101298_kaur asks:
My boyfriend is younger than me and thus he is immature. He always gets angry at very little things, which is quite common I know. But when I get angry in turn he acts like it will destroy relationship. And if I calm him down then he will always do the same and become dominant. Please give me solution so that he never dominates me and acts more mature.
Hi 101298_kaur –
I’m going to say something that’ll feel like I’m ignoring you, but I promise I’m not. At least as far as your question goes, I don’t care about your boyfriend’s age. You’re right that his behavior is immature, but this sort of double-standard can continue all the way through one’s life. And that’s what worries me – not his age.
A double-standard is when someone says one rule is okay for their behavior, but another is right for someone else. So for example, if I say all dogs have to obey their humans, except me, that I get to run off when he’s calling me, or jump up on him with muddy paws when he’s telling me to sit. And your boyfriend is just that kind of dog.
He’s saying that he has the right to get angry at you, but you don’t have the right to at him. That in fact, you’ll “destroy the relationship” if you do!
Well how do you live in that mindset? You can’t!
So the solution is simple. You refuse to.
Now there are a few ways to do this. Maybe you explain to him that you won’t live with that kind of rule, and that your relationship can only last with you two both being able to express yourselves. And maybe even tell him that your age helps you understand this better. I like this one.
Another is that you just start screaming at him that he’s being unfair and stupid, and that no real man would treat a woman that way, and if he doesn’t like you the way you are he can just leave! I don’t like this as much, but I sure understand how he might push you to it!
And then there’s the third, which is the sad one – where he just can’t allow you to be yourself in the relationship, so you have to break up with him.
But let me be clear – ANY of these are better than you submitting to what he’s demanding now, which is that you don’t really exist!
If he wants you both to hold back on your anger, that’s at least equal, but can be hard to achieve. But this one-sided deal? Nope, that’s no way for you to live.
All my best,
Shirelle