There are many tricky dating scenarios out there, but dating your friends ex has got to be one of the most complicated.  Many a lifelong friendship has been lost over just this situation, and it is important to tread carefully when you find yourself attracted to your friend’s ex-boyfriend or girlfriend.  In some cases dating your friends ex will work out very well, but in all too many cases it ends in tears and shouting.

If you are thinking about dating your friends ex it is important to set down some rules of the road before you proceed.  One of the most important things to keep in mind is that honesty is the best policy when it comes to dating your friends ex.  Trying to hide the relationship is extremely dangerous, and chances are your friend will find out eventually.  Trying to hide the fact that you are dating your friends ex is sure to doom your friendship.  Being honest and up front about your desire to start dating your friends ex may not make your friend happy, but it may preserve the friendship in the long run.

It is also important to take a close look at the value of the friendship before dating your friends ex.  Close friends are often harder to come by than casual dates, and you may want to give up your dreams of dating your friends ex to preserve an important friendship.  If on the other hand you are only casual acquaintances it may be worth the risk to start dating your friends ex. 

Of course it is also important to consider things like how attracted you are to your friend’s ex-boyfriend or girlfriend.  Love can triumph over great adversity, so if you fell compelled to start dating your friends ex there may be a good reason for that.  If you truly think you are in love you may be willing to risk losing your friendship in order to start dating your friends ex.

After you have made the fateful decision to start dating your friends ex it is important to tread cautiously, at least in the beginning.  Even if your friend has assured you he or she has no problems with you dating your friends ex it may be awkward if you all meet each other while out on the town. It is important to handle any unexpected meetings with the greatest care, and it is probably best to avoid planned get togethers at least for awhile. 

After everyone involved is comfortable with you dating your friends ex it may be possible for everyone to get together and share fun stories, but chances are that is down the road awhile.  For the time being it is probably best to focus on getting the relationship off the ground and avoid the problems that dating your friends ex can sometimes bring.  With the right preparation dating your friends ex can be a rich and rewarding experience, but it is important to understand the pitfalls of these unique relationships.