Women make too big a deal out of whether their man is showing all the appropriate signs of a committed relationship. They take surveys in magazines and talk to the girls over lunch. They worry and question and lie awake at night, always thinking “Is he or isn’t he?” There really is only one sure-fire way to know for sure whether your loving sweetheart is meeting the standard for what qualifies as a devoted, committed relationship. Ladies, it’s time to lower your expectations! Instead of being disappoints because he doesn’t write you sonnets and make you breakfast in bed, you will be much happier if you lower the bar a little. Really, why make it so difficult for him to meet your expectations? Here are the top five signs of a committed relationship- in the real world beyond the pages of a women’s magazine.
1. Does he know your phone number? Does he use it? If he calls you on a daily basis, the odds are good he considers himself committed. This is especially true if he calls for no reason other than to tell you he loves you or that he is looking forward to seeing you later in the day. If your partner calls you on a daily basis (and isn’t asking you to do something for him) that is a definite sign that he is in a committed relationship.
2. Do you spend time with his family and friends (the ones that are part of a couple, not just “the guys”) on a regular basis? Do you do it sober? If a man is comfortable with you spending time with his family and he makes time the two of you to spend with other couples that are friends of his, this is definitely a sign that he’s hooked. Getting together at the neighborhood sports bar three times a week because there is a game on doesn’t count. Neither does any activity that involves special shoes, boots or any sort of headgear. But, if he likes to bring you along to mom’s house, that should tell you something.
3. Has he ever taken you on a date during deer hunting season? Was either of you wearing anything orange? Ladies, this is huge. If you love a man who loves to go hunting, the safest road to happiness is just to assume you will never see him during the month of November. But if your Romeo has actually taken you out for dinner and a movie during hunting season, you have a winner. And, if he went home, showered, shaved and put on real clothes that aren’t orange, well, girls, it really doesn’t get any better than that.
4. Has he ever watched “Desperate Housewives?” In fact, has he ever watched anything on a Sunday night that didn’t involve a bunch of men wearing pads, helmets and those really tight pants, you don’t have to worry about whether or not he’s staying with you for the duration. Even if he doesn’t like football, the Desperate Housewives rule still applies.
5. Where are his dirty socks? What position does he leave the toilet seat in when he’s finished in the bathroom? Has he ever intentionally picked up your cat, just to hold it and say hello? These last three are placed in a single category because these are true signs that he thinks of you and has decided that you are worth the effort of conforming to civilized society.
So ladies, there you have it. If your significant other passes these five real world tests of commitment, you can relax and know that he is showing all the TRUE signs of commitment in your relationship. After all, if he:
• takes time from his day to call and tell you he loves you
• considers you a comfortable addition to his family and friends
• realizes that his favorite activities take up a lot of time and you need a little attention even then
• makes an effort to like the things you like
• uses thoughtful consideration and manners around the house
He sounds like he knows how good he has it with you and he isn’t likely to wander anytime soon. These five things show that you really are very important to him and his signs of being in a committed relationship are from his heart and not from the pages of a magazine.