“I hate it when guys play games in a relationship. Why can’t they just be straight up and honest with me?”

Have you ever said this to your friends?

Have you ever questioned why guys play dating games, while you’re so open and down the line with them? Everyone wants to be in an honest relationship don’t they? Without trust, what else do we have? You just want to meet someone who hates the games as much as you. When you text, he texts you right back. When you call him, he calls you right back. That’s how it should be, right?

But here’s the thing. The majority of guys want the same thing. In fact, as a man I can’t think of anything worse that being in a relationship with a woman who plays games. The only games I want to play with her are Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, and maybe a game of Tennis occasionally. Here’s an example of what I see as game playing from a woman…

Last week a friend of mine met a woman. They went on a date Saturday night and had a great time. He asked her if she’d had fun, and if she wanted to see him again. She said “Yes.”

So the next day he sends her a text message. “Happy Sunday. Hope you’re having a great day. Looking forward to seeing you again.”

That was it. Nothing too flashy or needy.

He didn’t get a reply for nearly 18 hours. For me, that’s not good enough. If you want to meet someone who’s authentic and real, you need to get back them right away. If you want to be part of someone’s life you must be able to find two minutes of your day to send them a text. Respond to texts as soon as possible.

Pretending you’re busy or not that interested doesn’t impress us. Contrary to popular belief men actually hate dating games more than women. If a woman starts playing games, a man is going to be out of the relationship in a flash. Stop the games. Start dating as adults. Sure, playing it cool works when you’re 17 and just starting out, but in the adult world of dating it just makes you look flaky.

Be open, honest, in the moment, and treat your partner with respect. The only way to build a strong, trusting relationship is to cut out the dating tactics and start being real.