Life
When you get into a relationship with someone, it's safe to say that you want to make sure you're not wasting your time. You want to be with someone who understands you, appreciates you, and is someone you can potentially see a future with. But because we aren't mind readers, it can be hard to determine if your partner is really right for you. Lucky for you, you don't necessarily need to be clairvoyant to figure this out because there are questions you can ask your partner to see if they're "The One."
"On the surface, asking questions sounds like a good idea, however, how you ask is the key," Richard Horowitz, professional educator and cofounder of Growing Great Relationships, tells Bustle. "Your partner does not want to feel interrogated. Therefore try to ask questions naturally and not all at once and also ask your partner to ask question so that it feels like a mutual conversation." Through these conversations over you time, you'll be able to learn about things such as their values, likes, and dislikes, which can play a huge part in whether or not you two may be compatible with each other. But if you're confused about where to start, here are seven questions you can ask your partner to find out if they're truly the right person for you.
1
How Would We Handle Worst-Case Scenarios?
Sometimes the best questions to ask your partner have to do with the extremes. Christine Scott-Hudson, licensed psychotherapist, marriage therapist, and owner of Create Your Life Studio, tells Bustle that asking your partner about how they would handle things like emotional affairs, illnesses in the family, or even invasive in-laws is a good way to gauge your partner's views and how they are under pressure. If your partner's answers show a willingness to work together to figure out a solution, it's a good indicator that they'll be a communicative partner throughout the relationship. But if they have hard-and-fast rules about certain things, you can determine if they're someone who's right for you. This question is also a good way to determine if your partner is going to be the support system that you need in a relationship or not.
2
Do You See A Future Here?
This question may seem like it would be awkward to ask early on in a relationship, but it can really show you whether your partner can see things progressing. "Many couples notice they have doubts about the progression of their relationship," Scott-Hudson says. She suggests asking about all the things that may come with the progression of a relationship like what pace they want to move at and when they'd like to meet and involve friends and family members. "These things are best discussed before the couple moves in together or marries in order to prevent misunderstandings and to promote clear and healthy communication."
3
Do You Want Kids?
You may want to become a perpetual dog-parent and never have kids, or you may want to an entire football team as a family. Whatever your preference is, it's important to discuss it with your partner to see if you two are on the same page. With something like kids, it's a little harder to compromise on. Scott-Hudson explains that it's also important to be on the same page about the issue of possible infertility, to determine if you and your partner would be supportive of each other in that case. She also explains that it's important to take it a step further and ask about how they would want to raise kids, if you both want them. She suggests asking questions like, "In what religion [if any] will we raise our children? Public or private school? Do you expect one parent to be a stay at home parent, and one to work? Or do you expect both parents to work outside of the home? Will they work during high school and college, or be full time students? Is adoption a possibility? Is in vitro a possibility? Is foster parenting a possibility?"
4
How Do You Feel About Your Family?
Family can either be a great or a tricky subject for some people. Either way it's important to learn about your partner's family and their interactions with them to determine what values your partner grew up with and how they might act in the future. "How they answer will determine their attachment to important people they grew up with and gives you good information about how they will treat you and your possible children in the future," Dr. Tammy Nelson, sex therapist and sex therapist and consultant for Ashley Madison, tells Bustle. "It doesn’t matter if they are in a positive relationship with both parents, but more importantly, if they have forgiven them for past mistakes."
5
How Do You Feel About Sex?
Sex shouldn't just be something you and your partner do, it should also be something that you talk about. "We choose a partner based on physical and sexual attraction," Nelson says. "If sex is important to you now, it’s definitely going to be important to you later on. Make sure that you both have the same level of interest in sex and you both see it as a priority." This is also the case if you're someone who doesn't want to have sex. Being open and honest about your position on sex and asking your partner to do the same can show you whether or not you two are compatible.
6
How Important Are Politics To You?
For many of us, our political ideals are directly aligned with our identities and personal values. Asking your partner about their political affiliations or who they vote for can give you an idea of what they care about and also what they might not be too concerned with. "Strangely enough, we can put up with separate religious or spiritual views and we can handle it if they are terrible slobs as roommates, but studies show that we cannot tolerate a partner who votes on the opposite side of the aisle," Nelson says. "It might not seem like a big deal now, but if your partner has different values than you, it will matter. Particularly now, at a time when the government is divided so clearly down party lines around things that matter deeply."
7
How Do You Act After Arguments?
Although it may be hard for your partner to be totally perceptive to how they act after arguments, asking this question can give you an idea of your partner's behaviors and what they might need from you whenever you have a falling out. Scott-Hudson suggests asking questions like, "Do you like to be left alone? Do you need physical comfort, like a hug or a pat on the arm, when you are upset? Do you need time and space to process your feelings? Do you need me to reassure you that I’m not leaving you, that I’m not going anywhere, or abandoning you?" By asking your partner these questions, you can determine if their behaviors at your relationship's worst will be something you'll be able to deal with or not. And if not, you might have to reevaluate whether they're the one for you.
It might be hard to determine if your partner is your perfect match with a few questions, but these questions are a starting point to bigger discussions that can really show you what's important to you and your partner and if those values are compatible in the long-run.
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