Most people I know have a love hate relationship when it comes to dating after marriage. Dating after divorce is fun and exciting and sexy if you’re on a date with someone you really like. Dating is awful if you’re sitting there smiling and counting the minutes in your head until the food comes so you can get the check and get the heck out of there!
Dating after divorce is also the best thing on earth if you fall for someone and you get really cute texts and you feel like you’re in high school again. Dating can feel disappointing when you really thought you hit it off with a guy and he never contacted you after Or if you have to break up with someone.
I could tell story after story about the weirdos, psychos, bizarre, needy, mean spirited, bitter men I’ve met in the past, but I could also tell you about the many wonderful, caring, giving, loving men who are great people. That’s what dating after marriage is. It’s putting yourself out there in hopes to meet someone you really connect with, without putting pressure on yourself that you have to get married in a certain timeframe. Dating after marriage takes guts and patience and time. It’s not easy. But when you meet the right one, I promise, it will all have been worth it.
Here are 5 people you really don’t want to date when dating after marriage:
1. The Trasher.
The trasher is the person who cannot stop trashing his or her ex. He/she is constantly calling her “the bitch” or “the asshole.” Or he/she is telling you about every little thing the ex does that bothers him/her (in detailed stories that take a half hour.)
The trasher is clearly is still angry and bitter over the separation, and needs either time or therapy or both. You can try telling him or her in a constructive way that they need to stop trashing their ex. If that doesn’t work, you need to say bu-bye.
2. The sticker.
This person is the opposite of the trasher. He or she is sticking to their ex like glue. He talks about what a great mother she is. She talks about what a great friend he’s been. They spend a lot of time together “for the kids.” It’s possible that the sticker wants to get back together with his or her ex.
I actually went out with a sticker several years ago. He talked about his ex in such a loving way that I kept saying,”you should get back together.” To this day, he is still single. He’s had a million girlfriends, but always ends the relationship. I want to clarify that I think it is wonderful when ex’s can get along and have birthday dinners with their kids as a family, but you will know if it’s gone beyond that, be honest with yourself.
3. The drinker.
People who are going through a divorce are very prone to alcohol addiction for two reasons. One, because they are stressed and they are using alcohol to numb the pain and anxiety of the divorce, and two, because they are out a lot, at bars and restaurants and on dinner dates, where everyone is drinking.
Be careful about the drinking for yourself, but regarding your date, if he or she is ordering drinks right and left at dinner, two things. Be smart enough not to get into a car if the person is driving, and secondly, recognize that he or she could be a big drinker and even an alcoholic.
I think it’s safe to say that at the beginning of a relationship, people usually drink more, because it’s new and you are both shy and getting to know each other, but be smart enough to recognize when his or her drinking becomes not social, and more of a dependency.
4. The mean streak person.
True story. I went out with a guy who I was obsessed with for a long time. He was fun and very charismatic. Then, one time, out of nowhere, he was really mean to me. Blatantly rude, as if his personality had completely changed. Then he went back to being nice again. He was very hot and cold throughout our relationship, which played mind games with me and only led to disappointment, frustration and low self-esteem. So, my theory is, if you see that mean streak even once, you will surely see it again.
5. The jumper.
The jumper is the guy or girl who loves to be in love. The ink on the divorce decree isn’t even dry and he or she is talking about marrying you. You’ve known the person for 3 months. You’re still in that “jump into bed the second you see each other” phase and he or she is talking about ring shopping.
The jumper isn’t a bad person, just afraid to be alone or trying to compete with his or her ex because that person already has someone. Remember this. You don’t have to be engaged or married to have true love. Let yourself heal from your divorce (which takes at least 5 years in my opinion) and just enjoy the relationship. No need for rings and a honeymoon yet!
Closing advice for dating after marriage:
Date someone who lets you be who you are, who is kind to you (and your kids), who supports your passion or your career, who is thoughtful, who makes you feel good about yourself and who makes you feel happy and loved. Those are the gems. Have hope. They’re out there!
Like this article? Check out, “9 Signs of a Healthy Relationship”
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CIO
I would agree for the most part, but not with point 4.
He could have bipolar disorder. Or thought of something that made him angry or upset. Or maybe something you did that he didn’t like (granted he should express this, but then not all people are forward and some even are passive aggressive). Just seems that people are complex, and even the nicest of people can be mean on occasion. It depends IMO on the context and the instance, though for me meanness has to be continual for it to be a total turn off.
If a person is generally nice and likes to gossip on occasion, I’d label it a flaw as nobody is perfect.
Insidious_Sid
Nowadays, there is so much “valuable information” online about all the things wrong with us terrible men, if a man has a bad day or loses his temper he’s instantly labeled as a narcissist, rage-a-holic, abuser, addict or any number of other disorders. Of course, with women, they can be abusive as hell at LEAST once per month and just chalk it up to their menstrual cycle. If a woman leaves me because I lose my temper once every six months (especially when she or my boss or my kids are being totally unreasonable) then she’s doing me a big huge favor. People with no patience, tolerance and understanding who rush to the internet to “diagnose” their partners have no business being in relationships in the first place. And often, these people have no self-insight as to what their role was in making their partner that angry in the first place. I’m not justifying fits of rage or cruel behavior and especially not abuse. But, I’ve seen so many women online writing a 100 page book titled “1000 Things My Husband Did To Ruin Our Marriage” – by Perfect Princess. Then they go on to say they’ve confirmed their suspicions by finding the perfect man for their perfect selves in their second (or 3rd or 4th or 5th) marriage and we can all predict how long that marriage is going to work.
RJ
CIO, who said anything about gossip? The man was mean to her.
If you’re coming up with excuses for why it might be OK for someone to be mean to you, you’re setting yourself up for years of abuse. Why would someone having bipolar disorder make it OK for a man to be rude to you? Why would him getting upset about something you did make it OK for him to be mean and rude to you? It doesn’t make it OK.
Mean behavior early on is a sign of things to come. Run!
Dor
Great article
Yes I found the jumper!
Moved fast, player and insecure.
Of course one may drink more after divorce. Alcohol is a coping mechanism like smoking or pot .
The Mean Streak person may also be bi polar. Be careful, there are plenty of those today .Very difficult to have a relationship with.
Love the advice after marriage. Buy your own ring, don’t have to be engaged and enjoy your time together!