You have been going out with a new friend. You seem to get along well. Maybe you even have been intimate. But, is this still a series of dates, or are the two of you moving on to something more permanent? When does dating turn into a relationship? Here are some thoughts about the mile stones we reach along the way.

Toothbrush by the Sink and Clothes in the Closet

Sleeping over is a good sign that your relationship is progressing. It is a step past having sex and then one or the other going home. But, when dating is turning into a relationship, each of you has a toothbrush by the other’s bathroom sink and a least a change of underwear in the dresser drawer and clothes in the other’s closet. These are signs that you are comfortable with each other and not just marking time until the “right” person comes along.

Meeting the Family or Not

Have you met members of each other’s families? If so, was it a sister or brother whom you already knew, or was it at a family gathering? When each of you is comfortable with meeting the other family, and no uncomfortable issues arise, your dating may be turning into a relationship.

Traveling Together

When you go on vacation or just go away for the weekend, it is to do something you want to do. When the two of you start going together, you either like the same things or are being thoughtful of each other. Both are good signs that your dating is turning into a relationship.

First Person in the Morning and Last Person at Night

When your dating has turned into a relationship the two of you are parts of each other’s lives. He or she is the first person you think of and talk to in the morning. And you are the last person that he or she thinks of and talks to before going to sleep. This may happen gradually or quickly but it is a good sign that your dating has turned into a relationship.

First Choice of Things to Do Is You

Single people have their favorite pastimes and hobbies. Their social life is a separate thing. But, when your dating is turning into a relationship, the two of you would rather spend time together than be apart and it often does not make much difference what you are doing, so long as you are doing it together. This is an early sign of dating turning into a relationship.

Comfortable with Time Alone Too

When we have been alone for a long time and finally find someone whom we love, we can still be afraid of losing them. This can leading to clinging or even manipulation to keep your new friend close and away from the “competition.” When your level of mutual love, affection, and trust matures, both of you can be away doing things without having the abject fear of being abandoned. This may be the final step of dating turning into a relationship.