Internet, Social Media, and Texting Communication is Crucial for Today’s Couples

Your Relationship & Current Technology

The convenience of the internet has been around for a while, but it’s still relatively new; for the younger generations using it is second nature- texting is as easy as breathing or thinking. The thing many don’t realize is that technology has sort-of snuck up on us, and it’s affecting couples in both positive and negative ways. The impact technology has on your relationship depends on how often you use it, and how you use it. The secret to making it work is and has always been communication; it’s no different with social media or smart phones. You have to know what to say, when to say it, and how to say it to avoid severe backlash or disappointment. For clear-cut answers with no margin for error, always have serious conversations in person.

Internet behavior and relationships boil down to two main sectors: communication and infidelity. Some couples have trouble communicating via media, and others use it as a means for meeting new people.

Many of today’s couples grew up with social media profiles, texting, and instant messaging. The brides and grooms of today were the pioneers of internet dating, which means there are still many kinks to work out. Older couples put less weight on this technology because chances are, they learned to communicate without these objects, so they put less focus on their messages and importance. If you find that you’re in an exhausting relationship with constant fighting, it’s likely one or both parties are unhappy- and clear communication is the only way to sort through it. When you speak clearly without fear of judgment, you’ll find that many problems are due to a simple miscommunication.

Other couples may have never discussed boundaries, which means one party could be misinformed about which behaviors are acceptable and which ones go too far. There have been many people who have caught their significant others sending inappropriate messages to other people. This might not seem like a big deal to one party, but it could destroy and hurt the other.

Take these five tips and hold them in a safe place, because one day, you may find yourself arguing about a text, a Facebook post, or even a television program. When that time comes, you’ll know the best way to handle the situation.

When you’re officially in a committed relationship, many people expect to list the status publicly on Facebook. It’s a new status of dating, honestly, people now ask “Did he add you as his girlfriend on Facebook” or “Did she make it Facebook official”. It’s one thing to wait a few weeks before updating, but if you’ve been dating a year and the other person refuses to add you as a significant other, it’s a red flag. Sure, it may be nothing, but it could also be something…. this is an area that requires proper communication. If you don’t ask, it will bother you until you bring it up at the wrong time.
Trust your other partner the way you would if you didn’t have a window into his or her life. If you see a photo or a comment from someone that seems or feels fishy, ask about it before assuming the worst. The picture could be a sibling, cousin, or someone else that poses no threat to your relationship.
Remember that your past is documented, so it’s unrealistic to expect that you’ll never see photos of an old flame. While you don’t want to highlight the past, you can’t ask someone to delete photos or memories from their life- but you can ask them to clearly make the album private or named as “old”.
Avoid conversations that warrant a long response, serious thought, or extreme emotion. This is especially true during an argument because you can text as fast as you think, with no filter, and that is dangerous. We all think things when we’re mad, but they’re not always things we mean or things we wish to say to the people we love.
Never air your personal arguments or fights on a social media status. Venting feels good, but sharing too much information with all of your friends could make them think less of your significant other, which is not ideal if you have hopes of working things out with that person.