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“My wife treats me like a child!”<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n “My husband never picks up after himself!”<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Do these complaints sound familiar? Do you feel like you are being treated like a child in your relationship?<\/span><\/p>\n There is a word for treating someone like a child – it’s called parenting! <\/span><\/p>\n Many couples have a parent-child dynamic happening in their relationship, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Having excessive rules and babying your partner can suck the fun – not to mention romance- out of your partner.<\/span><\/p>\n Nobody wants to feel like they have to boss their partner around. Similarly, no spouse likes being treated like a child in a relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n Not sure whether your relationship is suffering from a parent-child dynamic? <\/span><\/p>\n Keep reading to find out the signs of parenting behaviors in romantic relationships and tips on how to get back on the same playing field.<\/span><\/p>\n Are you a parenting partner who can’t seem to stop babying your spouse?<\/span><\/p>\n As a mother or father, you’re used to keeping your kids on a schedule. You wake them up, make their meals, remind them of their school assignments, and drive them around. These are all responsible things you do to keep them on track.<\/span><\/p>\n But remember that you are not your spouse’s parent. And people usually do not appreciate being treated like a child in a relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n You <\/span>love your partner<\/span><\/a>, and you mean well when you help them out, but there are some behaviors that – while fine for your children – should never be done to your spouse without their permission.<\/span><\/p>\n Here are some behaviors that show your relationship has crossed a boundary:<\/span><\/p>\n Not all of these are inherently bad. Your spouse may appreciate that you serve them food or help them keep track of their business or social gatherings.<\/span><\/p>\n But when you parent your spouse so often that you start to believe they are helpless without you, you create an unhealthy thought process for both partners.<\/span><\/p>\n Your spouse may start to feel like they can’t do anything. Your constant reminders that they would be lost if you weren’t around may start to eat away at their self-esteem.<\/span><\/p>\n On your end, you may start inadvertently disrespecting your spouse or thinking less of them.<\/span><\/p>\n Maggie Martinez, LCSW<\/a>, points out,<\/p>\n Being treated like a child in a relationship is not the sexiest feeling in the world. Here are just some of the reasons why treating your partner like a child will doom your relationship:<\/span><\/p>\n When you are with your partner, you want to relax. You don’t want to be lectured about doing the dishes wrong, not getting up on time, or saying the wrong thing.<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, constantly nitpicking your spouse or worrying about them is exhausting. You don’t want to be a nag or a parent to your partner.<\/span><\/p>\n A spouse’s childish behavior is exhausting and can make you feel like you’re turning into someone you don’t like.<\/span><\/p>\n If you are the one being treated like a child, the constant lectures can sometimes feel degrading. You do not want to walk on eggshells around your partner.<\/span><\/p>\n If you are the parenting partner, you are likely to feel disrespected and may feel that your spouse doesn’t listen to you or respect you enough to help out and lighten your load.<\/span><\/p>\n Nobody wants to be reminded of their parents while in the bedroom.<\/span><\/p>\n Being treated like a child in a relationship\/viewing your partner as incapable of taking care of themselves is the least sexy thing you can bring into a relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n Not only will such behavior ruin your sex life, but it’ll also suck the <\/span>romance out of your relationship<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Maggie Martinez<\/a> points out,<\/p>\n If you are on the receiving end of being treated like a baby in your relationship, you are no doubt feeling frustrated with your partner.<\/span><\/p>\n Similarly, if you are the one treating someone like a child, you have to learn to break the cycle for the sake of your relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n No matter which side of the coin you land on, here are some tips to start <\/span>treating your spouse like your equal<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n If you are being treated like a child in your relationship, you may be left feeling belittled, disrespected, and sometimes worthless. “Stop treating me like a child!” you may want to scream.<\/span><\/p>\n If you want your partner to understand how frustrating their behavior is, you have to <\/span>learn to communicate clearly<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>13 signs of parenting behaviors in a romantic relationship<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Parenting behavior in romantic relationships may come from a good place to start but almost always ends up in some form of resentment.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/span>Why treating your partner like a child can destroy your romance<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n1. You are exhausted<\/b><\/h3>\n
2. You feel disrespected<\/b><\/h3>\n
3. It takes the romance out of your relationship<\/b><\/h3>\n
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This will start to show up the longer you go with these patterns.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/span>How to break the parent-child dynamic in your romantic relationship<\/span><\/h2>\n
Tips for the partner being treated like a child<\/b><\/h3>\n