How long should the couple date before they can be sure they are ready for marriage? Are there any real methods to determine the term of dating? How fast is it possible to know each other enough to consider marriage and family creation? Many couples love each other, but still, doubt whether they know each other well. So, one of the best ways to find that out is to make a research.
Different cultures view dating from different angles. In some cultures, dating as we generally imagine it is still not allowed – for example, in the majority of Muslim countries, the bride and groom are chosen by parents, and the young people have a high chance of seeing each other only once or twice before getting married. However, for the majority of couples, this is not an option. Say, for Ukrainian brides dating is an integral part of building the relationship; no Ukrainian girl will agree to marry a man she has seen once or twice. And the situation is generally the same all over Europe and the Americas.
So, dating is crucial for relationships, and it is generally impossible to have a happy marriage without knowing each other well; starting to get to know each other while already being married seems a bad idea for most people. However, how much time is needed to become ready for the creation of a family? Some couples date for several months, and after they make a decision to get married they hear from their relatives “Isn’t that too soon? Have you thought of it properly?” Other couples date for years and their families and friends start to whimper they want to get drunk on their marriage and see the grandchildren.
However, there is no clear formula for determining the term after which the dating people are ready to create a family. Different people live and date in different situations. Some have distance dating and meet once or twice a month; some see each other almost every day. A lot depends also on how fast the people open to each other; as they say, you can know the person for years and still know nothing personal about them.
Yet, there is one clear aspect that will show whether the couple is ready to create a family or not. It is not available in all countries and all communities, and it is not available for all couples, but this one works as an acid test. The two people have to live together, at least for a while, say, half a year. They have to sleep together every night, go shopping, cook, clean the apartment, and go to the family meetings.
Living together is the best method to know the person as close as possible, removing all secrets between the two. If the couple passes this test, they can create a family.