What is the Normal Timeline for a Relationship

Typically, every relationship goes through various stages on various occasions. Remember that a few couples can remain in specific stages for more than others, although they actually go through a similar timetable.

It's crucial to remember that your relationship won't ever go back as it was at the point at which you initially started dating. The fervor and desire reduce, and you become complacent in your daily practice. This may appear to be unnerving from the outset, but in reality, it is vital and sound.

Moreover, as a couple, you shouldn't remain in a similar phase of a relationship. You need to gain ground with time. You should get familiar with one another, you love somebody for all that they are, and you figure out how to live respectively while appreciating each other's conversation.

In this guide, you will get in-depth information on various stages involved in a relationship and their timelines. Let's dive in and see!

What is a relationship timeline?

A relationship timeline is the time it takes for a couple to move across various stages in a relationship. People are different; they may adhere to the timelines or deviate from them, depending on their choices.

Stages in a Relationship Timeline

Here are the various stages in a typical relationship timeline.

Stage #1: First Notice

This is the time you become aware of the other person's goodness and want to know more about them. Their look and behavior make you have a crush on them, hence making you want to find more details about them from their friends. At this stage, your interest in them makes you search their profile on various platforms, such as social media.

Stage #2: First Date

At this point, you've already known each other and want to meet for a more intimate connection. You need to plan your date well and hold it in a quiet venue where there is little disturbance. Before the date, ensure that you're in a positive mood. You may listen to your favorite music or hit the gym to elevate your feelings.

Show interest in your first date, and make your partner feel that they are important to you. When the date ends, appreciate your friend and make them feel that their presence means a lot to you. This will motivate them for the next date.

Stage #3: The First Kiss

The first kiss has no time limitation; it may happen within the first date or second date. However, it is advisable to take at least one date before you kiss your partner. The first kiss provides you with a critical moment to grow or dissipate your feelings.

Stage #4: The First Time of Intimacy

Once you have met with your partner a couple of times, it is advisable to take the matter to another level - the bedroom. Depending on your personality and values, this is the time you may need to be intimate with your loved one. This may happen between one to two months.

Before you invite your friend to your home, make sure that the place is organized and inviting. For instance, you may have romantic music and some soft drinks to make your feel more relaxed.

Stage #5: Sleeping over

After your first sexual intimacy, you may have a sleepover. This is meant to enhance your bonding and make you get more connected.

Stage #6: Meeting Your Partner's Friends

Once you have been together and known each other for a while, it is crucial to meet and interact with each other's friends. This will accord you an opportunity to learn what your partner is and where they are coming from. Meeting their friends may take place between two weeks to one month after you have familiarized yourself with them.

Stage #7: The Honeymoon Period

If you are interested in each other and going out more often, that means you are in the honeymoon phase. At this stage, you desire to be with your partner always, and you find it hard to cope without them.

Stage #8: Post Honeymoon Phase

After staying in the honeymoon phase for a few months, the passion you have for each other reduces, and you feel distant from them. The frequency of physical contact and communication becomes minimal from either side. This is the time you need to motivate yourself and maintain the relationship lest it dwindles.

Stage #9: Meeting the Family

Meeting the family is a crucial step that takes place after you have dated for a while. This might take place after about three months of your relationship. You need to demonstrate your seriousness in a relationship, and a family meeting is one of the best ways of doing that.

Before you take someone to meet your parents, ensure you have a serious relationship with them.  More importantly, when you meet the parents or siblings of your partner, be calm and relaxed. If possible, ensure you bring a small gift for them.

Stage #10: Travel or Do Things Together

Many people prefer traveling with someone who they have known for one to three months. Bear in mind that during traveling, you will feel relaxed and more attached to your loved one. This is the time you will understand how your friend copes with different situations in life. During the trip, you will have a chance to talk about how you view marriage and the issue of kids.

Stage #11: Make Plans to Move-In

After you have dated between six to twelve months, you may now agree to move in and live together. This is the time you will learn a lot about your partner’s character. The negative and positive sides of your behavior will be revealed during this period. Before you move in, assess your partner, and ensure that they are your perfect match.

Stage #12: Engagement

Your engagement may occur one year after you have lived together. However, the period doesn't matter because it will also depend on how you love each other. Before you get engaged, be on the same page on the issues regarding marriage and kids. Usually, serious partners buy engagement rings for each other to demonstrate their commitment. Being engaged means you are deeply in love with your partner, and you have decided to enter into a permanent relationship with them.

Stage # 13: Marriage

Marriage is a critical stage that takes place after the engagement. This is where you make a serious commitment to live with your partner forever. Depending on your religion and values, you may marry through a wedding or do it customarily. Whichever the case, you need to plan for it financially, emotionally, and physically.

More importantly, ensure that you get a legal document legitimizing your marriage. This will give you an assurance that you are a legally recognized partner in the marriage.

Stage # 14: Getting Kids and Coping with Life

At marriage, your relationship timeline is almost complete. It is crucial to note that life after marriage is dynamic, and you must be prepared to handle it. Depending on how you take it, sometimes it may be smooth or rough on you. Bear in mind that marriage is a journey, and your relationship will go through turbulence before and after you have kids.

Kids form part of a family, and having them is a significant step that can make your marriage more fulfilled. Once you have kids, the attention towards your partner may change due to parental responsibilities. It is vital to understand it that way and manage your expectations based on that.

Stage # 15: Empty Nest Time

After you have stayed in the marriage for many years, it reaches a time when your children get married or go to school, leaving you alone at home. When this happens, you may feel lonely or relieved of child responsibilities. This is the time you will have to understand your partner again.

To avoid an empty nest syndrome, try to reconnect and do things that both of you can enjoy. You may start going out for dinners or watch movies together. Desist from worrying about the absence of your children, but focus on making your marriage stronger and happier.

Stage # 16: Retirement Period

This is a crucial stage that anyone would aspire to reach. Many people make it to this phase, while others don't. If you stay with your partner till their retirement time, that will be a great accomplishment for both of you. This is the time you travel together, visit, and be visited by your children and grandchildren.

Final Thoughts

A relationship timeline is essential, and you are free to follow or ignore it.  In life, couples are different, and what works for you may not work for the other. Therefore, you are not obliged to follow a relationship timetable if you feel that it doesn't work for you. For instance, if the normal timetable stipulates that you move in after six months, you can negotiate with your partner if you want to do it in three months. What matters is not the timelines but how you agree to live with your loved one.