Ballerific Relationship: Dating In The Right Direction

– blogged by @SirRatchettness

I recently came across an article that said 87% of single men wouldn’t mind dating a woman who was more educated, financial successful, and better looking then him aka ‘date up’. I’m sure as soon as you read that you heard Chilli from TLC singing in your ear “A scrub is a guy who thinks he fine….” but you have to take into consideration that women in the new millennium are more career driven and independent than previous generations. How do you decide the right direction to date in? Do you date up? Date down? Or date equal?

Let’s take the example of someone who dates up because they aren’t able to achieve the lifestyle they crave in the amount of time they would on their own. You put your dreams and career goals on the back burner to be the support system to your significant other. You are holding the down house, making sure they are prepared for their day to day activities, etc. You are building up their empire and ego while finding a way to work yours in without offending them and causing problems.  Time passes and you finally get your chance to get your own career started, what happens when you not with a man who can’t handle being with someone who is making more money then them? How do you balance the egos?  What happens when you went from dating up to ending up in a situation where you are dating down because you took the situation and finessed it?

What if you already have a lot to offer and don’t want to settle?  You took your life by the horns and reached a point in your career where you are ready to get married and have children but choices are slim. Being as hard working as you are, you know the time commitment it takes to sustain so what are your willing to sacrifice to have it all? Do you date your equal where you both have a clear understanding of each other goals and dedication? Or do you say “yes I’ve worked my ass off to be a boss but I need a even bigger boss to take charge of me from time to time”? What if you take the risk of dating down but your significant other has the potential of becoming that boss you desire? Could you find yourself investing in him? In 2015, is there a stigma for women being the breadwinner in the household?  Especially when it’s been proven that men don’t mind them being one? There is plenty of men who marry women to be their housewives and even allow them to tackle passion projects while they handle the bills; but can you as a women find yourself doing the same for your man?

So what do you think? Would you date up, down or equal? Have you found yourself in any of these situations before?