To Win Over 60% of Ladies, Charm Mom First

Survey finds 4 in 10 young women might even break up with guy mom doesn't like
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Feb 3, 2015 5:31 PM CST
To Win Over 60% of Ladies, Charm Mom First
A cup proclaims the superpowers of mothers in Washington, Jan. 30, 2015.   (Jacquelyn Martin)

Guys, if you want to get the girl, try bringing flowers—to her mother. With Valentine's Day coming up, it's something to think about: Winning over Mom may sound old-fashioned, but it's still a smart strategy in today's fast-changing, app-tapping, hookup-happy world of dating. In a new poll, 6 in 10 young women say when they're thinking of getting serious with somebody, their mother's approval is "extremely" or "very" important. A mere 6% of women under age 30 say their mother's opinion matters "not at all" when dating, the AP-WE tv poll found. And four in 10 young women would consider breaking up with someone their mom didn't like, according to the poll. Indeed, 16% say they've dumped a guy for that reason.

Sons worry a little less than daughters about what Mom thinks, the survey found. Still, half of 18-to-29-year-old men say her approval is extremely or very important when a relationship might get serious. Dads, the stereotypical gatekeepers for teenage daughters, still have some say, too: Half of young women and nearly 40% of young men put high importance on Dad's opinion when a romance is getting serious. A father's view outranks what friends or siblings think, according to the poll. But all this doesn't necessarily mean people want their partners to be like their parents: Among men and women of all ages, a slim majority—51%—think it's better to go out with someone who's the opposite of their parents, instead of someone who reminds them of the folks. (More love stories.)

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