We had the talk now what?

[Lifeisforlivingkatie]

We are both 37, I am divorced with 2 children, he has never been married and has only ever lived with one woman, university girl friend, who was bi polar so not easy. I earn a lot more than he does and I have a lovely home. He is a qualified Proffessional too. We have been together 2 years. He is brilliant with my Kids and round the home. he is very caring towards me and the rest of my friends and family.

Trouble is I asked him to move in with us and he said he happy with the way things are for the moment. I think we have been together long enough, despite that he lives here from Thursday to Monday and stays again most Tuesdays.

I don't want to get married but want a partner I share a home with. him!

How long is too long to wait around? Are there any ladies in a similar situation and how did you handle it? help

Does he contribute financially for the time he spends at your home?

No not directly, he does bring food which he k
Normally cooks for all of us.

Does he contribute financially for the time he spends at your home?

I really would question the relevance of that statement. I presume that the DP also maintains his own property and pays his bills there as well even though he is hardly ever living there.

What reasons did he give for not wanting to make it permanent?

Although even if he did give some reasons, I would suggest that they probably won't have been the actual reasons - in fact he may not even be consciously aware of the real reasons himself.

One quick question for you, what proportion of his clothes and other belongings does he have at your house compared to his?

You have said very little about your relationship, so any comments people make here are very much in a vacuum.

One possible thing to consider is that he may see your lovely home as being just that - your's. Not your's and his jointly. He may be concerned that you won't treat him as an equal - it will still be very much ''your'' home and ''your'' family. While this isn't a problem at the moment as he still has ''his'' home to go back to this won't be the case if he moves in permanently with you.

Of course, not knowing anything about your current relationship only you can say if this applies to your situation or not.

I don't know how much you already include him, or not, in any decision making you have about your home or family? If it is currently very little, then he may feel that it is unlikely that things would change if he were to move in permanently with you which would again lead him to being concerned about it being ''your'' home rather than a joint home.

Possibly suggest to him that he rent out his house - if he owns it - so that he will still have some security. This will also enable him to contribute more to your household budget and perhaps help him to feel more like an equal partner.

I think it's very relevant how much he contributes.

He's staying at the OP's 5 nights out of 7. That's 5 nights he's reducing costs at his place but increasing them at hers - extra electricity for shower, extra toilet roll, extra milk on his cereal and in his tea, bread for sandwiches (unless he brings all of his meals with him OP?).

If you are easily able to afford the extra electricity you may not feel it's something to be worked up about it if he's always bringing food, and cooking it. That's down to you, but it's worth keeping the fact he doesn't contribute in the back of your mind because it can be significant in the context of other behaviour when trying to work out if he's a lovely man who just isn't ready to commit yet or has valid reasons for not wanting to move in, or whether he's reducing his own bills at your expense and having sex on tap to boot. Only you can decide that.

How did this conversation play out? Did you leave it as "things are fine as they are" or did you explain how you saw your future playing out, why you want it to go that way, what you will feel if it doesn't happen? Did you ask him why he's not ready? What did he say?

Thank you Nicky, I was not sure what to add about our relationship. we go on holidays together, our 5th this summer. He is very sporty but has given up sports on the weekend apart from two nights a week, which are the nights he stays at his, even then he does not go a night without speaking to me on the phone. He gave me keys to his flat a year ago and I gave him keys this year.

I don't know if this is relevant but he went to boarding school since age 7 and his family is not close at all. Apparently they have a (practical relationship ) his words not mine. He spends Christmas and any major holiday with me and my family.

He does my accounts for my business for free despite me offering to pay him. Saving me 14,000 this year alone. he cuts the grass and anything I need doing round the house. He attends any events my children have with me.

Oh and yes he still maintains his place

Sounds to me like you have a perfect situation - being just a little bit apart keeps the romance alive in my view. Maybe he just isn't ready to give up his flat. Enjoy what you have - a charmed life!

That's actually very encouraging information. It means it's about him not feeling ready yet - or if ever - to make things more official.

Neither view is right or wrong, but what you both want at the moment is not compatible. The solution is to see if you will be compatible in time (and yes, set a limit on it), whether one of you can compromise without resenting it, or if it's best to go separate ways.

The only solution to this is to talk it through.

Struggling to see the problem here!

Actually I can see it a little! I have a similar set up.. I see my OH five nights a week ( although not staying over - we do that on weekends ) and he lives three miles away. It's perfect for me .. We chat on days we aren't together, he does stuff for me, I get my own time as does he and we are both happy for now. We've been together 17 months. We've agreed we like how hints are and that we will discuss again in a years time.

Do you feel that he has one foot in and one foot out?

Thank you Dahlen, the costs are really significant so his contribution or not does not break the bank so to speak. I don't think he stays for food. He is a Proffessional person who can buy his own food. I think if he was like that he would have lived with different women over the years.

He could not give a very detailed explanation other than we have a great relationship and for now he likes it as it is, not to say he won't change his mind in future. I explained to him that I was looking for a long term partner to live with and I did not want to waste years with someone who was not on the same page as me. he just kissed me and said is all good Honey. could not get much more out of him. He is very practical and affectionate but does do emotional discussions very well. I think he feels cornered.

I an count the number of times he has said he loves me, but I cannot the several lovely things he does for me.

Sorry for the typo I mean I can count the number of times he has said he loves me but I cannot count the numerous sweet thins he does for me.

I don't think he's being very fair to you to shut down the discussion like that, although admittedly it may be because he felt put on the spot.

Maybe send him a text to say this is really important to you and you can't let it go because just because it's uncomfortable, so can he please have a think about his reasons and his time frame so that you can discuss it fully at the next appropriate time you see each other.

If he won't do that, I'd seriously reconsider a relationship with him anyway. Relationships with people who don't communicate are very, very hard work once the novelty wears off. You haven't given him an ultimatum, or stropped about this, you just want a full and frank discussion about whether your differing views on your future are compatible. That's not unreasonable, that's a sensible, grown-up approach to a relationship. If he's a grown up he will acknowledge that and if he cares about you he will be prepared to discuss it because he knows it matters to you.

Good luck. Hopefully, once he's had time to think about what you've said and how he feels, you'll reach a solution.

Thank you ladies, yes Nananina it's really romantic and lovely but I am concerned about losing sight of my long term desire. I suppose I wonder if he has never committed to living with or marrying anyone at 37 will he ever.

I am a very forward thinking person and struggle with just living for the moment if the future is not planned.

Thanks Shoutycrackers, I don't think he has one foot in and one foot out. As far as boyfriends go he is great. It's weather he is capable of the next stage... With anyone

He just wants to keep one foot on the floor, as it were. He's not 100% convinced that he wants to be part of a family and he's not 100% convinced about the future with you. He's keeping his options open and needs his own place as an escape route. He has doubts.

I asked about the financial contribution because there are quite a lot of freeloaders out there, happy to use a girlfriend's place as a free hotel, keeping the running costs down at their place.

OP - you said "I am a very forward thinking person and struggle with just living for the moment if the future is not planned." is he the opposite do you think?

Cos if so, then bear in mind he's not necessarily coming at things from the same angle as you, which means when he says "not yet", he's not necessarily saying "not ever", he literally does mean "not yet", because he's not a forward planner, IYSWIM?

OP I agree with Cogito, financial stuff is v important. You don't want to end up down the line with a millstone round your neck who owns half your stuff. Do you own your house? Does he own his house? This is relevant. I wouldn't be shacking up with him if he wasn't bringing something to the table.

I would scale back on having him stay so much. He's getting the best of both worlds.

Also, you keep saying he's a 'Professional', uppercase, which is making me thing he's professionally unemployed or something!!

Your future is planned OP, you've already sorted some security for yourself and your children. I wouldn't jeopardise any of that willingly.

The question here is this - If he told you tomorrow that he would never want to live with you or marry you - what would you do ? Is what you have enough for you or not? Financially every thing seems good - you both have a property and actually in your post i dont detect any real sadness - you sound happy enough.

My OH was 35 when we met - I knew right from the start that he would never marry me because he told me. It was my decision going into the relationship knowing how he felt. Luckily this never bothered me and 13 years later we are still not married.

I think one of the important things about friendships/relationships is that we have to try to understand and accept differences and yes we may be disappointed sometimes, but we can't expect others to feel as we do. I am nearing my 70th birthday so am an "older person" and life has taught me to accept differences in others, even though sometimes I am disappointed but life isn't a "bed of roses" and sometimes we have to accept that we cannot always have what we want.

I think LifeisforLiving that you think if he moves in with you he is demonstrating his commitment to you and your future will be more secure. I don't think this is necessarily the case - otherwise why do so many marriages/relationships where couples are living together break down. Indeed I would go so far as to say that if he does feel "pushed into a corner" he may be less committed to the relationship that you have now, and if he moves in to take the pressure off him he could end up being resentful. You are comparatively young and have many years ahead of you and no one can see into the future. Life definitely is for Living, so enjoy yours the way it is would be my advice.

I have been with my DP for over 40 years and we aren't married. For 18 of those years he lived and worked in London and came home at weekends and I think we both enjoyed having the "best of both worlds" not that it meant we could have other lovers, just the fact that we really looked forward to seeing each other at the weekend.

Someone has suggested "scaling back" on the time he stays with you, as he is getting the "best of both worlds" - what's wrong with having that? The alternative is to keep on pestering and maybe push him further away from you, then how would you feel. Some posters seem to be hung up on the financial issues and his professional job and obviously this isn't a problem for you. I think someone talked about the "extras" that his overnight stays would cost you and included "milk for his cereal" OMG!!

I actually believe that if more couples had a part-time arrangement similar to yours, there would be a decline in the divorce rate.

Nana - don't knock the cost of milk. If you've had to raid your child's piggybank to buy some of it for breakfast, it's not petty at all.

While I believe in compromise being what makes the world go round, it's only compromise if both people shift their starting point. If she just does exactly what he wants, that's not compromise, it's just her subjugating her own needs for his.

If he does what she wants, it's the same thing of course, so unless one of them willingly chooses to change position, the only solution is to separate.

But the OP shouldn't have to put up with his differences if they make her unhappy and make her feel less than important. Not being able to get what you want is not the same thing as actively doing something that makes you unhappy in order to fulfil what someone else wants. It's better to be single than in that position because it erodes your sense of self.

If the OP's BF really loves her but wants to continue to live separately, the onus is on him to explain why and to reassure the OP that he loves her and this is a good solution. She was the adult who broached the discussion. He hasn't even met her half way as yet. I hope he will.

So he lives with you from Thurs to Monday and most Tuesdays, so that's usually 6 nights out of 7 yet he doesn't want to move in, mmmm, sounds odd to me I must say.

I would also be concerned about his non contribution to the household, if you had a friend staying over 5 or 6 nights every week you'd expect them to pay their way or any other lodger. That would irritate me that I would even have to ask.

It sounds to me that he's not sure about the relationship, maybe that will come in time, but for now, he's enjoying a free ride and why wouldn't he, sorry but I don't see what is so great about a guy who after 2 years is stringing you along a bit.

How long are you prepared to wait?

Interesting as I think I have your relationship (and like it) with the one exception being we are married.

DH is under the impression that because he has said he loves me once, he doesn't need to say it again as he would update me if his feelings changed.

We don't live together and although that isn't by choice, I can't deny having space for myself has suited me.

However because we are married, I feel I know where I stand and that we both think the relationship is permanent. I suspect that was what you were asking about by asking him to move in. And he may think he's reassured you by saying it's all good. Which of course, he hasn't in the slightest.

I think you need to have the talk about where you both see this heading in the future. If he can't come up with the goods, you need to decide if what you have now (bearing in mind he does seem to have a lot of good points) is good enough.

PS. My DH was 39 when we got married so 37 is def not too old!

Space can be good, if both parties agree and are happy with the gaps in the calendar. Some couples do rush into living under the same roof and when there are children involved it maybe pays to take things slowly.

However. Here is a grown man who enjoys his gf's company under her roof 6 nights out of 7 yet all he brings along is food? So all the entertainment and home comforts not to mention laundry and utilities are there for him to use?

An old dog can learn new tricks when it dawns on him he will benefit. 37 and set in his ways but not immune to having his cake and eating it.

He says, "It's all good, honey!" implying either "This is how I am, mostly good, so accept I'm not perfect", or "This is how I am, as long as I'm comfy it's up to me to dictate the pace, so let's not even talk about this".

If OP didn't feel something's amiss she'd not have raised this thread.

To me it seems like he loves you and loves being part of you family he's just not quite ready for moving in. I wouldn't agree that that necessarily means he has doubts about the relationship, it's just that maybe he is enjoying things as they are and hasn't really considered changing them yet. I think you should let him know what's important to you but you can't rush him without causing resentment. You have sown the seed now and told him you want a long term partner who will live with you - I would probably enjoy the relationship and revisit it in a couple of months to see if his feelings have changed. If the haven't I would want to know if he did see living together in your future or not. The answer to that would then inform what you did next.

He sounds committed and it sounds like you have a good relationship. You say you struggle to live in the moment - maybe try to a little bit more with regards you and DP and just think "we will talk about this next month" or whenever and then try to put it out of your head. I know it's easier said than done. It seems like you're on the same pages, just on different paragraphs. Give him a little time to catch up before listening to those who say he's not committed etc

Is his house the equivalent of having a shed at yours?

Perhaps he just needs/appreciates having his space on that night or two per week? Being a step parent is very hard work...