What do I want?
TRUST ~ RESPECT ~ HONESTY~ SUPPORT~ LOVE

  • Someone who makes me laugh
  • Trust
  • Someone who listens
  • Respect
  • Someone who gives me some space
  • Tells me the truth
  • Someone who keeps their promises
  • Someone who understands me
Most people want to be treated with equality in their relationships.  It can sometimes be hard to form a healthy relationship because there are not a lot of models that are healthy.  When forming a healthy relationship it is sometimes helpful to practice creating equality in the relationship early on by working together on what movie you will go see, who will drive, or who will pay when you go out.  Setting rules together and having the same rules for both people will help build equality in the relationship.  When both people are treated equally and their opinions are valued neither person will feel like they have more power than the other.  This will help both people have their own sense of identity.

Remember that we make choices about how we will behave in our dating relationships.  People who are going out are not always going to get along.  It is okay to fight and completely normal to get angry.  When two people are dating they have to find a way to express their anger without stomping on the other person’s rights.  Showing respect takes practice and may involve checking in with the other person to make sure they are comfortable.