I was married for sixteen years. I graduated from college on a Sunday and was married that following Saturday. Until the day of our divorce we had never lived on our own and never been responsible for ourselves. It was a grand adventure for the two of us, we were spontaneous, we had money, we experimented with decorating and food, and we still dated regularly. It was easy, I'd turn to her and ask "Would you like to go out to dinner tonight?" She would reply and off we went. Then I got divorced and had to reintegrate to a dating world that had changed dramatically.
Here is what I've learned:Texting is apparently acceptable. Men text women to ask them out on dates. Women flirt with text messages. Men don't open doors like their mother's taught them to do for a woman. Women don't demand it or expect it.Going dutch on a date is what is expected by both parties.No one seems to wash their car on date night.Getting together for coffee in a public place is a normal first date.Both men and women tend to drink too much on dates.Sex is often times offered quickly in a dating relationship.
The aforementioned things that I learned are not the lessons I am passing on to my sons. We dads need to show our kids the right way to go about dating...we need to call you on the phone, ask politely, recommend the restaurant, ask if it would be alright to pick you up at your home, open your car door, pull out your chair at the restaurant, use good table manners, not talk about 'gross boy stuff' or our ex-girlfriend and at the end of the night we should walk you to the door and ask for a goodnight hug or kiss and then go to our own home. We absolutely should call you the next day and let you know if we would like to go out again.
I'm not a chauvinist, or trying to put women down by taking away their independence by opening doors for them, but rather I want guys, and myself, to let you know that it is a privilege to spend time with you and show you some old fashioned respect.
P.S. I was making the kid switch with my ex-wife recently and I still opened her car door for her.