by Pam Nelson

Created on: July 27, 2010

Bad manners have ruined more potential good dates than people realize. Common sense is the number one rule. First things first, you need to want to be on the date. Don't just be there for the sake of filling up a scorecard. If you are really interested in learning about someone you are well on your way to managing proper dating etiquette. Dating is not an interview. Although it is really important to learn about someone it will go much better if the process is though sharing experiences rather than through a question and answer session.

Having empathy for the dating jitters is always polite. People have been known to laugh too hard, twiddle with items, focus on something else in the room, or just plain sit there silently locked in the dead zone. Dating jitters are normal and working toward setting someone at ease is a kind thing to do. Everyone who truly invests in treating others well receive rewards. A person who has jitters may only have them temporarily due to being out of dating practice. They may turn out to be really fun to talk to after a bit of conversation so practice patience.

There are some standard etiquette items to be aware of for dating success.

1. Table manners are important; if you need help in this area, you can always call your mother.

2. Time focused on the person you are with, rather than a phone, is considerate. A person whose focus is on an electronic device is not in the here and now and they just don't make a good date.

3.  Leave crude jokes, whining, or ex bashing out of the mix; this is critical to dating success. These are signs of unhappy people and unhappy people are never fun to date.

4. Don't talk over the other person. You don't know them well enough to fill in their sentences.

5. Be on time, wear clean clothes, shower, and brush your teeth. Seems obvious but it's not.

6. Women, offer to pay your share. Some men like to pay the bill and some resent being expected to, a good date will always offer to split the bill.

As the date progresses you may be faced with someone who is not a good match for you. Although it may be edgy to get through this kind of date quickly, remember it may be you on the other side the next time so being kind does make a difference. Keep the conversation neutral, don't lead into negative areas, find something they may be interested in to help move the date along. The issue with this approach is they may not pick up on the polite distance. If faced with a move for a good bye kiss/hug, and you

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