Kiran Athar
Man-child. Definition: An immature man.
In my personal dictionary: A man who’ll go from relying on his mommy to relying on you!
If you’re dating a guy who doesn’t seem to have his life together, you might be wondering, what’s the deal?
Is he genuinely having a hard time in life…or is it that he never grew up?
Well, I’m about to put your doubts to rest with this article. If he displays these 10 behaviors, you’re dating a man-child!
1) He’s the king of the video game realm
Don’t get me wrong, playing video games is fun no matter how old you are.
But if the man you’re dating spends 23 out of 24 hours a day glued to his computer screen, there’s no doubt you’ve got a manchild on your hands!
Mature men realize they need to spend as much time in the real world as they do in the virtual, so they’ll usually limit the amount of time they spend playing games…
In other words, they’ll never put Call of Duty before a fun date with you.
2) Mom’s on speed dial
Now, you’ve probably already picked up on this next point…
If your man still relies on his mom for:
- Laundry
- Cooking
- Making decisions
I’m afraid you’ve guessed it right – he’s a man-child through and through!
Look, I’m not saying that a man can’t love his mom and respect her dearly. I’m not even saying he can’t be in regular communication with her…that’s a sign of a nice guy.
But calling her up every time he has to make a tough call or he can’t decide which shampoo to choose? I’d say those apron strings are going to be hard to break!
3) Hates the “J” word
By “J” I mean getting a job.
I dated a guy once who switched jobs like I switch channels on the TV.
He couldn’t hold one down for more than a few months, simply because he didn’t like the “vibe”.
But here’s the thing – the vast majority of people turn up to work every day, not because they love it, but because they have responsibilities!
So be wary, it could be that he’s truly searching for a job that aligns with his passions, or that he’s simply a man-child who can’t commit.
A real man, on the other hand, would know the importance of having a steady income.
And if he doesn’t like his job? He’d be smart enough to start a side hustle and turn his dream into reality when the time is right!
4) The blame game champion
“I didn’t get the job because the interviewer was a d*ck.”
“It’s not my fault I missed your parent’s anniversary dinner, the damn bus was late and then I couldn’t find the venue.”
If the guy you’re dating has an excuse for everything, it shows he can’t take responsibility for himself.
In other words, he’s still a child. And a young child at that.
What’s worse is that if you stick around long enough, that long finger of blame will eventually find you too. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
5) His future is ‘later’
Have you tried having a conversation with your date about the future?
Does it usually end with, “Let’s talk about it later”?
If so, it’s another behavioral red flag that indicates you’ve met a man child…and one who is quite content with it too!
Real men aren’t afraid of talking about the future. They know what they want. And if they really like you, they’ll want you to be a part of the conversation.
A man-child, on the other hand, is either too afraid, too lazy, or too comfortable running to mom to have to worry about what his life might look like 10 years down the line.
6) Doesn’t do dirty dishes
Now, ladies, I don’t know about you, but to me, this is a major turn-off.
We’re in 2023…do we really need to continue such outdated norms, such as women belonging in the kitchen?
No.
And if the man you’re dating “can’t” wash dishes, or “doesn’t know how to” hoover…it’s time to show him the door!
He’s a child who won’t contribute around the house. He won’t know how to look after you if you get sick. And god forbid if you have children one day…well, he’ll just add to the stress!
Find yourself a man who knows how to do the basics (and more). Someone who will be a partner, not a burden.
7) Tantrums aren’t cute anymore
And talking of burdens…if your man has a tantrum every time he doesn’t get his way, you’ve definitely got yourself a man-child.
Dealing with disappointment is an important part of life. And a man who is grown and mature will have a good grasp of his emotions.
He won’t get into a huff every time you say no.
He won’t kick off with staff when he can’t get tickets to an event.
And he certainly won’t take to social media to rant every time he doesn’t like something!
8) Bros before… everyone
Let me start by saying, if a man has a healthy social circle of friends, that’s a good thing.
But what isn’t okay is if he constantly prioritizes them over you.
Now, before I get some slack for saying that, let me explain:
As adults, we accept that when we start a relationship with someone, we have to make room for them in our lives. Ultimately, that person could become the other parent of our children, our future spouse, and if we’re lucky, the person we grow old with.
So, if he blows you off because his buddy “Jim” wants to hang out, that’s not cool.
If you’ve planned a romantic date night but suddenly his best mates come bundling in, that’s a red flag.
A man who can’t balance his relationship with his friendships is a man-child. There’s just no other way of putting it!
9) Commitment is a scary word
I’m going to hazard a guess here…if the guy you’re dating is afraid to talk about the future, he’s probably not much better when it comes to discussing the C word.
If you notice his hands get clammy and his face flushed whenever the words “marriage” or “moving in together” come up, there’s a good chance he just wants to have fun.
Or perhaps he really does like you, but isn’t mature enough yet to consider settling down.
Either way, the only scary word here is “man-child”, and if this point rings true for you, I’d run for the hills!
10) Money management? What’s that?
And finally, if you’re dating a guy who does have a job but can’t save or budget for the life of him, you’re dating a child.
Don’t feel bad though, the signs of a man-child aren’t always obvious from the start.
But when he can’t book a holiday with you because he’s living paycheck to paycheck, or he can’t afford to go out to eat because he spends all his money on video games, it’s a red flag.
Mature men learn from their experiences. And as their expenses grow, from having their own place or purchasing a car, they learn how to budget and save accordingly.
And isn’t that what you want deep down?
Someone you can build a life with?
If so, the man-child you’re currently dating might not be the one. Sure, if you’re also looking to have some fun without imagining a future together, go for it!
But if you want something a bit more serious, send the man-child back to his mom and find yourself a real man.
