As a father, there are certain conversations you know you'll have with your children someday.
You talk about education. You talk about careers. You talk about finances and responsibility. But one of the most important conversations—and often one of the hardest—is about relationships.
When my daughter Moriah entered her twenties, I found myself thinking about the advice I wanted her to carry with her as she navigated dating, love, heartbreak, and relationships. Like many parents, I wanted to protect her from pain. I wanted her to avoid the mistakes that so many people make when searching for love.
But I also knew something important: I couldn't make her decisions for her.
What I could do was help her develop the skills to make wise decisions for herself.
That's why I wrote The EQ of Dating.
Dating Has Changed But Human Nature Hasn't
Today's dating world looks very different from the one many parents grew up with.
Dating apps offer endless options. Social media creates unrealistic expectations. People can communicate constantly without ever truly connecting. Relationships often begin and end through a screen.
Yet despite all of these changes, the core challenges remain the same.
People still struggle to recognize unhealthy relationships.
People still confuse attraction with compatibility.
People still ignore red flags because they hope someone will change.
People still lose themselves trying to earn love from someone who is emotionally unavailable.
I wanted my daughter to have a guide that went deeper than dating tips and relationship hacks.
I wanted her to understand emotional intelligence.
Emotional Intelligence Is a Relationship Superpower
Throughout my career, I have spent years studying emotional intelligence and helping others develop stronger self-awareness, communication skills, and emotional resilience.
The more I learned, the more I realized that emotional intelligence may be the single most important skill for building healthy relationships at home or at work.
Emotional intelligence helps us:
- Recognize our own patterns and triggers
- Understand the intentions and behaviors of others
- Communicate honestly and effectively
- Set healthy boundaries
- Navigate conflict with maturity
- Choose partners based on character rather than chemistry alone
These are skills that protect us from unnecessary heartache and help us build relationships that are grounded in trust, respect, and emotional safety. The book includes a packet of PDF downloadable worksheets and journaling exercises.
What I Wanted My Daughter to Know
If I could sit down with my daughter and share everything I've learned about relationships, I would tell her this:
You do not need to chase love.
You do not need to convince someone to value you.
You do not need to ignore your intuition to keep a relationship alive.
You do not need to settle for inconsistency, confusion, or emotional unavailability.
The right relationship should not leave you constantly questioning your worth.
Healthy love is not perfect, but it is safe. It is respectful. It is honest. It is emotionally available.
Most importantly, I would remind her that choosing the right partner begins with understanding herself.
More Than a Dating Book
Although I originally wrote this book with my daughter in mind, I quickly realized that these lessons apply to women of all ages.
Whether you are in your twenties, thirties, forties, or beyond, many of the same challenges exist. We all carry experiences, hopes, fears, and relationship patterns into our dating lives.
The EQ of Dating is not a book about manipulation, games, or strategies for getting someone to like you.
It is a book about self-respect.
It is a book about emotional clarity.
It is a book about learning to recognize the difference between attention and genuine connection.
It is a book about choosing relationships that add value to your life instead of draining your emotional energy.
My Hope for Every Reader
My hope is that every woman who reads this book walks away with a stronger sense of confidence and self-worth.
I hope she learns to recognize red flags earlier.
I hope she feels empowered to communicate her needs without guilt.
I hope she raises her standards without lowering her kindness.
Most of all, I hope she discovers that healthy love begins with emotional intelligence.
Because when we learn to understand ourselves, trust our instincts, and value our worth, we stop chasing love.
We start choosing it.
And that changes everything.
The EQ of Dating: Date with Purpose, Protect Your Heart, and Attract Emotionally Available Partners will be published August 1, 2025. It is aimed at women who are ready to date with confidence, clarity, and emotional intelligence.
See advance reviews on Goodreads. Find the book on Amazon. This blog post contains affiliate links.
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