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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

what do you wish you would've known about men before you started dating them?

81 replies

Youcanstay · 20/02/2020 19:21

Just curious.

OP posts:
Chloooe22 · 20/02/2020 19:25

That everything he ever said was a lie. And no matter how much he said he loved me or promised he would never leave it was all a big lie. We created a family but as his mum died he couldn't cope with the grief so he's pushed us away.

He loves me but he's left.

👍🏽

PicsInRed · 20/02/2020 19:27

That he was a psychopath ... who came from a family of psychopaths. 😉

Surfer25 · 20/02/2020 19:27

They all lie

They're all selfish

Even the ones you think would never do you like that, will do you like that.

They're abusive.

They're lazy

They never grow up.

They need rewarding for doing nothing

Onetwothreeeee · 20/02/2020 19:32

surfer25

I honestly feel sad for you that you think that. There are many decent men. I’ve never met one that you describe. Never.

AlwaysInTroubleAgain · 20/02/2020 19:43

And when taking relationship advice from MN just remember the person proffering it may well think in exactly the same way as @Surfer25

ravenmum · 20/02/2020 19:56

I guess you mean specific men, not men in general?!

If I'd known my exh's faults I would still have dated him.
But I'm not sure I would have married him if I'd realised that the stuff he claimed to think about men having an equal share in childcare/cooking and women's careers being equally important was all purely theoretical, and that in real life, practical terms he was pure 1950s.

JacquesHammer · 20/02/2020 19:57

That being single is a valid life choice.

Lhia29 · 20/02/2020 19:59

That soon to be exh wipes his bogies on furniture he's sat on if he thinks no one is looking. Except me. Because he didn't give a fuck if I spotted him. It was so grim. (And actually he was EA so I wish I'd known how bad he'd end up but hey!).

AtrociousCircumstance · 20/02/2020 19:59

Always that sounds a bit like victim blaming. Presumably surfer had had horrendous experiences and she deserves support and sympathy, not that sneering tone.

DjMomo · 20/02/2020 20:06

That they are overrated.
I am blasé about them now.

scoobydoo1971 · 20/02/2020 20:15

That he was in significant debt.
That he was mean with money.
That he lied and was lazy.
That he had no pride about taking money off people as gifts.
That he was a thief with no morals.
That he looked at other women when we were out on dates.
That he thought he was better and more intelligent than most other people, even though he had nothing to show for it.
That he was bitter and spiteful under the jolly exterior.

Phew...so...glad...I...dumped...that...man!

Graphista · 20/02/2020 20:15

Doesn’t just apply to dating men, women can be just as “tricky”

That dating wasn’t just about “am I good enough for them” but very much “are they good enough for me”

“When someone tells you who they are believe them” SOO Many of the people I’ve dated have said something early on in a “jokey” tone about a fault of theirs which was absolutely true!

“I’m hopeless with money”
“I’m rubbish at housework”
“I’m never growing up”
“I hate having to work”

Etc etc

My advice to anyone would be when someone you’re dating says something like this pay heed!

“That being single is a valid life choice.” YES!!! I have put that one across to dd, unfortunately though I worry it’s gone too far the other way as she has her bar set very high and dumps for the slightest infraction.

People do not fundamentally change. Some minor aspects MAY change with maturity/life experience but who they ARE doesn’t. So if they’re:

Tight/overly generous
Selfish/people pleaser
Lazy/workaholic
Unambitious/high achiever
Needy/overly independent

Introvert/extrovert
Uber organised

Etc

They won’t change.

You need to decide what traits you can/cannot live with long term and accept everyone has faults so you need to know what are your personal “deal breakers”

So often I’ve seen relationships break down, sometimes after decades because one party has decided they can no longer live with whatever trait that the other person has ALWAYS had, which is sad for both and not really fair on the person with the trait.

Honesty really is the better policy.

Honest communication solves a lot!

Be honest about money, sex, housework, work, relationships with friends...

Trust is good. But don’t be naive and don’t be a “cool wife” it’s self defeating.

I’m afraid I do think based on my life experience that if a man gets the opportunity to cheat and remotely thinks they won’t be caught they’ll chance it.

Women cheat too but ime not to the same level or at the slightest opportunity.

I’ll maybe get flamed for that but it’s honestly been my experience. Out of all the men I’ve known I can count on one hand those that have never cheated on someone or been an om.

Surfer25 · 20/02/2020 20:17

Yes. I've been hit by a boyfriend before

But thanks for your delightful sneering tones

Let's start a thread about how utterly nasty women are

Sarcelle · 20/02/2020 20:17

That they ain't all the be all and end all, and not worth all the angst.

Chihaha · 20/02/2020 20:18

That his coke habit wasnt a past tense activity.

RickOShay · 20/02/2020 20:21

I’ve always thought men are a bit of a luxury item Grin

RickOShay · 20/02/2020 20:22

You don’t really need one, but quite nice to have around.

KellyHall · 20/02/2020 20:23

That "interesting" can actually mean "has emotional and mental health issues".

"Real man" is an illusion.

NoMoreDickheads · 20/02/2020 20:23

I was very naive as my mum didn't warn me about anything, she believed everyone is good (or that we should think that way) so that was instilled in me.

I wish I'd known how much a lot of men are obsessed with sex, they will use you for sex.

Also, I didn't have much of that 'spider sense.' I wish I'd known more about how to protect myself/be cautious. As someone with ASD traits, it took me a long time to develop that. But maybe women only learn it from unpleasant experiences, and I was lucky not to really have them at a young age.

NoMoreDickheads · 20/02/2020 20:30

@scoobydoo1971 Great work Smile

RLEOM · 21/02/2020 10:29

That no matter how much they say they love you, no matter if they're stereotypically good or bad, they'll always cheat on you.

RLEOM · 21/02/2020 10:30

Oh and that Disney are f#cking liars. Happy ever after is a fairytale.

stellabelle · 21/02/2020 10:34

I knew nothing ! No brothers, no male relatives besides Dad, went to all girls' schools. Men came from another planet as far as I knew.

I wish someone had told me that you don't have to "play nice" all the time to get men to like you. I put up with a lot of bad male behaviour before I realised that I needed to take care of my own needs.

nacher · 21/02/2020 10:42

If they really like you, they contact you.

balonzz · 21/02/2020 10:44

Lots of men have lots of good points, but never ever rely on a man for anything, be it support, security, fidelity..etc