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"The talk". Is he my boyfriend??

13 replies

Hann81 · 19/02/2021 23:52

So I've been dating the most wonderful guy for 3 months now. We see each other twice a week and spend alternate weekends together when our children are with our exes (he swapped his weekends to match mine at the start of January). We get on amazingly, and we behave like we're in a relationship but have never had "the talk". There is no way I'm raising the conversation with him. The mere thought makes me cringe, and I know it would him too. We're also not 14 Grin. He calls me most days during his lunch and on his way home from work. Pretty much every night before bed hw will video call me too. When we go out for walks on our weekend together he will hold my hand and look after me. He talks about future events such as going away together sometime when life allows us to (post Covid), and also being able to do things with our children. He's even said things like "let's see if you still say that in 2 years". I asked him last week if he thought this "has legs" and he immediately responded "yeah" with a tone of disbelief that I was even asking before saying "are you mad?? Why else would I be here?". On top of all this my son and I have been spending a couple of hours here and there with him and his son (they're both 7). As far as the children are concerned we're friends. Both he and I are very cautious and sensible where they're concerned, but the fact he invited me to spend time with his sin is, I think no small deal.

Do guys just assume they're in a relationship after a while? Is it pretty safe for me to assume that he's assumed we're in a relationship together?

OP posts:
JaneExotic · 20/02/2021 00:15

The only thing I would want to know is ‘are we exclusive? I don’t sleep with anyone who sleeps with somebody else’.
Other than that - if it quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, it’s a duck!

Hann81 · 20/02/2021 00:18

I know there is nobody else. He's said that, and I have no reason to believe otherwise. He spends 2 of his 3 child free evenings a week with me and calls me on the other one on his way home from work and then video calls me a couple of hours later before he's going to bed :)

OP posts:
Goingtogetflamed · 20/02/2021 00:27

Op, are you having sex? If you can do that then why can’t you talk to him? I’m not trying to be rude but that baffles me.

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OnceIWasAnApe · 20/02/2021 00:36

I get you OP- I can't remember this ever being a thing when I was younger. When you were seeing someone, that was that, you were their girlfriend! But now it seems there's a conversation about being exclusive, and then another about being in a relationship. It's such a minefield!
I'm in a similar situation to you. Have been with him exclusively since October. I'm thinking of just using the boyfriend word without having a convo about it...

Hann81 · 20/02/2021 00:40

I can talk to him, but asking "are you my boyfriend" feels like something I did when I was 14!!

It baffles me too onceiwasanape. The various layers to dating is nuts these days. I didn't even realise there was a difference between dating someone and seeing someone, then there's exclusivity and a relationship. I go from dating someone to being in a relationship!

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 20/02/2021 00:41

Call me old fashioned, but it wouldn't occur to me that he wasn't your boyfriend!

NotMyPremium · 20/02/2021 01:58

How is he anything else?? He is talking about the future etc. He considers himself to be in a relationship with you that he sees a future in.

FossilisedFanny · 20/02/2021 02:06

We never used to have ‘the talk’ a relationship just happened. It was sort of organic, you started going out with someone and it lasted or it didn’t.

Hexuba · 20/02/2021 02:21

If you have to ask this question, I don't think you are in the right place for a boyfriend, especially when there are children involved.

BadLad · 20/02/2021 04:26

He calls me most days during his lunch and on his way home from work. Pretty much every night before bed hw will video call me too

That sounds exhausting.

Goingtogetflamed · 20/02/2021 06:45

Instead of asking “are you my boyfriend” can you think about what that means to you (for me it’s exclusivity and planning for the future I think) and then talk about those things without mentioning the “boyfriend” word?

dontgobaconmyheart · 20/02/2021 06:49

I don't think it's about asking if he is your 'boyfriend' so much as having a normal mature conversation about whether it is explicitly exclusive and that everyone agrees that it is. Anything else is what would be teenaged IMO.

Assuming someone you date etc is your committed partner is also a bit teenage and I'm sure many have fallen foul of that. Enjoying someone's company and pillow talk etc is not the same as being in an official relationship however nice it is.

It all sounds great though OP and as if it's going well and he very much likes you, albeit it is early days. If you want to know to put it to bed, just ask if he wants that or state that you do, maybe he will agree he already thought it was. Relationships that last require the ability to communicate maturely.

Laeta · 20/02/2021 07:26

I know what you mean OP it's ridiculous and gets worse with age!

I'm middle aged and had to ask "So how do you describe me to your friends?"

He looked at me in amazement and said "My girlfriend of course!!"

Such weird times!!

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