Top

Long Distance Relationships - Can They Really Work?

Relationship Advice - Long Distance Relationships - Can They Really Work?

  Pages:   1 2  

The Question: I met a wonderful man in April 2006. On our first date he told me that he would be moving across the country for graduate school in August and would not be interested in a long distance relationship.  I continued to date him anyway, and we had a great relationship for 5 months.  We saw each other every day and basically lived together. 

When it was time for him to move, I told him that if he was willing to change his mind, I’d love to stay together and do the long distance relationship, but he was sure it would cause too many problems.  He wanted to keep a friendship and to stay on good terms so a future together might be possible.  Since he moved, we have spoken almost every day.  He flew me to New York for Thanksgiving, and Florida for Christmas so I could meet his family. 

It’s been bothering me that he won’t commit to be exclusive with me, so I told him to either stop calling me every day telling me he misses me and giving kisses over the phone, or show me he wants to be with me and be my boyfriend.  I felt like I was giving him the benefits of having a girlfriend, without him having the responsibility of having a girlfriend. He thinks I’m worried too much about the title.  I don’t know what to do because we’re a really great match. 

Should I continue to talk to him and stop worrying about the title? 

Or should I break up with him and move on to find someone who wants to call himself my boyfriend?

The Answer: I think your boyfriend is very wise and is showing great responsibility by not making promises that he’s not necessarily ready to keep. He told you up front what his expectations were for the relationship - something that a lot of men would not have been strong enough to do.

I agree with him, boyfriend is just a title.  The terms boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, and wife are often used to imply ownership. Titles are for cars, not people. We cannot own or control another person, especially their feelings and emotions - as hard as we may try…

It sounds like he really likes you and that you have a great relationship.

Why does the relationship have to be exclusive for you to enjoy each others company?  If your relationship is strong enough, why not just agree to be completely open and honest with each other. Agree to tell each other if you’re seeing someone else.

Seeing someone else doesn’t mean your relationship has to end. That’s just jealousy rearing its ugly head. Jealousy is an emotion of fear and control. We’re afraid of losing something that doesn’t even belong to us in the first place.

Since you’re so far apart, Continued on next page >>

Pages:   1 2  next >>

Have You Read These Related Stories?

Check Out These Helpful Resources You May Like...

500 Looking for Sex with No Commitments?

Looking for Sex with No Commitments? Did you know that Adult Friend Finder gets more visitors every day than Match.com and eHarmony combined? Read the story »

How To Give Her Mind Numbing, Leg Shaking Orgasms...

How To Give Her Mind Numbing, Leg Shaking Orgasms... Do you believe your girlfriend or wife when she claims to have an orgasm? Here are some surprising facts... Read the story »

How to Approach Any Woman Without Fear of Rejection - Pick Up Secrets Exposed by a Woman

How to Approach Any Woman Without Fear of Rejection - Pick Up Secrets Exposed by a Woman How SHOULD a regular guy approach a woman to get her phone number, a date, a... Read the story »

How to Go Down on a Woman and Have Her Begging for More - Oral Sex Secrets Exposed, Lick by Lick

How to Go Down on a Woman and Have Her Begging for More... Amazingly enough, many women have NEVER experienced an orgasm! Think about that for a minute... Read the story »

How Well Do You REALLY Know Your Partner? 1000 Must Ask Questions for Couples

How Well Do You REALLY Know Your Partner? 1000 Must Ask Questions for Couples How compatible are you really with your partner? Down deep, where it really counts?... Read the story »

500 Sex Tips and Love Making Secrets That Everyone Ought to Know

500 Sex Tips and Love Making Secrets That Everyone Ought to Know Think back to your last date... after the date, and to that special, sensual part of the evening. Do you remember... Read the story »

Subscribe to AskDanAndJennifer.com today and get the latest Dating, Relationship, Love, and Great Sex content sent straight to your email inbox. Do it today so you don't miss a single article.

Subscribe to Ask Dan and JenniferOr... Subscribe to Ask Dan and Jennifer via RSS

Discuss This Story In The Forums

Got something to say? Join the conversation in the Dating, Love, & Sex Forums.

One Response to “Long Distance Relationships - Can They Really Work?”

  1. Rene Kriest on January 27th, 2007 3:16 am

    “Dan and I have an agreement that if we are ever interested in someone else, we’ll talk about it and if it seems like the right thing to do, then so be it. Isn’t it a little selfish to keep our partner from being happy, just to satisfy our own selfish desires?”

    What´s “selfish” about that? Both share different values. Someone wants exclusivity the other one wants some affairs during the off-time.

    If the girl feeld uncomfortable with this it is ok to break up.

    Your comittment reflect your values. Obviously other don´t. ;)

Today's Featured Story

How To Know If She’s Straight (and interested in you…), Bisexual, or Lesbian? (Video)
Written by Dan and Jennifer · July 8, 2008 
How To Know If She’s Straight (and interested in you…), Bisexual, or Lesbian? (Video)

When you’re in a club, or another place where lots of people get together to hang out and possibly meet dates, you can sometimes find yourself overwhelmed. If you’re... Read the story »

Today's Headlines

Recent Articles

Help! My Husband Is Forcing Me To Make A Porn Video! (Video)

Help! My Husband Is Forcing Me To Make A Porn Video! (Video) You’re with someone you love, but your relationship seems to be going in a downward spiral.  You’re... Read the story »

Is My Girlfriend Using Me Or Is Her Love Real? (Video)

Is My Girlfriend Using Me Or Is Her Love Real? (Video) Usually it’s the other way around, but sometimes a man will be ready for a steady relationship and his girlfriend begins... Read the story »

I’m In A Bad Marriage - Should I Stay? (Video)

I’m In A Bad Marriage - Should I Stay? (Video) If you find yourself in a marriage that makes you unhappy, you’re not the only one. It’s a difficult situation to... Read the story »

It’s Me Or The Porn! You Choose… (Video)

It’s Me Or The Porn! You Choose… (Video) Men watch porn. It’s a fact of life. Nevertheless, many women who are girlfriends and wives of men watching porn can feel... Read the story »

Magical Thinking About Finances Can Put a Strain on Your Relationship

Magical Thinking About Finances Can Put a Strain on Your Relationship At some point or another, almost all of us have used magical thinking to give us the confidence to go on when... Read the story »

Bottom

Accessing this website acknowledges your agreement to the AskDanAndJennifer.com Terms of Use. All information on this website is intended for entertainment purposes only and does not in any way constitute medical or psychological advice, or any form of counseling. In other words, you and only you are completely and solely responsible for your decisions and your actions.