Many couples experiencing difficulties in their marriage believe that having a child would resolve their problems. Sadly, this approach is poorly thought out. A baby won't improve communication, so be completely honest with yourself and each other about what's happening before you decide to have a child as a last-ditch attempt to fix your marriage. Don't put pressure on someone who hasn't even come into this world.

In a new relationship, it's important to stop dwelling on the past. However, certain matters are still important to talk about. You should talk about your health, problems that could hinder having kids, and disabling conditions that would make engaging in particular activities challenging. Also, your partner has a right to know whether past financial issues might imperil your relationship.

No, you don't. If you believe you have a right to read your partner's texts, it really says more about you than it does about them. Examine your own anxieties, or admit to yourself that you are with someone you don't trust.

Playing hard to get with a person you are interested in will likely result in you staying single as a pringle! Very few people have the time and "drive" to persistently pursue someone who doesn't return the effort. At least not today, with the abundance of options on dating apps. And no, the phrase "If I'm too much, go find less" is not applicable here. If you like the person, quit playing these silly games AND👏SHOW👏SOME👏EFFORT.

It's essential to understand that anybody you decide to be in a relationship with is a worthy and deserving partner. It all comes down to respect and communication. What's the point if you don't feel like you can interact with each other and respect each other on the same level?

A little envy now and again is fine. Still, if your partner frequently gets bitten by the green-eyed monster, it can indicate a dysfunctional relationship. Imagine someone who refuses to let you see their family and friends out of jealousy or becomes envious if you go out for coffee with a coworker. These behaviors can go too far and result in abusive conditions.

People can change, absolutely. But it's highly unlikely that they will ever do it for you. In fact, it's often the things we tend to ignore at the beginning of the relationship, hoping that the person will change their ways, that become the reason for breaking up, either months or years into a relationship. So look out for red and green flags in a relationship as soon as you become involved.

Surprisingly, many women are still advised to hide their achievements when dating. But, some men are just more suitable for domestic duties. In fact, many guys are far better than their partners at cleaning and cooking. And that's totally OK! Thankfully, today couples believe that gender roles can be flexible and that their ability to function as a team is way more important than any gender stereotypes or societal norms.

Although that may sound theatrically romantic, nothing could be farther from reality. True love doesn’t hurt. A person who does not know how to love you does.

You shouldn't quarrel with your partner daily, but thinking that all relationships should be "smooth" is the wrong attitude. The bad news is that most relationships will need some level of work and hardship, even pain. The good news is that it doesn't have to endure forever; the condition is typically transient rather than permanent.

Putting your children first is not bad, but doing so always puts the pair up for many conflicts throughout their relationship. Not the kids, but the relationship must come first. The kids will do well if the bond between their parents is solid and trustworthy. Also, when you prioritize your children's needs and wishes over your own, an imbalance of authority emerges. At this point, you must remember who is the adult in the situation and who has to obey whom.

This archaic dating advice has an easy substitute: Whoever asked for the date should pay. Either way, always ask the other person to pay or divide the cost. It's a kind act that makes a big difference. While other women are content to foot the bill independently, some find it more comfortable when the male pays for everything. Here, there is no right or wrong answer.

A recipe for disaster is looking for someone completely different from you in any meaningful way. You must have some shared goals and principles. If not, there won't be any glue holding the partnership together. We are attracted to our romantic partners not because they are "opposites" but because of specific personality features, interests, and even biological cues.

Firstly, time does not heal; it helps to forget. After being hurt, it does take time to heal, but even the passage of hours, days, months, and even years does not ensure that you will be okay. If time cures all wounds, why are there so many grumpy elderly people? The only thing that can heal wounds is making wise decisions about how to treat them. Time doesn't stick broken bones together, but deliberate, careful efforts can.

It's romantic to imagine that the love of your life will appear before you at a coffee shop or that you will lock eyes as they hold the door open for you. In reality, this ideal might be troublesome. Love is not a supernatural emotion that appears at random. People don't automatically fall in love. It is based on commitment, connections, and effort. Thus, believing love appears out of the blue is just romantic nonsense.

It is unhealthy to clench your teeth whenever you argue with your significant other. Thus, rather than remaining silent, switch up your fighting style. Every couple argues, but healthy couples argue respectfully, which is the difference. They make changes to guarantee the relationship's health by using disputes (and learning from them) to better understand one another.

There's no such thing as the "perfect" match, so if they seem too good to be true — they probably are. Everybody has flaws. It's often just a matter of time before these imperfections come to the surface. Ultimately, if you feel with your heart and soul that someone is worth sticking around, that they are good for you, you will have to learn to take the bad with the good. Still, the 'good' should significantly outweigh the 'bad.'

Although your family and friends usually mean well when they advise you, there are instances when it might be more damaging than beneficial. If you envision spending the rest of your life with your current S/O, hearing that you can do better than your current partner might make you feel nervous and unsupported. Although they shouldn't have to approve of your companion, your friends, and family should be supportive and able to communicate with you. You must make it clear to everyone that respect should be maintained no matter what.

Everyone wants to experience the thrill of love and attraction, but you can't solely count on the butterflies for that. The brain can play tricks on us, sending an electric jolt to the body and convincing us, "yes, this is the one!" However, chemistry can overrule common sense and keep us with someone who isn't good for us. It doesn't matter if the person has the traits you find attractive or seek in your potential partner. It won't work if they don't respond to your needs for an emotional bond. Sorry, butterflies, you can no longer be trusted.

There is no need for forgetting and forgiving to go hand in hand. In fact, it's preferable to keep the two apart. A successful relationship depends on forgiveness, but forgetting is unnecessary. Better advice is to forgive and move on. Essentially, not forgetting about it helps not to repeat the same mistake; hence, learn from it. To quote Paulo Coelho, "Forgiving changes the perspectives. Forgetting loses the lesson."

You would assume that the absence of arguments indicates everything is going well in a relationship, but that may not always be true. If a couple doesn't argue, they're probably not communicating enough. It is normal for arguments to arise since no two individuals have the same opinions on things. If there are no arguments in a relationship, many things are likely being left unsaid. If both partners' needs are not fulfilled in a relationship, they soon abandon it like rats leaving a sinking ship.

Similar to a first date, at the start of the relationship, we are acting all perfect because we want to show our potential partner that we are amazing and have lots of great qualities. Why, then, do people let themselves go after marriage? Although it's a trope, it is true and happens frequently. Simply said, people no longer care as much. When a couple becomes overly at ease and begins to take their S/O for granted, issues and resentment start to arise. Efforts shouldn't end once a wedding ring is involved. Period.

Having someone who shares your passions may seem like all you could ask for. Nevertheless, often there's more than meets the eye in these "we like the same things" -kinds of relationships. It's wonderful to share mutual interests, but if you meet someone who suddenly appears to "assimilate" all your interests, for example, listens to the same music (very rare), their favorite sports team is, you guessed it, also the one that you like, and their favorite animal is, what a coincidence, also a panda, they might be a little co-dependent — a sign of a dysfunctional relationship and unhealthy attachment.

Waiting for someone else to take the initiative will often leave you doing just that — anxiously waiting. Making the first move might be intimidating, but you'll be surprised how much this can enhance your dating life. More than anything, success favors the bold. Also, what's the worst that can happen? Them leaving you on "seen"? If so, you just dodged a bullet, my friend.

While the idea that each person has their special someone is oh-so-romantic, it is ultimately untrue. How many times have you heard someone claim to have met their soulmate? Surely more than you can remember immediately. If you wait just a few years (sometimes months), you could see them meet another soulmate after the previous one has vanished into the dark abyss. Although we certainly have stronger and deeper connections with some people, we can love and fall in love with more than one person. Love won't be equal among lovers, but it will still be love.

We often say things we don't always mean when things become heated. It's actually recommended to take some time to unwind before talking about something that made you upset. If you allow it some time to cool off as you sleep on it, whatever it is will probably not look like as big of a deal in the morning. However, try to gather the words and let your partner know that you'd rather continue the conversation in the morning, especially if your partner is prone to overthinking.

The truth is that falling in love is just a trick nature uses to force people into a relationship so they can have children. Due to the transient nature of "falling in love," the trick eventually wears off. The ecstatic lovingness that characterized the experience fades, but this does not imply that we stop loving the other person. Once the Honeymoon Phase is over, you can tell if your relationship is solid if you can handle one another in the most trying circumstances which arise later in the relationship.

Contrary to popular belief, getting married in your 20s is not always a good idea. Spend some time getting to know yourself before entering a marriage intended to last forever. Because who you are in your 20s will not be who you will be in your 30s or 40s. Also, let's be fair but honest, it's better (also cheaper) to wait and get married once than to gather your whole family to celebrate yet another "soulmate." You are not missing out on anything if you don't start a family in your 20s. Relax.

No, it’s not. You’ll simply end up in rebound hell. If you jump immediately on someone else, you don’t have the chance or time to digest your feelings following the breakup. Ignoring pain doesn’t make it go away. Also, you risk repeating your mistakes in your following relationships if you don’t take the time to reflect on why the old relationship ended.

This phrase makes it to the list of things annoying people often say. If it's just the beginning of your relationship or you are still just dating, why should they? Why should the other person deal with your issues? Everyone who lives by this attitude seems to be drawn to drama like a magnet yet is baffled as to why. It's a lousy excuse people use to justify their lousy behavior.

Because they fear their new partner will reject or criticize them, many are embarrassed to mention how many people they've slept with during previous relationships. Yet, being truthful is always the best course of action. Any relationship intended to last is based on two essential principles: trust and respect. You can only achieve these by being open and honest about everything, including your sexual past.

Although first dates can be intimidating, don't be scared to trust your first impressions. Dating can be time-consuming and tiring. Use the time to meet someone new instead. Go with your gut feeling; if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. 

At the early stages of dating, while it's not "locked in" or "official," — sure, why not. However, this guidance, often from friends and relatives, presents serious issues for couples who take their relationship seriously and see their future together. This frequently pushes them to subconsciously plan for their relationship to end. What it truly accomplishes is highlighting the relationship's trust gaps and fears. With one foot in and one foot out, who can truly create a happy home?

Yes, there are partnerships with age differences that work out perfectly well, and it's also true that your age matters less as you age. And yet, age still matters, and research claims that couples who are closer in age tend to be happier. How big of an age gap is too big? Although there's no set number of years, there's a generally agreed-upon equation: To determine if someone is too young for you to date, divide your age in half and add seven; to determine if someone is too old for you to date, subtract seven from your age and multiply it by two.

Just because you understand that "communication is key" doesn't guarantee that every interaction will be trouble-free. John Gottman, a renowned relationship expert, identified four signs of a failing relationship that could predict divorce with a 93 percent accuracy rate. These are known as "The Four Horsemen" and include criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. These communication styles are likely to be used at some time in every relationship. So essentially, unhealthy communication patterns are no better than no communication at all.

Never stay with someone just for the sake of money. Most relationships end due to poor communication and money-related problems. An affluent person does not necessarily possess the other attributes of a partner you seek.

Negotiating compromises is effective for countries or political parties but NOT for relationships. To put it another way, it's equivalent to stating, "I'm prepared to endure some disappointment and grief as long as the person I love most in this world suffers, too." You should pursue "third options" instead. At that point, you both let go of your original suggestions and work together to find a third choice that brings you both at least as much joy as your initial suggestions.

Naturally, keep your bank accounts separate while you're just dating or starting a relationship. However, suppose you're married or in a committed long-term relationship. In that case, the best approach is to work together and have open discussions about how you'll use the money as a team. Separate accounts that the other person can't access, or worse, isn't even aware of, can seed distrust in the relationship, which is really hard to repair.

They might. Alternatively, they might not. Nobody has any way of knowing what another person will do. If you want to stay together even when the relationship isn't moving forward as fast as you'd like, you must be able to accept the repercussions if you commit too many years of your life to a relationship that does not progress.

Hardly ever is this the case. Undoubtedly, marriage alters your life, but it doesn't change who you are as a person. Your partner will likely continue to be a workaholic after you get married if they were one before you got married. Similarly, if your partner didn't have a job before you got married, they might not be looking for one after.

Family and friends don't recognize your role in a tango of dysfunctional relationships. Those who know and love you tend to think of you as the victim, but you may be just as responsible as your partner for the conflicts in your relationship. Always consider your part first.

Often, it comes down to the fact that a friend is merely projecting their own views onto you since they simply wouldn't pick a love partner like yours. Hence, instead of taking their comments at face value, uncover the precise source of your friend's disapproval and go from there.

Some believe that if you date someone less successful or less conventionally attractive than you, they will treat you better. FALSE. Dating down just increases the likelihood of future problems. Most, if not all, relationships eventually reach a stage where one or both partners start to pull things apart and look for reasons why they shouldn't be together.

While there is some truth to this ambiguous advice, the problem is that it encourages individuals to seek intense emotions, which can cause them to fall victim to the honeymoon period’s infatuation when it’s, in fact, simply too early to tell.

Sure thing, you should inform your partner if you need or require something! However, it's about how you communicate your needs: do you insist your partner must fulfill them, or do you ask whether they can help you fulfill them? Any relationship would benefit significantly if instead of saying, "I need this" or "I need you to do this," we learned to ask for help, which can also be in the form of asking the person to give you attention. Such phrasing of words really makes a huge difference in the relationship.

It’s tempting to learn where someone stands regarding marriage, kids, and a relationship as soon as possible, since we have no time to waste. However, on the first date (or first 3), it might not be the best idea to question whether a new acquaintance is prepared for a commitment. Absolutely, it’s important to find out where a possible partner stands, but asking them too many questions immediately may lead to an increased sense of pressure and fast transform a first date into something akin to an awkward job interview.

There's this idea that the one who makes more money should always cover the cost of each date. No matter how much more money your partner makes, it typically doesn't make sense to expect one person to pay for the dates each time. Unless your partner can actually (and honestly) allow themselves to spoil you with everything-is-paid-for dates, discuss a "date budget" and how you two can afford it or who pays for what or when. 

If you have a loving partner and a strong relationship, even if it's not in your collective interest, many family members and friends will urge you to get married. However, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Some people believe that it is unnecessary to complicate a happy and joyful relationship with legal ramifications and a ceremony. It's definitely not. 

We are accustomed to the idea of the fair division of domestic and emotional "duties" in a partnership or marriage. However, getting bogged down in the details of ensuring everything is equal might be more effort than it's worth. No couple can equitably divide the emotional work of a relationship or those unpleasant chores. There is no need to, either. Stop focusing on who does what; people in love give freely because it feels good, not because they are commanded to.

If you heed this advice, you might think that these teeny bumps on the road you experience moving in together indicate your relationship is pretty much doomed. However, very few couples are lucky to have a smooth move-in experience, so it's not all accurate. Healthy, happy couples develop their relationship skills by resolving minor obstacles first to prepare for the bigger ones that might (they definitely will) arise later in their communal living.