For some people, internet dating seems like the perfect low-pressure solution to finding that special somebody. You get to meet people on your own terms, take your time with the relationship, and protect yourself both physically and emotionally while still taking things to the next level. In essence, you put yourself out there... but you don't have to put yourself all the way out there. It can be a perfect balance.
Even though internet dating can give you a perfect balance between meeting new people and keeping your privacy, it sometimes allows for a little too much privacy. Because if you've been internet dating somebody for a long period of time, it can be difficult to know whether or not you really, well, know them. When all you have is what a person tells you, you often have less than you think you do.
But just because your can never be sure doesn't mean you want to give up on the benefits that internet dating has to offer... especially if you've met somebody special and haven't yet been able to take your relationship into the real world. Dating somebody online and wondering how well you really know them? There are four big questions that you need to ask yourself.
Question #1
How much information do you have? Internet dating sites like Datepad are mostly filled with regular people like you who are just looking for somebody special. But that doesn't mean that all sites don't have their fair share of scammers and predators. So it's important to protect yourself and not provide too much information about yourself. However, it also means that, if the person you're speaking to is legitimate, the longer you've been chatting, the more you should know. Do you know what kind of job your online boyfriend or girlfriend does? Do you know what their parents are like or what their friends are called? If you look over what you know of your partner and see few personal, verifiable details, it may be time to start asking questions.
Question #2
Do you know how they feel about important issues? When you meet somebody online and start chatting, it's easy to get wrapped up in conversation about your day-to-day lives or your favorite authors or your hopes and dreams for the future. But if you want to know your online boyfriend or girlfriend better, you also need to discuss key issues. Have you talked about the past and past relationships? Have you talked about religion, family, and all of that? If the big issues haven't come up, it might be time to bring them up yourself.
Question #3
Did you look into them? It seems so dire and unromantic, but it's true: if you're going to be exclusively internet dating for the long term, it's a good idea to have the person you're dating checked out. If you're getting serious about an online relationship, tell your partner that you're looking into the information he or she gave you about their life, and then do it. If it bothers your boyfriend or girlfriend that you check into them and verify their information, it may be a warning sign that not all is as it appears.
Question #4
Have you fought with them? You don't have to be a boxer to believe it: you don't know somebody 100% until you've fought with them. If you've never fought with your internet dating partner, then things are probably going well. But it also means there are some key things about his or her nature that you haven't yet learned.
Meeting somebody online can be one of the most exciting, romantic things you can do. Chatting and learning about somebody and creating a relationship just fills you up with hope and happiness. But just because you've been internet dating with somebody for months (or even years) doesn't mean you really, truly know them. It's important to ask the right questions and learn as much as you can about your partner and your relationship... or it'll be more difficult to move forward once the time comes.
Lion
52 / Female
Comments: 1
Posted on March 12, 2009, 3:05 am
This is very helpful for getting to know someone by any dating means.
ScorpioStar
66 / Female
Comments: 1
Posted on March 13, 2009, 7:58 am
Yes ,these are four articulate questions which could take away some uncertainty in on line dating . The progression of sharing information is mutual . We as humans are very intuitive and if we ask the correct questions.;( thank you to "Date Pad"for formating these four) listening closely to the answers . It keeps it real and manageable. If it sounds too good to be true, be aware . One suffers great anxiety whether they give away their heart ,time, or money without responsible input to yourself .
