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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 Are Your Red Flags In Relationships?

83 replies

WalthamstowMum6 · 29/03/2022 17:15

What Are Your Red Flags In Relationships?

OP posts:
MangoReinhardt · 30/03/2022 13:37

Describing women as crazy/psycho- especially their ex but could be anyone.

MangoReinhardt · 30/03/2022 13:40

Also using negative gendered terms ("stupid bitch" etc) about other women.

Negative comments about women in general and then, if questioned, saying "Obviously I don't mean you".

Taking restaurant bills from dates to fraudulently set against tax, urgh.

woahwait · 30/03/2022 13:41

Oh. Using niche phrases such as 'happy endings'. Would make me think he's a user of sex workers/escorts/prostitutes.

Mermaidwaves · 30/03/2022 14:26

Still living with his 'ex' and children - they are not split whatever he may say

Obviously looking at and talking about other women, this is an early sign of triangulation, prepare for a life of feeling insecure

Watching graphic horrible violent stuff, you will start to see signs of aggression

Too much drinking- functional alcoholic

Putting you down - this often starts subtly but criticising your appearance and views over time will destroy your self esteem.

SucculentChalice · 30/03/2022 14:36

From experience - secrecy, gut feeling something is off, inconsistent behaviour, constant minor ailments and generally anything that is boundary testing at an early stage. People will test your reactions to them criticising you, or saying or doing things that make you slightly uncomfortable. If they do this...run!

Lanareyrey · 30/03/2022 14:51

I also forgot to add

Anti-vaxxer
Conspiracy theorist
No hobbies and clingy
The way they treat other people ie not rude

Funny could say most of my friends partners/husbands have a LOT of these traits Grin

Maskless · 30/03/2022 22:14

Calling his ex a bitch, or crazy, or, worst of all, a crazy bitch!

scoobydoo1971 · 30/03/2022 23:31

Unwilling to let you meet friends or family.
Uncertain financial status.
Housing or employment issues suggesting they are problematic.
Previous relationships ended badly.
Blameless for everything.
Arrogance.
Forgetting birthdays or Xmas.
Being late for no good reason.
Secretive with phone.
Not showing you off on social media, or to social contacts.
Never making an effort and leaving arrangements to you.
Mean and not contributing to dates equally.
Watches TV and no other interests/ hobbies.
Fitness or weight obsessed so a food bore, or someone who talks about calories and lifestyle too much.

CheekyHobson · 31/03/2022 04:58

I think @Watchkeys has it nailed. There are so many potential behavioural red flags that could also be totally normal and fine behaviours dependent on context, so I think the most powerful red flags are your own 'funny feelings'.

Eg

Feeling annoyed / embarrassed / hurt by something they did but like you can't bring it up because you have a gut feeling it will 'rock the boat' or because you know from experience they react poorly to being told they've upset you or done something inappropriate.

Feeling suddenly surprised / confused / taken aback by something they say in conversation or during a disagreement, because you can't understand how their thinking got them to what they just said. Particularly if asking them why they think that does not clear up your confusion, possibly because their explanation is just what they already said to you, using different words, and doesn't add any extra information.

During or at the end of a discussion, feeling as though they're 'not really getting it'. Sometimes this can be hard to put your finger on. Maybe they've said they understand and agree or apologise, but there's something about their tone that tells you they're just saying that to end the discussion. Maybe they appear to be listening but they're disengaged - they don't ask any follow-up questions. You tell them things and they never seem to 'stick' or 'sink in'.

Feeling as though they're ignoring you, angry with you or looking down on you even if you can't quite say why.

RantyAunty · 31/03/2022 08:24

If you feel like posting on mumsnet asking if you're overthinking something he did.

If you're letting things slide and making excuses for him.

Flyg · 31/03/2022 11:37

Any whiff of misogyny.
Talking about their "crazy" ex

KELLOGSspeck · 31/03/2022 11:38

Living at home with your mother (no good reason)

Poor money management

19Bears · 31/03/2022 12:28

I've seen my red flag mentioned a few times here - being rude to staff in hospitality. My dh aggressively verbally abused a young woman working behind the bar at a music venue and we got thrown out. I was so so angry and disappointed in him. It was only a few weeks before our wedding and I took my engagement ring off in anger when we got home. It was his stag doo the next day and he didn't go. He didn't even have the balls to tell his friends that he wouldn't be there. I cannot for the life of me remember how we got past that, but here we are 14 years later, unhappily married. There have been so many other red flags aside from this. Take notice of the red flags, ffs.

GeminiTwin · 31/03/2022 12:42

Calling ex partners a Psycho.
Mummies boys.
Don't know how to cook / clean / laundry.
Bad mouthing mother of kids.
Tight / stingy.
Bad teeth (unclean)
Bad breath
Bad personal hygiene
People who leave their cars an absolute swamp inside.
The last few I've mentioned are red flags for laziness.
Kind of red flags above, mainly more so what would put me off seeing them again.

(Happily married and been with DH for 9 years..)

Nowomenaroundeh · 31/03/2022 13:12

@theyhavenothingbuttheaudacity

I have a lot hence I'm currently single Any signs of misogynistic behaviour 🚩 Being flakey with contact 🚩 Not saying what they mean/ think 🚩 Not making me feel worthwhile /special 🚩 Not respecting my views / opinions 🚩 Not being there for their kids and understanding mine come first. No exceptions. 🚩 Having low resilience 🚩
I love this. Stay single till you find the right one. He's out there and worth the wait.
Planesmistakenforstars · 31/03/2022 14:16

All of the above, plus being into choking. I think any man who fantasises about strangling women is a walking red flag.

@SpringIntoChaos how did you respond to the knobhead?

Gonnagetgoing · 31/03/2022 14:20

@Brightstar29

From recent experience: Bad mouthing ex Hot and cold behaviour Recent traumatic break up of long term relationship Love bombing

More generally:
All of the above
Arrogance
Rudeness to staff etc
General big-headedness
Using “babe” etc or too many kisses before even meeting up
Not making time to see each other

@Brightstar29 - all of this and also:-

Inappropriate behaviour/talk when you do meet up.
Spilling too much re past behaviour - told me he'd cried on plane when his 9 year GF dumped him on holiday.
Meanness
Telling me how much money you have and how much you can treat me
Not wanting to be able to drive (recent person I was chatting to before boyfriend) - yet lived in ruralish area and also had a child under age of 10

Gonnagetgoing · 31/03/2022 14:23

Ah also:-

anyone who's really into and says it early on:-

  • deep throating
  • anal
  • other porn movie moves

Boyfriend a year before lockdown was really into the above especially the first and it put a dampener on things. Didn't help that sometimes I didn't feel it (penis) was that clean e.g. after weeing. Real turn off and I hope his current GF is ok with all the above!

Gonnagetgoing · 31/03/2022 14:26

@GeminiTwin

Calling ex partners a Psycho. Mummies boys. Don't know how to cook / clean / laundry. Bad mouthing mother of kids. Tight / stingy. Bad teeth (unclean) Bad breath Bad personal hygiene People who leave their cars an absolute swamp inside. The last few I've mentioned are red flags for laziness. Kind of red flags above, mainly more so what would put me off seeing them again.

(Happily married and been with DH for 9 years..)

@GeminiTwin - last BF before lockdown was tight/stingy - even on first date - I should've run a mile really and he got more generous - but splitting a coffee bill first off?! no.

He also didn't seem to know how to cook simple things despite having lived with GFs before and despite being 41/42.

I was quite shocked when I brought round an Old El Paso meal kit (quesiladas) and found he didn't have a grater, pyrex or baking dish to put it in - his ex had had both those he said! What was worse was that he liked the Quesiladas etc but seemed to be impressed I could cook it - very simple to do!

GeminiTwin · 31/03/2022 15:46

@Gonnagetgoing my goodness a coffee bill!

Thing is I'll happily pay my way and if a man said he couldn't afford the bill or agreed to split I'd be fine. But going halves on a coffee bill!!! What's that, a tenner, max?

Pyrex jug and a cheese grater are the absolute basics you have in a cupboard surely. Was he living on ready meals and pre grated waxy cheddar!?

Although now I really fancy quesadillas now. That's tonight's dinner sorted!

twinkletwinkleangel · 31/03/2022 18:13

Living with Mummy
Bad temper in early days
Drinking and smoking too much
Crazy exes

layladomino · 31/03/2022 22:53

Any man who calls women 'girls'.
Anyone who called me babe.
Any illegal drug use, smoking, heavy or regular drinking.
In fact any suggestion of addiction to anything.
Any hint of sexism or racism.
Turning the conversation to sex early on.
Talking about themselves all the time.
Arrogance.

TurquoiseDragon · 01/04/2022 19:55

Pushing sex acts I've already said I'm not into. My ex was like that, kept pushing for anal. I'd give in every year or so, and it was always as bad as I remembered from the time before. He wouldn't accept that me getting thrush was because of it, tried to accuse me of cheating.

In hindsight he had many of the red flags mentioned here, but then he was abusive. Luckily for any other women, he's dead now. Kids and I are moving back into his house to save money, as they've inherited it.

I've strengthened my boundaries, and the first whiff of anything beeing off, and I'll be ditching whoever the date is.

CecilyTheWake · 01/04/2022 21:26

Funny How Thé OP Hasn’t Been Back. Could They Be A Journo Looking For A Story?

Anon778833 · 01/04/2022 21:31

People who have children they don’t see.

People who try to say that all of their break ups were their ex’s fault.

Racism, snobbery, ableism.

Negging (fuck off)

Being tight with money.

Expecting me to be his mum.

Owns cuddly toys that he talks about like a person (true story)

Holds women to differing standards than men.