Hmm...well as it has already been pointed out, it worked for me - but that's not to say it doesn't work as well. Think about it; we all can slate an online relationship, but before Internet dating was letter writing to your loved-one...just as risky, really, yet it was an accepted form of courtship for many many years.
As an adult, Dalkin, you know what you're about - you have a child and I'm sure you have taken that into consideration and that, quite frankly, is the main thing of any concern, as you know. As people have already said, the beauty of an online relationship is there is the benefit of really getting to know someone without the whole "sex first, talk later" aspect which is rife these days (and far more dangerous, in my opinion). Think of how many people pick each other up in bars, go home, have sex and then don't ever speak again or go together but their relationship is based on sex and not communication, trust, respect and all that other stuff...online, you get to know the person because that is all there is to know at the moment - their personality comes through and if anything, the only warning I would issue is if you have had about three intensive online conversations and within about six hours, you're planning the wedding...again, I can't talk coz that was me :lol:...but you get what I mean...
With a kid involved, hate to say this, but it can complicate things. If you are happy to remain in an online relationship without meeting up regularly for the time being, then obviously there is no need to introduce your new guy into your kid's life...but there will come a point where you may do that and then it's a very delicate balancing act - even at that young age. You need to also be sure that if you cannot meet for a long time, is that enough for you? Do you trust that the other person isn't dating behind your back seeing as you are never there in person? When you do meet up, do you talk or is it just a physical thing? If you are apart for significant lengths of time, do you see a future or is it unlikely? You can get just as hurt if not moreso when an online relationship goes wrong because you never get to see each other in person - Andy and Noelle can visit each other but they are lucky - not everyone has the ability to do that...
Also to consider is what to do if this relationship really does go places - it's very romantic to think of upping sticks and jetting off into the sunset together, but the reality is far different. I was fortunate in that I had already quit my job and had no real ties to my hometown before Steve and I got engaged...it was taken as a given that since his job was in Staffordshire, I'd have to move to be with him. What about you two? Could you decide on a country/place to live if it came to it? Or would you struggle with leaving family behind, potentially?
Obviously, that's way down the line - but Steve and I moved very fast and we were fortunate that it worked out in such a short space of time; I'm just trying to cover possible eventualities because online dating isn't usually a really casual affair...
Like I say, you know your own mind and so does Dante 1.1 - if this is what you want then go for it
