Yeh .. I wonder about this myself. When does it change? Do you have a conversation about it .. does it get a label? At my age .. boyfriend doesn't sound quite right .. I don't know. Significant other sounds weird.

I don't know!!! lol! I think dating to me is that you can still date other people .. relationship means exclusive. Have you talked about that?

I think it's different for each person.

I say that because there was someone I went out with most weekends with in 2 months and texting/calling/chatting every day. I generally move on after the first date or two, so I was really thinking me and this guy were in heading toward a "relationship." Imagine my surprise when I made a comment about dating him.. .and he turned to me and said, "We're not dating." Ouch.

My last boyfriend specifically asked me to be "exclusive" with him and stop dating others, which I was happy to do since he was already filling up my time and crowding out most of my other dates anyway.

So now unless a guy actually tells me that he wants us to be exclusive or brings up the "relationship" talk, I just take things as "we're still just getting to know each other" no matter how drawn I feel toward the guy.

I don't think they is any hard fast rule to this. I've been out with a guy about 5-6x now. Our kids have played together. We've been intimate. And yet, he's wanting to "just date". He isn't ready for a relationship any time soon. I don't generally do things this way. I really like him. But had to just tell him that without being exclusive, no more intimacy. No kissing, nothing aside from hanging out. He says he's cool with that and understands. But we'll see how long the texts, and calls and "dates" go on once the romance stops.

In my opinion, after 3-4 dates you should have a pretty clear idea if you want to date someone exclusively. Infact, it feels strange to go out with 2-3 guys in a weeklong span.

But to some (like Mr Non Commirment) that's all part of "dating". I disagree. But, he's a guy. So who knows?!?

For me, **** always goes exclusive once you have "the talk."

I have brought it up before, randomly even.

"hey, so.. are we like, exclusive or what?"

Then they'll either say yes, I guess so, not yet, or no. Lol.

It should flow seamlessly, but after 3-5 good dates, you should have some idea of where things stand. If things are unclear, have a define the relationship type conversation.

this^^^

jq2122 said:
For me, it's very simple. When one person tells the other that they want to be exclusive and the other person agrees, you are in a relationship. Until then, you are just "seeing each other." I never assume I am in a relationship with a man just because we've been on a certain number of dates or have been seeing each for a certain amount of time.

^^^ Smart woman ^^^

If it's not on facebook, I don't recognize it. It's what all the cool kids told me at least.

- Have you had the exclusivity talk?
- Have you met their friends and/or family?
- Have they introduced you as a bf/gf?
- Has either one of you used the "L-word?"
- Are you planning date months out?
- Has either of you changed your FB status?
- Has either of you deleted or closed your dating site profiles?
- Has either of you started leaving thing at the other person's place as a convenience?
- Do you find yourself texting or talking on the phone first thing each morning and/or last thing at night?

FB status was scary for me! I guess because all of my friends and some family are on there and it seems so darn official. I asked for a bit of time to let all my friends and family know and once I was ready he asked to give him a bit more due to him wanting to tell his dad. I still haven't told my parents. I will once I think we're serious and at least dating for a month or 2. They've been wanting to come visit so it keeps coming up in my head.

We haven't met each others family's yet. I think it's early BUT I'll be meeting his brother on Friday (we're going late night fishing with him!!) and then he'll be meeting my friends and my cousin and her hub next weekend when they all help me move.

We both hid our POF profiles.. not sure if we should delete??? But I hid mine and so did he.

I haven't left anything over there yet except for a tuppeware he used to take some food in. He's left his cap and other random items. But he's at my place more than I'm at his.

He texts me every morning and yes, we're usually together at night or he calls.

But some of this stuff happened after we had the official talk and others happened before, like the good morning text.