Contributed by: Jet on Saturday, December 10 2011 @ 07:37 am
Last modified on
There are some who, when they begin online dating, don’t like to share that fact with family and friends. Perhaps some of them don’t share any of their romantic details, regardless of how they met, but others still fear judgement, still worry that online dating carries a stigma. However, if the relationship is successful, sooner or later you’ll have to introduce your significant other to the members of the rest of your life; how will you handle the situation then?
There are a few common approaches to this issue. Some prefer the “wait and spring.” Essentially, they remain completely silent about any new relationship until they’re practically ready to get married. Then they announce everything all at once.
It’s not a completely illogical choice. If you’re worried about being swayed by family and friends, simply cutting them out of the equation is certainly one way to stay on track. But the secrecy can lead to more negativity than it’s worth. For example, you might have to lie to friends before you’re ready, or your family may treat your significant other with more suspicion because they’re come out of nowhere.
If you’re worried about a stigma associated with online dating, acting like you’ve got something to hide is certainly counterproductive. Perhaps a better approach might be one I call “baby steps.” Mention casually that you’ve met someone new. You don’t have to go into details if you don’t want to; saying something like, “It’s too soon to get into” tends to cut off most prying questions. You might mention that you’ve been “hanging out” with a “new friend.” Then, when you’re finally ready to reveal your relationship, it will reflect more of a natural progression, instead of an ambush.
Remember: if you act strange or ashamed of online dating, people will think you have some reason to. Regardless of how you met - whether it was through an online dating site, at the post office, in a fender-bender - it’s now your story, and it’s no more or less romantic and valid than anyone else’s. Don’t be afraid to share it - who doesn’t like a good how-we-met tale?