Moms Reveal Secrets Their Kids Don't Even Realize They Know About Them

When women become mothers, they unlock an innate ability to know everything their child is up to at all times, or so the stories go. Kids, get with the program: You can't hide anything from mom. It's just not possible, as these mothers can attest.'
(1/25)
When learning a new word, our 18 month old runs into the kitchen (away from us so we can't see him) and practices sounding out the word, thinking that we can't hear him. Then he comes back into the family room to delivery the final product.
(2/25)
My coworker found out her 12 year old son was looking at porn on the family computer when his friends were over. She made her husband go talk to him about it. Dad walked into his bedroom, sat down on his bed, and said only
"Your mother knows."
Kid just quietly muttered "oh my god. "
Never had a problem again. Coworker was dying bc he was just typing stuff like "boobs.com" and hoping to strike gold. Kinda sweet.
(3/25)
My 16yr old son watches porn. If you are sitting in bed, laptop on your lap, think about how the screen might reflect off the picture behind you! Geez... At least close the tab when i come in the room...
(4/25)
My 9 year old pretends to go right to sleep when I put her in bed but a soon as I shut her door, I hear the bedside lamp click on and her nightstand drawer open so she can pull out her stashed book(s) and read. I can't be mad. She loves to read and I can't discourage that. So every night I go check on her before I go to bed and put away her book and turn off her light. She has to know it's me doing that but she has never said a word.
(5/25)
I can hear my four year old son walking down the hall when he's supposed to be in bed because he walks like a dinosaur.
(6/25)
I set alarms for the morning on the amazon echo. When I leave the room my daughter cancels them and I hear her snicker "no school tomorrow haha". What she doesn't realize is I also have an alarm clock and my phone. She's five.
(7/25)
My niece(4) is obsessed with rocks. She had an extensive rock collection that my brother and I helped build. when her little sister(2) swallowed a rock from it her parents made her throw out the entire collection. She threw it out and when they weren't looking she got it back out. She keeps it hidden in her closet and i only know about it because i found her playing with it once while babysitting.
(8/25)
My five year old crawls into my bedroom and slides my phone off my night table Saturday mornings. She sneaks into her closet to watch YouTube. She's not allowed to watch YouTube but that extra hour of sleep is glorious. My SO and I act shocked and appalled when one of us finally goes to her closet and 'finds her'.
(9/25)
I know that he's watching YouTube videos about minecraft on his phone when he's supposed to be sleeping. I make a bit of noise in the hallway an hour after bedtime, and listen for the sound of him putting his phone away, then ten minutes later there's undeniable sounds of sleep breathing. I don't wanna always "catch" him. He needs to be able to get away with some things.
(10/25)
My son doesn't eat the sandwiches I make him for lunch at school. He just throws them away and eats the chips and cookie.
(11/25)
My 6 year old has a secret doodle pad that he draws in at bed time. I can hear his lamp click on when he sneaks drawing time in. He will never get in trouble for it.
(12/25)
I know that I walked in on my then 13yo son masturbating. but I let him believe he was stealthy enough that I didn't notice.
(13/25)
I have a three year old and every morning she comes into my room and crawls in bed with me for another 30 minutes before we get up. She has started doing this new thing where when I fall back asleep she will kiss my cheek and tell me how much she loves me. It's a small thing but I love that she does this even though she thinks I'm asleep.
There are a lot of hard things about being a parent and having to wake up early with a toddler but her sweet little voice telling me, "I love you so much mommy" makes it all worth it.
Also, sometimes she will bring me a stuffed animal to cuddle with too.
(14/25)
I know my 13 year old daughter takes an Uber to school when it's raining or when she is running late. She doesn't realise her Uber account is connected to my credit card and she must think the Uber fairy pays for it.
(15/25)
My three year old daughter doesn't understand whispering to herself isn't the same as thinking in your head, she loves to call people idiots to herself and giggle not knowing we can all actually hear her.
(16/25)
When my 9 year old is in the shower forever, I know it's because she's trying to hide the fact that she's crying because she misses her dad. It's been almost 3 months since he died, and she's still getting used to the fact that he's gone.
(17/25)
My daughter used to do this. "eat a cookie" and ask for another.
I found hundreds of cookies squirreled around various drawers and inside toys and under her bed.
She must have died in the great depression in a past life or something.
(18/25)
I know his hiding spot for hide and seek. I know exactly where he is. Hell, I can see him; behind the stroller isn't the greatest cover. I can hear him too, as he answers my exaggerated "Are you behind the couch?!??!?" with "No!"
But I'll still look for him everywhere, until he creeps out and shouts "BOO", so I can gasp and be ever-so-surprised.
Because toddlers can be fun, if you play along.
(19/25)
Have a daughter in college. Her first summer back home I went to wash all of her clothes she brought back (as a college girl, it was at least 4 loads), as I sorted her clothes before washing them out tumbled butt-plugs wrapped in a bag.
So I carefully wrapped them back up and slid them back into her things.
(20/25)
My eldest stepdaughter, 14, borrows my clothes and returns them to my closet when she's done wearing them. Not that big of a deal, but I really wish she'd ask. She goes to great length to deny that she likes my style of clothing...She will hide them in her bookbag and change in the bathroom at school. I've tried buying her similar styles in her own size (she's a medium, I'm a large/xl) but she still always goes right back to mine. I'm honored that she likes my style, even if it's in secret, and hope that one day we can use this as a bonding experience.
My eldest son, 13, still sleeps with his plush Dalek at night. He waits until his brother (they share a room) goes to sleep, then gets it out of the top of the closet and sleeps with it, and returns it to its place in the morning. I hope he never grows out of loving something so dearly that he just can't part with it.
My middle stepdaughter, 11, and youngest daughter, 10, are full on pissed that they weren't born as twins. Seriously angry about it. So, they created their own "not-twin-twin club" and have their own secret language. The scary part is that they actually ACT like twins sometimes, to the point that if one of them is upset or hurt, the other knows about it without even being there. I hope they are always this close and share that special bond.
My youngest stepson, 9, leaves treasures for the rest of the kids to find. He has no clue that everyone in the house knows it's him because he isn't the least bit sneaky lol. He will find a pretty rock shaped like a heart and leave it for one of the girls or find an interesting looking old coin and leave it for his brother, sometimes he'll stumble across a discarded marble or something similar and leave it for his father and I. He swears it's the backward pirate that does it. I love that he has such a giving heart and hope he continues doing for others with no particular reason in mind other than to see them smile.
(21/25)
When she was three, my oldest thought if she couldn't see us, we couldn't see her. She would cover her eyes then try to sneak into the kitchen for snacks. I let it go on (other than watching to make sure she didn't fall) mostly because it was hilarious.
(22/25)
I do my kids laundry still, I went into her room while she was at school one day to grab her laundry and I found a note mixed in with her clothes it was a confession about liking girls to her best friend and to scared to tell anyone. Not going to lie and say I wasn't shocked ,she played it off amazing that she was into boys. I didn't share what I found with her or anyone else and a year later she came out to me and a few other people. I honestly struggled containing myself for that whole year waiting for the day I could just tell her I love and accept her for who she is and not to date crappy girls. For Christmas she asked me for pride stuff, I got it and she opened it in front of everyone in the family who had no idea so she could come out to them. I think she was more shocked that all the guys were just giving her the red flags of crazy women talk and not judging her.
(23/25)
My 17 y/o son copped to sneaking beer but I know it was my other (13 y/o) son. I don't say anything because the other 23.5 hours of the day my oldest is a complete a-hole and picks on his younger brother constantly. I secretly enjoy the fact that he is in trouble because he is such an a-hole all of the time.
(24/25)
I know that my nearly 14 year old daughter is inarguably gay. I don't know if she recalls, but when she was much, much younger she used to ask me questions like "What if I want to have a baby but I don't want to have a husband?" Of course, at the time, I just thought it was funny. But as she has aged it's become more and more obvious that boys are of no interest to her.
I've tested the waters once or twice to see if she may be ready to talk about it yet. She didn't engage so I have never pressed further than casual conversation.
My only fear is that she is holding on to a secret because she worries about how we may react. I can't bear the thought of her carrying something like that.
I like to think maybe SHE hasn't figured it out yet and that's why she hasn't brought it up, since we otherwise have a very open relationship.
Either way, I know. I think maybe Mom's always know. And I also know she is going to make one lucky girl very, very happy one day.
(25/25)
When my 20 month old is grunting and her face turns red, and I ask rhetorically, "are you pooping". She gets upset and shakes her head "no".
I say, "you should sit on the toilet". She runs away so she doesn't have to sit on the toilet.
But the kid loves sitting on the toilet when she doesn't have to go?!
The internet is so fascinating.
And messy.
Thanks to YouTube and TikTok, so many hours can be spent lost in the world of video.
You pick a simple topic or name to check, and then it's tomorrow... and you've binged every army family reunion story.
And so much time to waste, depending on your keystroke choices.
Redditor imboredaa wanted to discuss all the ways so many of us get lost watching things on the internet, so they asked:
"What are some of the craziest/strangest rabbit holes you’ve ever been down?"
I constantly get lost on talent show audition rabbit holes.
And I am proud!
Restored
"YouTube videos of old chainsaw restorations. No idea why, but I guess that’s why it’s a rabbit hole. I don’t even own a chainsaw or have a need for one."
aretelio
'rooms/shared'
"I really enjoy going on a city’s Craigslist, then to 'rooms/shared' (or whatever it is for finding a room mate) and then typing words like 'warning' or 'beware' in the search to see what kind of horror show nightmare room mate scenarios people have decided to write about... it's usually some juicy headline like 'warning!!!'"
"Do NOT rent from this woman!!!! She is a PSYCHO!!….'"
"And after reading it, it’s always a guess to decide who is the actual crazy person, the landlord or tenant. Could be a bitter ex, tenant, or a scam, or whatever. But it’s an easy way to dive quick into some weird corners of the internet that are filled with drama."
After the Ice
"I spent a bunch of time about 12 years or so ago reading about all the details of the Titanic, how it sunk, what happened as it was sinking, who died, who survived. I got into the life stories of the people who died, and what became of the people who survived. And then I very nearly bought a piece of carpet from the Titanic."
SweetCosmicPope
Expeditions
"Andrée's Arctic balloon expedition"
"Dumb, then numb, a** thought he could fly a balloon to the North Pole. They had cyanide capsules and all, in case they crashed and were about to freeze to death. Or get eaten by a polar bear during a three month night. He and his assistants somehow managed to do both."
"Plot twist: Andree, the worst captain of all time, noticed the balloon was leaking the night before they were about to leave, pumped it up a bit, and said 'f**k it that'll do.' It did not do."
Needydadthrowaway
Thanks John
"An Uncle John's Bathroom Reader. Started with 1 and ended up with a 20+ collection."
originalsanitizer
"Uncle John's Bathroom Readers are so addictive."
evanman69
Toilet time can be knowledge time.
Living Sky High
"Turning old planes into houses! About 10 years ago I found a company that would do it for you. The wings were decks and the plane was mounted to a pedestal that allowed it to be rotate with the sun!"
BeeEyeAm
Doggerland
"Mega tsunamis. Thousand foot walls of water moving at hundreds of mph? It happens more than you would think. The Azore-Gibraltar fault will cause one one day. There evidence they happened a few times in the Pacific. It doesn't take a meteor to happen, it could be an underwater landslide (Doggerland), or a large section of a volcanic island shearing off and falling into the ocean (Oahu). Doggerland is another rabbit hole that is worth googling."
KD_Burner_Account133
Hitting the Keys
"Mechanical keyboards. I wanted to buy one, so I started researching and watching videos of reviews. I went deeper and deeper, seeing special cables, obscure companies, the tons of switches, etc etc."
"I stopped when a Youtuber I watched made a video asking her viewers and discord users to stop bullying and harassing her for using some kind of switches or keycaps. I bought my keyboard and never went back to that crazy fandom."
NirvanaForce
In the Sky
"I worked in administration at an aviation academy for a few years and decided I’d start listening to aviation podcasts since I didn’t know much about it. I came across a plane crash podcast that talks about crashes in history and how it improved the safety of flying."
"I was fascinated by it, and found myself gradually needing to know more and listening to more of the same type of podcasts, watching videos, and listening to black box recordings. It was eerie but interesting at the time. Now, I regret it tremendously because since then I’ve developed horrible anxiety when flying."
contagiousphrase
The Big Questions
"Spent a lot of time in the 'quantum consciousness' rabbit hole. I had just deconstructed from religion and wanted answers about life, death, and reality. It was long before I made peace with not knowing. I spent around a year obsessed with quantum experiments, psychedelics, and the general philosophy of consciousness."
excusetheblood
Lives (and chores) can be put on serious hold when you find a juicy enough topic to research!
Well, what rabbit holes have you gotten lost in? Let us know in the comments below.
CW: Graphic imagery and accidents.
No one leaves this life without scars.
We witness so many awful things on a daily basis.
How could we not be followed by it all?
Messed up things are just part of the deal of living I guess.
One minute you're walking along on a bright sunny day, then boom, you're a witness to a murder.
Or some such craziness.
That's why I stay home a lot.
Redditor Who_Did_You_Expect1 wanted to hear about the things from our memories that still haunt our nightmares, so they asked:
"What's the most f--ked up thing you saw that still haunts you to this day?"
Living through peril is unimaginable. I've been luckier than most.
Tragic
"I watched cancer kill my baby brother. He was in grade school when I was in college. 25 years, and I still see it in my dreams."
TheDigitalRanger
Ay Dios mio, Dios mio!
"When I was about 8, my sister and I were walking with my mom to a bus stop to see my grandma in Mexico city. There was a lady on a bike crossing the intersection that we had just crossed ourselves but she didn't stop in time to the next one and didn't look both ways, she didn't have time to stop her bike. All I remember is the lady making the beginning of a scream as a white old muscle car ran over her (bike and all) at a high speed."
" remember the sound it made as it broke everywhere. My mother took her sweater off as she screamed and covered both my sister's and my head from looking, but it was too late. I remember looking at my sister with tears in her eyes, and I was too shocked to react or comprehend what I had just seen happened. A lot of people immediately surrounded the place, and the driver came out of his car and held his head with his hands after seeing the lady on the pavement."
"I didn't look at the lady anymore. I remember hearing people screaming in shock. My mother told my dad later as she cried. I remember hearing her wake up screaming for weeks after this saying: ay Dios mio, Dios mio! Still makes my heart race when I think about it."
amahied
I Quit
"I was a news photographer for a while in the 90’s. I got called out to an accident. A high school girl ran into the back of a semi. As I was shooting, I noticed her wallet was on the ground. It had a plastic picture holder and the wind was flipping back and forth. I saw her prom pictures and shots of her with her family."
"I quit being a news photographer shortly after. I never forgot that day, and it still haunts me."
No_Confusion4720
Images
"I saw the aftermath rather than the actual event. A woman was walking home from the grocery store late at night. She crossed the road without using the crosswalks and got hit by an SUV. The two images cemented in my mind are of her, embedded in the windshield, and the driver of the car standing a little ways down the street vomiting. I've never seen someone look so utterly broken as the way the driver looked. I can't imagine what he was going through."
GrowlyBear2
Everyday
"When I was 16 I was in a car wreck with my best friend since 3rd grade. I pulled him from the car with a broken shoulder while he was bloody, lifeless, limp. He died within the hour, not long after the ambulance got us. It’s been 18 years and I still think about it every single day."
oil_can_guster
I couldn't imagine living with that.
I also couldn't move...
"Coming to after getting hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian. Was face down, all I could see was blood soaked road and thought 'f**k, that doesn't look good.' I also couldn't move. The last thing I remember seeing before that was the grill of the vehicle. I still get jumpy when I catch a vehicles grill out of the corner of my eye and I'm not expecting it to be there."
"I'd seen a lot of accidents prior to that, but something about it being my own blood hit different."
"And yes, I had the right of way and was crossing in the proper place, at the proper time. Driver plain a** wasn't paying attention. It was daylight to boot, so no reason they couldn't see me."
Sweet_Force1478
Bad Dreams
"I was volunteering with my k9 working with NYC emergency services and chief Patell during 911 WTC attacks. We were in the middle of where the twin towers used to stand The thick gray dust, horrible smell of burnt things and dead people was all around but when the dogs started to find bodies and body parts it really freaked me out and I will forever live with this reality that seems like a bad dream."
DjCanicus
Missing
"A family of four that had burned in a plane crash. I used to do a woodland search and rescue, and we saw a lot of wild crap, but I still have dreams about what I saw when we went to look for a missing plane."
JalenTargaryen
Goodness life is dark sometimes.
Do you have any similar experiences? Let us know in the comments below.
Let's just be honest: the dating scene can be rough, especially when you're not sure if that person likes you back or not.
Some people, however, are very comfortable with their dating histories and believe there's a certain "cheat code" to confirming if someone is interested.
But for those of us who have always been bad at flirting and consider ourselves "oblivious" to other people's advances and compliments, maybe there could be some hope for us after all with these tips.
Redditor Independent_Slide932 asked:
"What are signs that there's sexual tension between you and someone?"
Their Undivided Attention
"It's serious eye contact for me, like when they would rather admire you than look anywhere else. It just makes it so obvious."
- GoGoHesHere
Butterflies
"For me, it's not just the eye contact itself, but when the eye contact is made, the two of you are in your own little world. There’s communication happening in that eye contact that you aren’t having with other people."
- la_metisse
The Thrill of the 'Chase'
"To answer the actual question OP asked, it’s finding reasons for eye contact."
"It’s 'accidentally' making physical contact. It’s always ending up sitting next to each other in a group."
"It’s a tingly tight feeling in your guts."
"It’s a beautiful pain to experience. It’s almost more fun than actually 'getting' the other person."
- AllAfterIncinerators
Literal Physical Attraction
"Angling. Always feeling like your center of gravity is shifting towards them."
- thelibrariangirl
Interested or Not?
"There's a regular who comes into my work who makes serious serious 'seductive' eye contact with me and has a smile that looks flirty."
"But he's also hot as f**k. He's just incredibly attractive. So like, just because it's making me turn to jelly doesn't mean it's anything other than just being friendly and having a regular smile to him."
- MangoMambo
It is, Indeed, ...Tense
"It's that awkward, 'I want to f**k this person, and I'm pretty sure this person wants to f**k me, but I'm not sure enough about it to actually make a move.'"
"That's sexual tension."
- Grueaux
Sounds Awkward
"It can manifest in a lot of ways. Usually, sexual tension develops when two people are attracted to somewhat attracted to each other. The funny part is, sometimes they aren't even fully conscious of it, or want to acknowledge it."
"That is where the tension lies. There is a reason why both are not participating in healthily acknowledging attraction for each other. It can look like tense awkwardness, constant fighting, overt flirtatiousness without any progression, and even consciously ignoring/avoiding the other person."
- EimiCiel
Silent Communication
"It's a shared gaze that at once leaves you both relaxed and on edge. It's like being old friends with a stranger."
"It's like an inside joke that isn't funny, it's sexy. I mean, it could be funny or sexy, but you see what I mean, it's a common understanding."
"It's like, 'You've got a secret, and I know it, and I've got a secret, and you know it, and the secret is the same thing, and we both know it, and it's so f**king delicious that we both know that without discussing it. The secret is nothing and everything, it's the knowing and sharing and the edging that is wonderful."
"It is something that is involuntary, but also once you've experienced it (enough), you can put yourself in that mode, make eye contact with a sexy stranger, and they may respond positively. It won't be as good as spontaneous mutual attraction, but you can put the signals out, 'Hey, I dig you, are you interested?'"
"Some people that you have that intense mutual attraction for aren't the right one(s) for you, except that they are the right ones to practice making that connection with. The person who is perfect for you might be someone who grows into the right emotional responses... and that's true of you, for them, as well."
"And lastly, you can choose to ignore both the mutual and asserted versions; the right relationship choices are both an emotional and intellectual decision, don't rely on one exclusively."
- im_dead_sirius
A List of Obvious Signals
"Reading signals is tough, I’m glad I don’t have to date these days."
"But some legit signals I’ve learned, in no particular order:"
"Prolonged or suggestive eye contact."
"Body positioning mirrors yours or stands closer than typical in your culture."
"Playing with hair when you interact."
"Light unconscious brushing up against or touching."
"If seated, leaning forward towards you frequently and/or touching you hand in a friendly way."
"Flushed or light blushing when they interact with you but not others."
"Suggestive teasing."
"Excessive awkwardness that isn’t the case with them around other people. Especially if they straight up start babbling like a loon."
"Awkward silences you could cut with a knife but they still keep seeking you out."
- AndrogynousRain
When Someone Gets It Wrong
"It’s hard to explain. Basically, it’s a nervous, delicious breathless feeling when they are close to you. You both go out of your way to stand just a little bit closer to each other."
"The sad thing is, some people think they 'feel' this with someone just because the other person is being friendly and misread signals. I once had a guy insist that we had sexual tension simply because I twisted my hair."
"He told me that twisting my hair was a 'mating signal.'"
"I told him that I had been twisting my hair has been a nervous habit of mine since I was a toddler, but of course, he wanted to believe I was interested and insisted that I must secretly want him."
- Joygernaut
Obvious to Other People First
"When other people pick up on it."
- The_She_Ghost
Responding to Looks
"When they suddenly look and hold eye contact and then look away. (Low)"
"When they look and notice you're looking then they run their hand through their hair. (Medium)"
"When they notice you looking and suddenly gently bite their lip looking away. (High)"
"When they notice you’re looking and do something to draw attention to their body either stretch and reveal skin or adjust an intimate part of their clothing. (Extreme)"
"Each of the above will make you get butterflies as you know that she knows AND that she knows that you know."
- DragonofDojima_
Trying to Keep the Conversation Going
"When there's a lull in the conversation, and eye contact is maintained while you both are trying to figure out what to say next."
- djpack
Looking But Not Looking
"Catching glances, by either party. The kind where they’re looking at you and don’t think you’ll look up or at them. Then suddenly the ceiling is really interesting to them when you make eye contact."
- HuxEffect
The Classic Note Trick
"When they hand you a piece of paper that says:"
"'Do you think that there is sexual tension between us?'"
"'[ ] Yes or [ ] No'"
- xaradevir
While we'd all love for the dating scene and general flirting to be straight-forward, simple, and stress-free, this thread serves as a reminder that it comes easily for some while being a puzzle for others.
At the end of the day, if you're interested in someone, the easiest thing to do, though it's terrifying, might be to ask them.
Anyone with any amount of dating experience knows at least a few things that they love in a relationship and a few things they find unsavory.
Just like discovering our boundaries and what qualifies as a relationship deal breaker, most of us generally have a few rules that we tend to live by in every relationship, whether it's romantic, platonic, or professional.
Curious to learn some rules to live by, Redditor aytmamatov_musa asked:
"What relationship rule have you memorized forever?"
Actions Speak Louder than Words
"I can't remember the exact wording, but something to the effect of: Pay more attention to how invested your partner is in the relationship, not how much they say they are."
- why_im_single
Know Who Holds the Power
"I remember when I first realized that the person who has the most control in a relationship (especially ending it) is the person that cares about the relationship the least."
"When I thought of all the relationships that I had been in (not just sexual) and how one person decided sometimes months ahead of time that the relationship was over, I remember how oblivious the other person was when it ended."
"By the way, this can also be applied to employment relationships as well."
- Mo_Jack
Don't Fight for Someone's Attention
"If someone does not want to hear you, there is no way you can phrase anything to make them listen."
"This applies to all types of relationships, but I learned it from trying so hard to have a healthy relationship with my mother. Then when I left at 25, she responded by filing a missing person's report, hiring a PI (Personal Investigator), harassing my friends, and hacking my email and bank accounts to monitor my activity."
"This also ties into: abusers see you taking away their ability to abuse you, as an egregious theft of their rightful property."
- CurrentSingleStatus
Be a United Front
"Problems aren’t You vs Me. They’re Us vs The Problem."
- FilecakeAbroad
No Codependent Relationships Here
"You cannot help someone who does not want to be helped."
- Diesel07012012
Be Honest About Your Feelings
"Listen to how you describe your partner to friends, or how you think at the moment how you're describing your partner to them. That will tell you a lot about how you feel about them."
"If you're nervous about introducing them, listen to why. If you're apologizing for their actions, pausing to reframe positive ways to speak about them, or ignoring the red flags, then listen to that instinct. If you're constantly talking about the problems or hiding them, pay attention to why."
"I remember being in one relationship and having those feelings of, 'Should I introduce her to the family, when I talk to others about her, I'm exhausted from some argument, etc.'"
"I remember another relationship, thinking, 'Oh, I would love her to meet the family, she'd get along with everyone's kids, my friends would love her, I just had this great moment with her, and I wanted to tell people about it, I enjoy talking about her.'"
"When you experience that difference (and you have the wisdom and experience to know you're not being deluded by things like abuse or newness or getting caught up in a big fire that's going to burn out fast), it tells you so much."
- ConvenienceStoreDiet
Be Mindful of Reciprocation
"Something a friend of mine once told me was, 'Always ask yourself if this relationship isn't taking more from you than it is giving you.'"
"It saved me a lot of heartbreak."
- Interferonno2fan
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
"If they don’t respect your boundaries while dating, they won’t respect them in marriage."
- Rachel1578
Cheaters Gonna Cheat
"My best mate got with a woman who cheated on her then-boyfriend to be with him. Then my mate and she stayed together for four years, but she ended up cheating on him with another guy that she is now dating."
"I warned him in the beginning and advised him not to get into a relationship with her to start with. If she can do it with one guy, she can do it with another."
"His argument was that her then-boyfriend was not good enough for her which was why she is cheating on him. But what he failed to realize was that no one is the best in the world, and if she decides that he isn’t good enough for her in the future, then she will cheat on him too. And that is exactly what happened."
- dp9116
Acknowledge Red Flags
"Red flags look like normal flags when wearing rose-colored glasses."
- Mezame_Drgn
Common Interests Aren't Everything
"Having a lot in common doesn’t equal a good relationship. It’s just a decent starting foundation."
- ironicallyunstable
Don't Go to Bedroom Angry - Or Do?
"I wouldn't say forever, yet, but since becoming a wife, I have learned that it's okay to sleep off a fight. Don't have to 'resolve' everything right then and there. Give each other space to let steam off and talk in the morning."
- beanedjibe
Be Loved for Who You Are
"Do not change your personality if you don't want to... I didn't realize until the breakup, that my ex did not like me, just the idea of what I could be..."
- Bethedr
Know the Difference
"When an argument comes out of nowhere, ask 'Are you yelling at me, or to me?'"
"It's helped with a lot of arguments. Sometimes we just need a backboard to scream at, and nine out of ten times, that backboard is your significant other."
"A lot of arguments get bad just because they don't know you are releasing anger, which is healthy in the right way."
- spenser1994
Some of these seem pretty simple, but they can make a huge impact in a relationship, if not also to the trajectory and health of a person's life. By understanding our own worth and how it's valued by others, we gave give ourselves a much happier ever after than we might have otherwise settled for.