Possibly, the most often asked question by a woman in a relationship is ‘Am I dating a man or a boy?’ Even though it is fun to spend time next to a silly person who can always make you laugh, being a man-child through and trough is not exactly what women want when it comes to dating in adult years of life. It is well known that women mature before men, and that they at least know what they do not want, if not what they want, and feeling like a mother in a romantic relationship is definitely not something any lady wishes for herself.
- Finances
If a guy asks you out, he is the one to pay for the dinner. Of course, if you are the one who asked first it would be only polite to offer to pay as well. These are some simple or normal things when it comes to going out with a date. But, if he asks you out and expects that you should pay for everything, or shamelessly suggests that he does not have any money but wants to eat and therefore it is your obligation to comply, take a moment to think about who you are with. How old is your boyfriend and why doesn’t he have the means to pay for a meal? Where is your life going if you are thought of as the one expected to support him for the rest of your lives like his parents are doing now?
- Politeness
It is perfectly normal that sometimes you and your partner will be late for the meeting. Still, a real man would let you know that he is running late like you would inform him if that was the case. But, if you find yourself waiting for an hour at the same spot without any notice because he lost track of time playing Call of Duty or browsing the Internet, it seems that he is definitely deserving of a man-child title.
- Possessive behavior
Anyone who respects you and values your relationship would think normal that you want to go out with your girlfriends from time to time. On the other hand, a boy in a man’s body would throw a tantrum and got jealous because you have the need to spend time with someone else without him. This type of behavior can really get out of hand if you do not notice the signs in time and try to reason with your partner immediately.
- ‘I am not ready’
On the topic of friends, a loving partner would want to meet and spend time with your friends and introduce you to his, while someone with teenage emotional range would not only want to stop you from meeting other people but would not be interested in sharing time with all of your friends together either.
- Can he take a joke?
A grown man does not take himself seriously. But how many times have you witnessed your partner going berserk if someone tried to make an innocent joke about him? Moreover, has it ever happened that these moments turned into long discussions about how no one respects him? If this is true for your partner than his inner child is getting out of hand.
- Alone together
A man who is independent and supportive will always be there for you when you need a shoulder to cry on. However, if you find that you are the only one in a relationship that is prepared to offer emotional help, but that your partner is never around or unable to show at least a little sympathy for your problems, it might be a time to think about why you have to endure everything alone if you are together.
- His things only
It can be a great thing that your partner enjoys collecting bubbleheads, action figures or very realistic Hot Toys because you will always have an extra idea for the gift. Moreover, this kind of hobby can actually discipline a man when it comes to tidiness and organization. However, if a hobby becomes an obsession, and you are not allowed anywhere near his collection and sometimes feel like he loves his toys more than you, it might be necessary to have a serious talk about his priorities.
All in all, it is up to you to realize if your partner is a man-child or not. All relationships require hard work and if there are only few aspects of childish behavior in your partner, you can work it out. Still, if you wake up emotionally exhausted every day because you devoted all your time to indulging your partner, it would be wise to take a step back and rethink your relationship.