Dating Tips for Women Age 40 and Over

Dating can be a sticky situation, especially if you are a woman who has passed the 40 year age mark. When you have reached this stage of life, time is a lot more valuable to you and you are less willing to put up with anything ...or anyone ...that wastes that time.

I was 40ish when I finally got married and still have a majority of female friends who have either never been married or have been divorced for awhile, so I know the frustrations and pitfalls connected with looking for love in "middle age." While it is politically correct to assign the reason for being single at so late an age to career and female independence, the truth of the matter is that many women of our generation have just not found the right man.

Before I was blessed to wed my wonderful hubby, I had been through a series of bad, bizarre and downright confusing relationships, some of which left me with wounds it took years to recover from. In speaking with my friends, their experiences have been similar and they are starting to wonder whether it's even worth their bother to stay in the dating game anymore.

After talking at length with my single girlfriends, age 40+ and reviewing my own past experiences, I have, therefore,come up with 8 categories of men that you may want to avoid.


THE PINER

The Piner is a guy whose conversations are continually laced with references to his former girlfriend, former or deceased spouse or unrequited love object. He always talks about what she said or did or compares something you cooked or ate or wore to what she did. If they idealized her, you will never be able to match the perfect image they have of her. If they hated her, you will always find yourself having to work extra hard to "prove" you are not like her at all.

I went out with a man who kept bringing up the topic of a female he had liked, but who had shown no interest in him, despite several attempts on his part to change her mind. When I invited him over for a homecooked meal, on the hopes my culinary gifts would turn the tide, he asked if he could invite the other woman.

Needless to say, that was the end of that one for me and, if you find yourself in anything similar, stop while you're ahead.