How to let her go after the first few dates

There's no doubt about it: dating is complicated and can get messy if the attraction isn't reciprocated. So you've been out for a few dates with a new woman. Sparks didn't fly on the first date, but she's cute and you persevered in case your feelings towards her changed. If, after a few dates, you still don't feel a connection, but you get the feeling that she's really into you, it's time to cut ties with her. There's a wrong way and a right way to do this. Read these tips to ensure that it's an easy and clean break rather than a dating disaster.

Don't ignore her

When you lose the desire to date someone, you also lose the desire to communicate with them as regularly as you once did. If she still wants to pursue a relationship, she'll probably carry on sending you emails and SMS messages because to her, nothing has changed. Don't ignore her attempts to communicate with you. Men who ignore messages from women they've been dating in the hope that they will figure out that things are coming to a close will soon get a reputation for being weak and cowardly. Keep in contact with her until you can end things in an appropriate way, but don't be flirty or give her false hope. Keep it neutral as if you were messaging a female friend.

Do it in person

It's amazing how forward people can be when they can hide behind a computer screen or cell phone. When you're not there to witness the effect your words have caused to the person on the receiving end, it can feel like that whole process is a lot less hassle. Although it's easy to dump someone by email or SMS message, it's not advisable in the long run. She may misunderstand your message, or read things into it that simply aren't there. She might react badly and come round to your home unexpectedly to discuss things further. The easiest way to avoid these eventualities is to finish with her in person. It's tough, but it shows respect and gives her the opportunity to ask questions and tie up loose ends.

Do it quickly and cleanly

If you're wavering about ending things with her, it's time to man up and break ties with her quickly. If you're undecided about dating her further, don't leave her hanging and give yourselves the opportunity to go out and date people who are more suitable. The more dates you have together, the harder it is going to be to tell her that you're no longer interested. Once you've made the decision to end it, do it quickly and do it cleanly. Don't leave room for negotiation or give her the impression that there's a possibility of hooking up again in the future.

Don't bad mouth her to your friends

Whatever the woman you've been dating has done to put you off going on additional dates, don't be tempted to discuss the details with your online or offline friends. You might have an amusing story, but lampooning her isn't going to help. Word gets around quickly and you don't want to be known as the kind of guy who badmouths the women he's dated. Maintaining dignity shows respect for the woman you've ended things with and shows you to be a fair and noble kind of guy.

Don't line up another date before you've broken things off with her

Once you're clear in your own mind that you're not going to continue dating a particular woman, don't go lining up dates with other women before you've ended things with your current date. All number of disasters could happen if you do so. The woman you've been dating might bump into you when you're on a date with another woman. Such a situation will ruin your chances with your new date. You might find out that your new date is friends with, or has mutual friends with the woman you're going to dump. It'll soon get around that you're a player and not to be trusted. It'll also show a lack of respect for the women you date. Ensure that you finish with one woman before dating the next.

Once you've cut ties with the woman you've been dating, keep it that way. Don't call or message her to see how she's doing because it'll only give her false hope. Take the tips above into consideration when finishing with her and the whole experience will be more kind to both of you.