to think the man you love at 18 is rarely the man you'd love at 32

[ispentitwithyou1]

Just that really!

I suspect that threads with this sort of title will attract those who met their life partners early.

Agree.

The guy I was with when I was 18 was nice enough. But I'd have come out in a cold sweat if I'd been told I'd be with him all my life.

The guy I was with when I was 18 was nice enough. But I'd have come out in a cold sweat if I'd been told I'd be with him all my life.

I thought the guy I was with at 18 was nice enough, at the time. Looking back he belittled and undermined me a lot and pushed a lot of his own insecurities onto me. Now, he was also very young and I think it's quite likely that he's a different person now. But would that dynamic have changed if we'd stayed together? Who knows. I definitely know that I've become a better partner over the years, and I'm particularly glad that my husband wasn't the first boyfriend I lived with, as I learnt a lot (of what not to do!) from a previous attempt with another partner. Different people have different experiences, of course - but I have to say I'd be quite sad if my child wanted to marry in their teens.

I would be more than sad if my child wanted to marry in their teens too! I have been with DH since we were 17 but we did not marry until after we finished Uni at 23! I think plenty of people meet young and stay together it is not for anyone to say that those people are 'probably unhappy'!

So I think it's rare and probably the majority of those still together who claim to be happy, aren't

What a bizarre notion. Some marriages and LTRs may not be happy, but I think it quite silly to think that most aren't.
I can assure you that I'm definitely not 'probably unhappy'.

I hope not! Met DP when I was 18, engaged at 22 and got DD and will be 23 this year and he'll be 25 so I hope we're in it for the long run!

Still in love with the man I was in love with at 20 and 34 now

I met and fell in love at 17, still in love at 36, a few wobbles at times but we have grown and changed together.

I agree Margaret. Personally learned a lot about people, life and myself through having different relationships. I would be worried if mine married their first boyfriend. Is it a soul mate meant to be together thing or a cling together we are too scared to split up scenario? I have friends in both camps. The test for me is they split but get back together. Those are the healthier ones anecdotally.

Not for me...I was 17 when I met dh and we're still together now i'm 30.

I loved him when I was 16. I love him more now that I'm 33. We married after 10 years together. He has changed a lot though, for the better. If he hadn't I'm not sure we would still be together. He is my best friend and I hope I get to grow old with him.

Yes, for me. You change together or not but most change a lot in that stage of life

Fell in love with DH just after my 21st birthday (he was a year younger).

25 years later, and I have never stopped falling in love with him.

I met DH at 15. I guess we didn't settle down properly until our twenties and were on and off for ages. But I def wanted him from the word go.

My parents were eachothers' first partners. They started dating when my mum was 16, my dad 18. I was born two years later. They're still together now almost 30 years on.

I, on the other hand, was "in love" at 21 with a guy I met on my uni course. We stayed together for 3 years, but it never really went anywhere and looking back the relationship was, if not abusive definitely not healthy (by the end I was basically just "sex on tap" for him). But I think that the reason I put up with this for so long, is that it was my first serious relationship so I had no comparison, rather than the fact I was so young.