How to Keep Facebook and Myspace from Ruining Your Relationship

This article explains 5 ways to prevent social networking sites from causing problems in your relationships.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Set up Facebook Ground Rules
   
   Take the initiative and have a conversation with your new love interest about how you’ll handle your social networking activities. This can mean anything from establishing your relationship status to deciding whether or not you’ll be open with your guy or gal about who it is you’re adding to your friend list. Keeping communication lines open from the start can decrease the chances that someone will be upset later.

2. Limit Your Log-Ins
   
   Limit the amount of times you log-in. Each time you log in is an opportunity to be tempted to check out your partner’s page. It’s easy to see things and misinterpret them, which can lead to unnecessary arguments or influence your behavior toward your partner.

3. Don’t Take Advantage
   
   The impersonal nature of communicating through social networks and the privacy they can afford can lower members’ inhibitions in their communications with the opposite sex. Respect your partner when communicating via social networks.

4. Talk Before you Post
   
   Never initiate the beginning or end of a relationship on a social networking site. Have a conversation with you significant other before you update your profile in a way that directly affects them.

5. Weigh Your Options
   
   If memberships on social networking sites are causing significant problems in your relationship, consider deleting the account. If the problems are seriously threatening to end relationship you might want to ask yourself if posting pictures and chatting with people you would never contact otherwise is worth losing your other half.

[ruthstewart]

on 9/11/2009 This is such sensible advice! Well done. Five stars!

[efficientparent]

on 8/27/2009 5* and rec