The summer fling goes digital / Rita Watson
The summer fling may be undergoing a transformation. There was a time when tanned bodies would go to a local beach, and — after some casual flirting — the seasonal romance would begin. Perhaps because of the term “summer fling,” infidelity mavens have tried to convince married women that their husbands were also looking for a new romance. News for the single set is good, and news for married women concerned about straying husbands is also good.
For singles, the summer fling has gone digital.
A new iPhone app called Tinder allows users to approve or reject faces that flash before them with the swipe of a thumb. Also, there is an age-appropriate filter. Those looking for love can also subscribe to findadate.com or hire a matchmaker to screen potential matches.
Whether online or offline, keep in mind the definition of a summer fling: a short-term romance, often sexual, free of commitment and drama.
As such, if you are looking for a light-hearted summer with a new man, just be certain to protect yourself from heartbreak. Listen to what he is telling you about himself, especially if he’s “the bad boy” type. Trust your instincts. Be clear at the onset. Guard your emotions. Keep your wild side in check.
For married women concerned about their husbands having a summer fling, all the national research refutes the Internet hype claiming infidelity rates are between 50 and 70 percent and that infidelity escalates in the summer.
Bill Mitchell is a licensed private investigator and author of “The More You Know” and “Infidelity and Marriage, Deal-breaker or Wake-up Call?”
“As a seasoned private investigator with more than four decades of case assignments and thousands upon thousands of phone consultations with those in the midst of a crisis and suspicion, summer is merely another season when adultery happens,” Mitchell said. “Those who want to be unfaithful do so all the time, every day, every night, normally over weekends and all four seasons from sea to shining sea.”
University of Texas researchers say that sexual activity in humans actually decreases in spring and early summer. This may be a good reason to view the summer fling from a new perspective, simply an adventure in “getting to know you.”
Rita Watson, ritawatson.com, is one of our All About You relationship columnists.
Providence JournalByline Rita WatsonSunday, June 16, 2013Page: H5Section: All About You