Have you ever cheated on a partner?

[vetran]

Interesting ... so you think only Mums are concerned by what defines a relationship? I'd be kind of hoping that by that stage they'd already know, and the father of her kid(s) is on board with it

I wonder if Scoots draws a graph for his partner?

Unfortunately about half of mums aren't with the father of their last baby and even fewer who are with the father of all their babies.

This may be because the father is dead, nuts or nasty. The mother may be similar.

there is a reason Ulrika and similar mothers are nicknamed 4x4 sadly.

[ladymuck]

'partner' can be very vague anything from "this person I've been dating a few times" to "we've been together decades, longer than our married friends, we just don't want the formal marriage bit". Although generally I guess people use partner as shorthand for "long term partner".

I use partner to mean the person I am in a meaningful relationship with. I have no intention of getting married so will never have a spouse.

Interestingly, because I say 'partner' many people assume I am referring to a same sex squeeze. But I'm not 12 so I'm not going to say 'boyfriend'.

[d000hg]

Unfortunately about half of mums aren't with the father of their last baby and even fewer who are with the father of all their babies.

This may be because the father is dead, nuts or nasty.

It might but only in a small minority. Well unless you allow 'nasty' to include someone who runs out on their family rather than abuse, which is how I read it? Where we live - quite a poor area - it's certainly the case that your standard two-parent family is not the norm, and even mothers of young children are not generally living with the father who is now living with someone on the next street over.

[d000hg]

I use partner to mean the person I am in a meaningful relationship with. I have no intention of getting married so will never have a spouse.

Interestingly, because I say 'partner' many people assume I am referring to a same sex squeeze. But I'm not 12 so I'm not going to say 'boyfriend'.

Never come across that one, in fact it's very common trades or salespeople use the term partner to avoid offending by suggesting you're married!
Maybe they think you're gay for other reasons

[vetran]

It might but only in a small minority. Well unless you allow 'nasty' to include someone who runs out on their family rather than abuse, which is how I read it? Where we live - quite a poor area - it's certainly the case that your standard two-parent family is not the norm, and even mothers of young children are not generally living with the father who is now living with someone on the next street over.

Yep coercion mental and physical abuse (both sexes) is horribly common. As are affairs to escape a situation, I know of a few people that played away to sabotage a marriage / relationship they weren't willing to work on. That I consider nasty. Have the balls to have the conversation not secretly shag other people its only fair.

Abandonment far too common both sides as is pump & dump - leaving a pregnant mum before birth.
Death also was more common than I expected I know of 2 fathers that died when their kids were young. One heart defect and the other suicide.

[SueEllen]

Never come across that one, in fact it's very common trades or salespeople use the term partner to avoid offending by suggesting you're married!
Maybe they think you're gay for other reasons

Because she is a woman who takes no nonsense and stands up for herself.

Gay men and lesbians have no issue saying husband or wife where appropriate.

[d000hg]

Because she is a woman who takes no nonsense and stands up for herself.

That just describes most northern women...

[ladymuck]

That just describes most northern women...

I ain't northern.

[Zigenare]

That just describes most northern Irish women...

FTFY

[vetran]

FTFY

remind me of the nationality / origin of your darling wife?