You know the saying "nice guys finish last" but here's a news flash from dating experts: Bad boys are as passé as those '80s stirrup leggings. Sure, those testosterone-charged charmers had their appeal when we were younger, but when we're ready to settle down with a long-term partner, it's Mr. Dependable who wins our heart.

Remember that popular hunk in college, or the devilishly handsome boss. Who turned out to be a big jerk. We've learnt our lesson and realized that bad boys are not the way to go. Experts explain why women nowadays refuse to take crap from the childish cad who never grow up.

1. We are more independent

Women have come a long way since the previous generations who were primarily homekeepers reliant on the male breadwinner. We have a successful career and the fact that we are financially independent means we are less tolerant to vices like infidelity and bad habits.

"Women are turning away from bad boys who offer them nothing but additional stress and drama because bad boys are simply too much trouble," says relationships expert Amanda Kane. We're already super-busy juggling career and family, so the bottom-line is: We want a constructive, not destructive partner -- give us BS, and it's goodbye.

"We are looking for stability, not drama," agrees relationships expert, Lissa Coffey. "We don't have time to change a guy, to work on his bad habits and "train" him -- we want someone who is already acting like a grown-up and who is working as hard as we are on his life and career. We want a man we can respect, who is our equal and who is mature enough to handle emotional situations."

2. We expect our partner to play an active role in parenting

Modern women also expect men to be more hands-on when it comes to parenting. Now that it's no longer considered to be solely the woman's job to take care of her family, Coffey suggests that we thus gravitate towards men that we feel would be a good father for our children. "We are looking for someone who is also serious and with whom we can co-parent," she says. "We want a father and a role-model for our children, not merely a playmate and certainly not another big kid that we have to take care of! Our brain is telling us to go for someone we can trust."

"Male partners with nurturing qualities may be appealing, not just as fathers, but also as caring romantic partners," adds Kane. "Women want men who are emotionally available and supportive for themselves as well good fathers for potential offspring."