We are a “go with the flow” generation when it comes to relationships. No one wants to have a conversation about where the relationship is going.
This inability to conversate has led to the new relationship contract trend. A relationship contract is a sheet of paper that both people sign after deciding the guidelines of the relationship. Here are 3 reasons why this contract might be a good idea:
1. You can see the others expectations.
This is probably the most important reason. The contract gives both people the chance to see if they want to enter the relationship. If your potential partner needs you to cook 3 meals a day, have a hot bath ready when he gets home, and crack his peanuts during Sunday Night Football, then you can decide whether or not if this is what you want. Maybe you’re allergic to peanuts so this is not a viable option for you, and now you have the chance to go find someone else with different expectations.
2. Clears up what is considered cheating.
Some people have an open relationship so in their case having sex with someone else is not cheating. Some people believe that becoming emotionally attached to a member of the opposite sex is emotional cheating, but these are things that must be clarified. It’s time we stop assuming that our partners know what qualifies as cheating and get a relationship contract.
3. Helps end arguments quickly.
In every relationship there is always the classic “you didn’t tell me” versus the “yes I did” argument. It is just inevitable. Couples can go back and forth for hours trying to make the other person remember what the other person said or agreed to. If you have a relationship contract then it is concrete evidence to silence the other person’s stance. You can’t really argue with a sheet of paper listing terms that both parties voluntarily signed.