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Joy

Christine from 'Sister Wives' asked her fans for advice about dating at 50 and they delivered

Here are the 11 best pieces of advice.

sister wives, christine brown, kody brown
via Wikimedia Commons

The cast of TLC's "Sister Wives."

Dating is hard for just about anyone. But it gets harder as people age because the dating pool shrinks and older people are more selective. Plus, changes in dating trends, online etiquette and fashion can complicate things as well.

“Sister Wives” star Christine Brown is back in the dating pool after ending her “spiritual union” with polygamist Kody Brown and she needs a little help to get back in the swing of things. Christine and Kody were together for more than 25 years and she shared him with three other women, Janelle, Meri and Robyn.

Janelle and Meri have recently announced they’ve separated from Kody. Christine publicly admitted that things were over with Kody in November 2021.

“Kody and I have grown apart and I have made the difficult decision to leave,” Christine wrote on Instagram. “We will continue to be a strong presence in each other’s lives as we parent our beautiful children and support our wonderful family.”

She decided to end things after Kody admitted on the show that he wasn’t attracted to her.

“It was terrible to hear. And it’s super embarrassing,” Christine said in a December 2022 episode of “Sister Wives: One on One.” “It was almost a relief. I’m not going to keep fighting for this, and I’m not going to keep trying and I’m not going to keep doing this if you’re not attracted to me.”

Now Christine is ready to put herself out there, so she asked her 1.1 million Instagram followers for some help with dating at the age of 50. "I’m dating again!! Holy. Hell. Awkward. Dating online is crazy! Any advice for dating at 50?!" she asked.

Her fans didn’t disappoint, chiming in with advice on everything from safety to the type of men to avoid. Here are the 11 best pieces of advice.

1.

"Run away if they think love should be multiplied not divided." — lindzerrs

2.

"Don’t talk or text too much before the first meeting and when you do meet only go for drinks after work. If it goes well you can always keep the date going and have dinner but if not, you just say goodbye after the drinks and you’re done!" — Laura_Lee1966

3.

"Definitely get on BeenVerified to check backgrounds!!" — marijobakale

4.

"Choose a man who knows your worth and is totally and wholeheartedly dedicated to YOU and only you. It’s what you deserve." — just_stacey_e

5.

"You look great! As far as advice goes, have a series of code words that you have to text a friend at various times throughout the date, including one that means you are at home & safe. And make sure that the person receiving the codes knows what the plan is. Just stay safe. And have fun!" — msgirlinhouston

6.

"At this age, we know what we want this time around and what we are and aren’t willing to put up with! We get to call the shots this time around. Best of luck." — only1lou

7.

"Our mind can play tricks on you and your heart can fool you but your gut never lies…..listen to it." — kimbarone122

8.

"Christine, as someone who's been through it, talk to them in person asap! Texting/online isn’t a true idea of who they are and how they interact with you. Also, don’t be afraid to tell someone kindly when you’re not 'feeling the spark' with them. You might attract a lot of great guys that you know right away you’re not 'into' —don’t be afraid to cut it short and then you’re not wasting yours or their time." — rhonda.f

9.

"Stoked for you!! My advice for dating at any age is to always be 100% authentically you. No false pretenses. No facades. Bring all your flaws, all your weirdness, all your imperfections, all your fabulosity to the table from the get-go. Will it scare some folks off? Of course! But that's the point. Better for them to realize that it's not a match early on, before you both waste time." — tamaramethyst

10.

"Be careful that the guy isn’t trying to get his 15 minutes of fame." — step0515

11.

"Go 'shopping' at Home Depot or Lowe’s." — stylebyjennsmith

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New study shows spanking hurts kids' mental health and is less effective at teaching lessons

Why is it wrong to hit an adult or an animal but OK to spank a child?

Photo by Kat J on Unsplash

Yet another study shows that spanking isn't good for kids.

Whether to spank your child or not is one of the oldest debates among parents. Many live by the age-old wisdom that to “spare the rod” is to “spoil the child,” while others believe it’s wrong to resort to violence to punish a child when so many alternatives exist.

It also begs the question: If it's wrong to hit your spouse or pet, why is it acceptable to hit a defenseless child?

The 2021 American Family Study found that support for spanking has declined in the U.S. over the past few years. In 2015, 54% either somewhat or strongly agreed with the practice, but that number dropped to 47% in 2021. Thirty-five percent of respondents disagree with the practice and 18% neither agree nor disagree.

A new research study from the Parent and Family Research Alliance in Australia led by Professor Sophie Havighurst and Professor Daryl Higgins from Australian Catholic University makes a strong case that people should stop using corporal punishment to discipline their kids. The study “Corporal punishment of children in Australia: The evidence-based case for legislative reform” analyzed countless studies on the topic and found spanking ineffective and harmful.

The study was published to urge lawmakers to make corporal punishment in Australia illegal. Sixty-five states across the world have made corporal punishment illegal, protecting 14% of the world’s children.

The study defined corporal punishment of children as using physical force to cause pain, but not injury, to correct or control a child’s behavior.

The most startling meta-analysis published in the study found that "only 1 out of 111 statistically significant effect sizes was associated with a link between 'spanking' and a positive child outcome," while 110 were found to be associated with adverse outcomes.

The one positive outcome was in a 1972 study of children of the U.S. military living in West Germany that found those spanked showed less amphetamine and opiate use as adults.

However, the remaining 110 significant results found that spanking had adverse effects, including: “reducing trust and connection with those they are closest to, lower self-esteem, more internalizing and externalizing behavior problems including aggression, mental health difficulties, and increased risk for later substance abuse, antisocial behavior, and violence.”

A meta-analysis found that when children are spanked, they are less likely to internalize the moral implications of the behaviors that led them to be disciplined. It also found that non-physical discipline was more effective at teaching “alternative behaviors,” “developing a child’s conscience,” and advancing their “emotional development.”

Another meta-analysis cited in the story found that corporal punishment in childhood was associated with mental health problems, low self-esteem and antisocial behavior.

In the end, the studies show that corporal punishment is counter-productive when it comes to raising healthy, happy children. But it will take much more than a study to get people to reconsider their views of corporal punishment because they are deeply rooted in many cultural traditions.

Looking for some non-physical alternatives to discipline your child? Here’s a great place to start from WebMD.

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