Weddings and Commitments

Not Yet Ready to Commit

Dating

When the last single person in a family is dating someone steadily, every other family member seems to relax as they realize what has happened. They believe their loved one has at last found the right one for them, and they are simply waiting for the engagement to take place. It might be welcome news for them, but they might begin to ask disturbing questions when it does not happen. It is best for that person to admit they are not yet ready to commit to their partner, or they might find the family taking matters into their own hands.

When two people have been dating long enough, their family will expect them to move forward in their relationship. Asking their own family member why they seem to just date that person without a commitment is generally a time when avoiding an answer is not helpful in solving the situation. Families tend to be protective, and they might decide to ask their loved one’s partner why nothing more has happened.

The answer might surprise them when they find out their own family member is the one stalling, and it could create arguments over the lack of a firm commitment between the pair of them. A person who is not yet ready might have successfully put off their partner by telling them the family is not ready, and their ploy could backfire. It could make their partner believe it might be time to end the relationship, or they could issue an ultimatum.

Families can interfere with the normal course of a courtship, and the consequences can be devastating. While breaking up does not always happen between couples, it could force their own loved one to feel they should make a commitment when they are not ready for it. Their long term relationship could become a short term one when they feel trapped by their family and their new spouse.