Dating your father

Verified by Psychology Today. Culture Shrink. But I am struck by how little people know about what may be the strongest factor in their choice of mate and their tendencies towards attraction —their own family members. But thinkers from Sophocles to Freud have also understood that the love between parents and children is one fraught with complex emotions, from the Oedipal and Electra complexes and beyond. Things become problematic, though, when strife and dysfunction or emotional distancing and neglect marked the relationship. Someone may seek out a temperamental partner who argues all the time because they grew up in an argumentative family and feel that is a form of familiar emotional connection and attention.

Under what circumstances is it acceptable to date your father? It is about exactly what it says it's about. The article, which features a lengthy interview with a young woman who is currently engaged to her father , makes it seem that such a relationship might not be quite as outlandish as you might assume. In fact, when estranged blood relatives meet as adults, it is apparently not uncommon for one or both parties to experience a phenomenon known as Genetic Sexual Attraction or GSA , a term coined by Barbara Gonyo , the founder of a support group for adoptees and their new-found relatives. According to some estimate, GSA occurs in roughly 50 percent of adoption reunions in which both parties are adults.

Imagine a nice, handsome guy walks up to you and introduces himself. You guys hit it off pretty well and he seems to be on the perfect level of maturity and kindness as well. Here is guideline to help you balance out the pros and cons of dating single fathers out there. You'll be surprised to know the qualities a single parent holds because that one person is capable of so much multitasking and handling their emotions.

Maybe he and your mom are still in love after all these years. As a result, you may find that many of your romantic partners have those same traits. Your parents may have divorced. Then what?