Dating Rules...

If you were a teenager in the 1950's, chances are you were given some of the following rules for dating:

Dating Etiquette for Girls
* Only floozies ask guys out.
* When someone asks you out, it’s polite to give an immediate answer.
* Never break a date without providing a valid reason.
* There’s no such thing as fashionably late; be ready when your date arrives.
* It’s only proper to introduce your date to your parents.
* Don’t apply makeup in public (please see first point).
* At a restaurant, it’s ladylike to tell a date what you want for dinner
so he can order for you.
* Don’t humiliate guys by trying to pay for a date.

Dating Etiquette for Guys

* Dates aren’t like cramming for exams; don’t wait until the last minute to ask
a girl out.
* It’s poor form to honk the car horn to announce your arrival; call for her at
the door.
* Ask her parents when they want her home — and make sure your watch works.
* It’s only polite to help her don her coat.
* Real gentlemen open car doors for girls — or any door, for that matter.
* It’s chivalrous to walk between her and the curb.
* Bring enough money along.
* No kissing on the first date.
* On prom night, don’t leave the corsage in the fridge.

In 2011, online dating has become the rule, rather than the exception. The following are up to date rules for online dating:

1. Post a recent photo of yourself that's flattering and actually looks like you.
2. Be unique and specific in your profile.
3. Avoid negative language in your profile.
4. Only respond to people who interest you.
5. Avoid Googling a potential match.
6. Keep your emails brief. A general rule of thumb: two paragraphs is ideal.
7. If there's interest, meet in person quickly.
8. Protect your privacy.
9. Meet in public and tell at least one person where you'll be and what time you expect to be home.
10. Plan a first date that can be short, sweet, and low-key, like lunch or a coffee date.
11. Keep your options open!
12. Don’t date someone just for "practice."
13. Don’t take the rejection personally.
14. Take a break if you’re feeling jaded.
15. Try different sites.

My, oh my, times certainly do change...doesn't mean that one way was better than the other...I'm sure many young women would be stifled by the rules their parents and grandparents followed. Just like the parents and grandparents would be "lost" when it comes to dating in today's world. To each his own!