There are so many problems and confusions that goes hand in hand with dating. At the top of that list is texting. People view texting differently and we’ve created a list of rules that every dater should know when it comes to texting during the dating process.
5 Rules that Every Dater Should Know
- Texting is not universal — it means different things to different people. There are many women who often complain that a man will text instead of call her. She assumes that if he really liked her, he would call her. Right? The truth is, when someone texts, it doesn’t mean the same thing that it may mean to you. You don’t know how the other person perceives the importance of a text. For you, texting may only be done for people you don’t want to be bothered with, but perhaps for him texting means something different. You would do well to put all assumptions behind you.
- State your preference. If you loathe texting, say so. If you are someone who drives a lot and cannot text, say so. Half of the battle in a relationship is to effectively communicate your needs and desires in a manner that is to the point, but not so much that it is offensive. You also may want to take into consideration that your partner prefers texting; perhaps they get tongue tied and find it difficult to articulate their thoughts verbally. A relationship is about compromise!
- If you’re complaining, stop letting things happen. What we mean by this is if you are always receiving last minute texts to hang out, almost like you are a second thought or a last resort, you have to stop allowing your partner to do that. When they do send you a last minute text to hang out, refuse by either making up an excuse that you are busy or tell them that you don’t appreciate last minute plans because it makes you feel like an afterthought.
- Sexting is not for strangers. If you are engaging in a conversation with someone new and it suddenly turns sexual, you don’t have to follow through. You can tell them you are not interested in sexting and either they change topics or say good bye. Texting creates this relaxed atmosphere where anything goes because you aren’t face to face. This gives people the idea that they don’t have to mind their manners and be respectful. This is not the case! Stand up for yourself and tell them that you do not appreciate their unwanted sexts — that is unless you are looking for a romantic interlude.
- If you do not know someone, you should be more cautious. This should be common sense, but you would be surprised to learn how many people are an open book and don’t put a filter on themselves when they are talking to strangers. You should never give out too much information until you are certain that the person is who they say they are. You don’t want to give out information that could put you in danger.