent a minimum of 100 overnights together before you consider moving in. That means you need to wait almost a year if you are spending two nights per week together. So don’t plan on renting that U-Haul just yet. If you do, then more than likely you will be renting another one to move out relatively soon. So be sure to save the boxes.
Now you know the rules, go out and find that Mr. or Ms. Right – or both. This Valentine’s Day may be your best ever and you might just have the same Valentine next year. If not, you probably did not follow the rules!
