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Dating Red Flags

 

Ron L. Deal

 

If you repeatedly witness the following from a dating partner with children, consider them significant red flags that should not be dismissed. 

 

  • Always on the Defense.  If they are closed to your observations about their children and easily defensive about their kids or their parenting, you will find yourself powerless in your own home.
  • Ignoring the Parental Unity Rules (review here).  If they refused to share parenting power with a previous spouse or won’t let you participate (especially when planning to marry), beware, beware, beware!
  • Cowering to an Ex-Spouse.  Someone who constantly seeks peace with an ex-spouse at all costs will not stand up for you when the time comes.

         

Witnessing these patterns before marriage gives you a chance to address them.  Consider it a gift from God to help you determine whether you should move forward with the relationship.

 

Again, do not minimize these patterns.  If you see them now, don’t expect them to disappear after the wedding.  We suggest you seriously consider delaying your decision to marry until you see significant changes.

 

 

Recommendation:  Take the Couple Checkup (dating version) to give you specific feedback on the quality of your relationship. 

 

 
Comments ( 1 )
 
Add your Comment
 
#1: by Kris Francis on 10.02.2008 @ 06:40am CDT

It might be interesting to hear a list of other red flags from people. Two I ignored while dating:

--How is my partner's relationship with the former partner? If it's bitter and unresolved, I should pay particular attention to his relationsships with family, co-workers, bosses, and other people and guage how he handles conflict in his life.

--Many of the my partern's complaints about me are similar to complaints he voiced about his former wife while we were dating. Hmm.

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Successful Stepfamilies is a ministry of
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