Have you noticed how much value most non western cultures invest in age?

Many ancient tribes, and other far off clutches of civilisation, appear to be governed by their eldest member, every word of wisdom they utter cherished.

Having graced the planet for a mere 47 years I can hardly expect to be treated with the reverence of a wise sage, but the trend is definitely going in the opposite direction.

When my, now teenaged, daughters were little they had some kind of shared, if misled, belief that I might actually have something remotely interesting to say occasionally. But it’s pretty obvious, from their reluctance to ever consider removing their firmly-welded earphones when I address them, that those days are long gone.

And, as they so often delight in telling me, they are convinced I am losing my marbles. And they may have a point. Until a few years ago I genuinely think I was reasonably sane, intelligent and level-headed. But then, newly-divorced, it all went to pieces when I decided to indulge in the devilish delights of internet dating.

Having been around for a little while and having also managed to deal with, and recover from, childbirth, 1980s eye make-up and disastrous perms, I thought I could handle anything. But it appears, that I, and thousands like me, seem to lose any rational thought process after receiving that very first online wink.

One of the first symptoms that internet dating may have a detrimental affect on you is if you allow yourself to become sleep deprived. You’d probably be unlikely to stay up chatting to a lifelong friend until the wee hours on a school night.

But for some insane reason you’ll indulge Mr One and Only, who apparently likes the theatre and cuddling someone special on the sofa, in online conversation until five minutes after you should have got up. And that’s only just the beginning.

You’ll invest time in men you suspect you are highly unlikely to click with, jump into cars (whilst frantically texting their registration number to your mate) after only just meeting in the non-virtual world, book holidays together after first kisses and even consider buying a house after date number five, and sometimes actually doing it (yes, I'm guilty!).

It’s glorious, it’s madness and it can work (apparently). But it appears to kill off more brain cells than a neat bottle of meths on a hot day. I’ve had a good long break from internet dating, but it's left its mark.

My girls now have a mother who always leaves the oven on, can never remember where she put her cup of tea and has resigned herself to old age dotage in a cottage with several cats.

So if you find yourself about to embark on something you’d warn your best friend not to do, smirk, have fun, be safe and maybe, just maybe, slow down.