Question Twenty-Five - What do you wish others understood more?

Question Twenty Five – What do you wish dating &/ married couples understood, or were more sensitive about with regards to interacting with their single status friends?

Point to note on biological birth stats: for 2022, in South Africa: Females constituted 51,5% of the total population, while 48,5% were males, out of 62 million people.

AND There are 33.61 million males, and 34.35 million females in the United Kingdom.

AND about 168 million women in the United States and 164 million males.

AND Australia has 204k more females than males.

So statistically there are going to be single women in their millions across these countries... and with divorce stats on the rise, that makes more single ladies... so what's the deal to improve empathy?

AND the ladies replied:

Donna

To help make a single person feel less like a fly on the wall, that they are not just on the outside looking in.

Alyss

If I look at my other responses, it would be gifts, although the gift and time given are greatly appreciated, a little more thought into the fact that there is no significant other for restaurant vouchers, experiences and the like, would be good.

I love to buy gifts, but where I am spending on your whole family, you are spending only on me, so please realise that not all my gifts for each of you will match what you spent on me singularly.

No, I am not part of a dual income home, so my finances are tighter in some respects. Thus, I would love to join you on that holiday, but it’s often a single room to pay for and I need to plan the saving in advance.

Yes, I have nieces and a nephew, and I have baby sat and I have taken family holidays away, and I do know how to talk about children, accommodate them and all that’s involved with them.

That, just because I am single, it does not mean that I will be after your husband/s and thus you need to exclude me from being invited to events. There is also no need to feel uncomfortable around single people, we have lived a lot of life and can hold conversations on all those experiences.

At events, you don’t need to ‘console’ me that one day I will …

CJ

Being single is a choice and sometimes single people do not like being put on the spot to answer why they are still single, or be pressured into dating some other single person you think of. Non-single people don’t always understand that some people are actually happy being single.

Alexa

Don’t pretend to understand what it’s like. You are not single in your 40s. You can be sympathetic, but don’t tell single people you understand – you don’t.

KA

That finding a suitable partner is actually quite tricky and the opportunities to do so are actually quite limited!

NH

This is a difficult question to answer.  I would just say that I would hope that girlfriends who are now in relationships would try hard to maintain their friendships with their single friends.  It can be difficult because priorities shift and demands on your time change, but I have found it upsetting in the past when good friends no longer include me socially because they are mixing with other couples instead.

Lizanne

Just because I am single, it does not mean that I am after your husband or boyfriend!!!!! When chatting to married/dating couples, I keep my focus on the lady, to try and reassure her, but sometimes, not even this is enough.

Please invite me and my kids to your home. We aren’t that much of a handful and I am happy to contribute towards the meal in whatever way I can.

C.B.

This has not been a problem for me.Perhaps it is the sports that have been kind to place me as equal to most.