Tasha Cunningham – How to Fight Fair in Your Romantic Relationship

Every couple, married or not, has a spat from time to time. But how do you avoid turning those little spats into full-blown battle royales with your mate? Follow this tips for relationship tranquility:

1.  Set a time limit. Agree before the discussion starts to talk for a certain period of time ‘” 15, 20, 30 minutes or more. You can’t drag the disagreement along forever. You’ll find that it you set a limit on the amount of time you will let this disagreement into your lives, you’ll be rid of it sooner than you think. If your partner doesn’t want to discuss the problem right then and there, schedule a specific time to discuss, whether it be 24 or 48 hours or even a week later, you must face each other to discuss your issues.

2.  Stick to the disagreement at hand. It’s so tempting when you’re fighting with your partner to bring up past grievances that have nothing to do with the disagreement you’re trying to work through in the present. Don’t do it. It’s a toxic maneuver that is the equivalent on constantly re-opening an old wound. Instead, stick to the matter at hand.

3.  No third parties allowed. Keep your argument between you and your partner. Don’t ask for outside advice, unless it’s from a professional. Don’t involve your best girlfriend, your in-laws or your co-workers. That only adds fuel to the fire.

4.  No name-calling. It’s a fundamental rule of fighting fair. It’s also disrespectful and will make your partner defensive and escalate the fight.

5.  No finger-pointing. When you speak in a disagreement, be sure to use the word ‘I’ and not ‘you’. Talk about how you feel about the disagreement instead of pointing the finger at your partner and being judgmental.

Tasha Cunningham Miami – Can Men and Women Be Just Friends?

Can a man and woman really be just friends? If you take out certain factors that are part of the defining dynamics of a male-female relationship, then perhaps it can be done. For instance, if a man is not sexually attracted to a woman, but views her as a sister, it can be done. Barring that, we don’t think a man and woman can be just friends. It simply can’t be done because of factors like lust. Other factors include jealousy, anger, distrust and fear will most certainly be present between the man and woman in the relationship and will slowly destroy it.

But many experts say it can be done. “The belief that men and women can’t be friends comes from another era in which women were at home and men were in the workplace, and the only way they could get together was for romance,” explains Linda Sapadin, Ph.D., a psychologist in private practice in Valley Stream, New York in an article in Psychology Today magazine. “Now they work together and have sports interests together and socialize together.” This cultural shift is encouraging psychologists, sociologists and communications experts to put forth a new message: Though it may be tricky, men and women can successfully become close friends, according to Psychology Today.

Dating a Single Dad? Make it Work With These Tips!

You’ve met a great guy. Congrats. There’s just one thing, though. He’s got a kid and you don’t. Dating a single dad can be difficult with problems ranging from crazy exes to crazy schedules that don’t allow you to spend much time together. So how can you make it work? Here are 5 tips that can help you snag that hot single dad!

1. His kids are everything to him. That’s the most important thing a woman dating a single dad should know. You may think that single dad is cute, but if you’re not into children, he’s going to sense that and the relationship isn’t going to go anywhere. If his constant talk about his kids annoy you, it isn’t going to work. So carefully evaluate whether or not you really want to date a single man raising a child.

2. The crazy ex. It’s a rare thing to find a single dad whose ex is not nuts. If you luck up on a situation like that, go for it. Most often, though, you’ll find that your man’s ex is not the easiest person in the world to get along with. A lot of men have these situations under control because they realize if they don’t control their exes, they’ll never find happiness with another woman. But there’s always the single dad who is afraid of his ex, caters to her every whim and acts like they’re still together, making you feel like a third wheel. If you’re in such a situation, run, don’t walk your way out of it!

3. Introducing you to his kids is a process. It’s not going to happen right away, so don’t fret about it. Most single dads want to wait until they know they’re going to serious with a woman before introducing her to their kids. According to DDHG’s own Average Guy, most men wait a minimum of six months before introducing a woman to their kids. While you’re waiting to meet the kid, be sure to learn as much about he or she as you can like their favorite color, favorite ice cream, etc. so that you’ll have lots to talk about when you finally do meet the kid.

4. Sleeping over is a judgment call. Should you sleep over your man’s house before you meet his kids? And what about after you do finally meet them, is it okay then? It depends. It may not be appropriate to sleep over before you’ve met the kids. It could make for an awkward situation if the kid somehow finds you in the house. You could arrange for the kid to casually meet you out with his dad, like at the mall or in a grocery store. You could meet the child and feel each other out. Then, when you and your man tell the child about you dating, he or she will have a frame of reference to draw from because you’ve already met.

5. Showing your affection is just fine. Should you kiss your man in front of his kid? Absolutely! The child needs to see how much his dad loves you and showing your affection for each is a good way to do it. Don’t forget to hug the child and let he or she know how much they are loved.

Good luck!

Tasha Cunningham – Miami – How to Dump Your Dude the Right Way

We’ve all been there, ladies. We wake up one morning and realize the guy sleeping next to us is not the guy we want to marry or better yet, we’re really keen on cutting him lose. So how can a gal dump a dude without dredging up drama?

1. Your relationship didn’t start in cyberspace, and even if it did, don’t end it there. Don’t break up with your guy via e-mail, Blackberry, texting or using anything technology related. It’s impersonal and you’d been quite upset if he ended your love affair that way.

2. Be strong. Think long and hard about whether or not you want to break up with your man and if the answer is yes, be firm. Don’t waiver from your decision.

3. Tell him first –  after you tell your best friend, of course. Don’t let your man find out he’s been dumped by the door man at your apartment building. Tell him.

4. Secure a little face time. When you’re ready to do the deed, do it in person. There’s no way around it.

5. The truth shall set you free. Don’t give him some lame excuse like, ‘it’s not you, it’s me. That one’s clichéd. Tell him the truth about why you’re breaking up with him.

Good luck!