The 6 Basic Rules to Breaking Up

Dear Advice Girl,

I want to end my relationship. How should I break up with my boyfriend?

Signed,
   Lulu

Dear Lulu,

I'm glad you asked! There are 6 basic breakup rules that you must always follow, whether you've been dating him forever or for just a couple weeks. Let's go over them, shall we?

1. Break up in person. Breaking up over the phone, IM, text or email is just plain tacky. Even tackier: getting your friend to do the dumping for you.
   
   
2. Break up one-on-one. Respect the fact that your sweetie might get emotional after you drop the bomb. That means picking a location where a little crying or whining won't be heard by anyone else.
   
   
3. Never use a lie that could haunt you later. A little lie is okay, but nothing they'll be able to prove. For example: "I'm not ready for a serious relationship right now" is fine. "I'm moving to Bolivia" or "I just found out I'm gay" is not.
   
   
4. Don't drag it out. If you know you want to end the relationship, then do it already. It'll hurt your honey less in the long run than waiting forever.
   
   
5. Don't turn into a jerk. Just 'cause you're not dating him anymore doesn't mean you're allowed to treat him like crap. Listen to him and respect him, even if it's a little awkward. It's the least you can do.
   
   
6. Once it's over, make sure it stays over. Don't kiss your ex - or even flirt with him - unless you seriously want to get back together. And you don't wanna do that, do you? After all, it wasn't that great the first time.