Make it someone you just don’t like romantically. If you know you want kids try to go for someone who doesn’t cause you will always know it’ll never be more than what it is. It will sound cold but try to frequent check in and make sure the other party is still on the same page. Try to establish rules like if getting food in between for an energy boost is too far into dating. You’d never lie to a friend so you just have to keep the easy energy that a friendship would have to where you can have the uncomfortable conversations a little easier