What Does an Only Child Know about Dating?

If you've read any of my other posts you might be thinking, "Wow, this girl has learned a lot from being an only child. She must be an expert at dating." Well, let me tell you, you thought wrong.

If that face doesn't describe an only child's dating struggles then I don't know what does.

It turns out that spending all those years growing up as an only child learning how to entertain myself, rely on myself, and be ok with being alone basically all went down the drain when I entered into a serious relationship. Sure, all the lessons I took away from being a single child still apply, but there was a whole new realm of things that I had to learn the hard way when it came to having a significant other in my life. Whether you're an only child, or just a stubborn person in general, here are three dating tips to take away from someone who experienced the extreme end of the spectrum in the dating world:

1. Learn how to compromise. Trust me, this is not an easy thing to do after growing up as an only child and being used to things going my way. But, it is one of the most important attributes in a healthy relationship. Dating someone requires you to consider the other person's point of view and when your opinion doesn't match theirs you have to learn to agree to disagree or pick something in the middle that will satisfy both sides. You want to go out and grab dinner one night and they want to stay in and watch a movie? Easy. Go see a movie and order yourself some popcorn. Compromise. However, I know it's not always that simple, so here is some more advice on how to stop the stubbornness and learn to compromise.

2. Communication is key. I'm sure you've all heard that phrase before, but take it from someone who went from being an only child and not having to communicate with anyone else other than my parents, to being in a long-distance relationship for almost three years. Of course the transition was hard at first, but how do you think we've lasted this long if we don't communicate with one another? Make time to talk to each other and don't be afraid to tell the person you're dating how you're feeling. If you keep things bottled up, they will eventually escape and the outcome will be worse than if you would've just communicated your thoughts with them to begin with. (Not saying this has ever happened to me before...)

3. Even couples need their space. I've never been the type to be in a clingy relationship. Sure everyone is different and some couples like to spend every second with one another, but it's okay to get some fresh air every once in awhile and have a girls night out or a bro's night in playing video games. Even if you just need some time alone to relax and read a good book. Maybe I'm biased because I grew up as an only child and was never constantly spending time with the same people, but I really believe that any healthy relationship should balance their time spent together with time spent alone and with others. This isn't an easy thing to do, so here is some more detailed advice on how to balance your relationship with space.